Summerbreak is a great way to spend time with your children, but for any working parent out there it can be a logistical nightmare. School gives you that flexibility of having a certain amount of childcare but once it is finished, you have to figure out how best to take care of your children while perhaps still having a full time job and no support. Like I said, nightmare. But, it doesn’t have to be. I thought I would share with you some of the ways you can keep it real during the summer break. Hopefully these ideas will help you out of a tight spot.

Book children into sports camps

Sports camps are one of the best ways to keep your children occupied during the summer break. They run very similarly to school hours and process, which means not much has to change in terms of your normal routine. Websites like https://fcbcanada.com/ have some great information about soccer camps, but you could also consider sports like tennis, baseball, basketball and so on. The options are endless but it could be a great ideal alternative to school and helps your children to stay active and healthy. 

Lean on friends and family

Friends and family can be your closest ally when it comes to organising child care in the summer holidays. They can really come to the rescue with it. Grandparents especially can be a real support to you, but if you don’t have that option, aunts and uncles, or even friends could really help you out. Sometimes all you need to do is ask.

Book some time off work

Now that summer is here, why not plan ahead and book some time off yourself. It is the ideal opportunity to spend some quality time with your children. It could be that you book a week or two off and head on holiday. Maybe going on a plane somewhere new or enjoying a camping trip. Or you could even just enjoy a staycation at home and spend time going to the park or visiting museums. Websites like https://www.care.com have some great suggestions.

Share the load with friends

You may find that some of your friends are in similar situations, so why not share the load? Plan time off separately and take care of each other's children during that week or two. It could work out that you have some fun time with all of the children but it can also be a great way to share the burden of child care without the big costs involved.

Consider childminders

Finally, childminders are always on hand to help during the summer breaks and holidays from school, and if you already use one for thing slike after school sessions then it is easy to allow them to take over some of the time during their summer break. If you don’t normally have a child minder it is a good idea to speak to one ahead of the summer break to book in a space as they can fill up quite quickly.

I hope that these suggestions help you to keep it real during the summer break.