Posted by How do busy, working parents survive the half term holidays? Whether you have annual leave to spare or if you simply cannot afford to take the time off due to a heavy workload, then our tips for managing this stress could come in handy by taking on the principles of a sharing economy.
If there’s a friend or family member taking time off, why not share the burden and use each other as a resource of support to ease the pressure.
Spread the load:
If you need to take time off work to look after children during the half term holidays, simply divvy up the load. Perhaps taking a week off isn’t feasible for you that particular week, but you and your partner could share the load and share annual leave usage so it’s even by taking two days off each, and then a third days off together to enjoy it as a family.
Arrange play dates with friends:
If you are really struggling, why not combine forces with your friends who have children and see if anyone is able to look after your children for a couple of days. And you return the favour by doing the same for them. This is great if you are short on holiday days and especially handy if your kids get along with your friend’s children too.
Work from home:
This is particularly handy for nursery aged children who you can drop off to a half term day centre in the morning and put them down for a nap in the afternoon. Or perhaps pick up work again later in the evening after having some quality time together. If your company offers flexible working, you should definitely take advantage of this.
Check out what’s on:
Your local authority website will have information about half term activities you can go to. Check out if there are any special classes on at the local pool or find out if any local parent groups have organised days out of picnics at the park. These activities are great fun as the kids get to see their friends and you get some adult company while they’re happily enjoying themselves.
Hopefully, these tips help you find a way around the challenges of being a working parent and bring a little more peace to your half term.