Wondering what do working parents do during summer? Get ideas for child care during summer break.
My daughter is eight and my son is 15. She will be attending a summer day camp program.
A few weeks ago, I signed her up for Summer care at the church she attends afterschool.
How is it time to plan THAT already?
Of course, it’s more expensive than afterschool care, so I’ve been brainstorming ways to cut our budget this summer to help offset the difference.
Read: How to Save Money for Summer Vacation
Ways we plan to save money this Summer:
- downgrading our cable plan
- couponing and doing more deal shopping
- reducing family eating out
What is a Working Mom Summer Break?
It’s really a trick question. When it comes to Summer childcare, if you have babies, toddlers, preschoolers, or school-aged children, there is no working mom Summer break.
You still need to secure care for the Summer, if you’re working.
Read: Everything You Wanted to Know About Childcare
So, this is forcing me to look at our schedule for the Summer because we have to give two weeks notice for vacation weeks or we still have to pay tuition for Summer care.
My daughter has been asking to go to this Summer program for a couple of years. (We tried a different one last Summer that she DIDN’T really enjoy!)
I’m excited to finally be able to let her do this. She’s excited, too, knowing that they’ll go skating, bowling, mini golfing, to the movies, and many other field trips.
Have you already started Summer planning with your family?
If you need some ideas for child care during summer break, this answers what do working parents do during summer:
- Take advantage of the longer days. The sun doesn’t go down until nearly 9 p.m. So, when I leave work at 5 p.m., there are four full hours of sunlight left. Play in the yard, go swimming, make smores, or cookout. I can get even more time out of a summer afternoon if I get to work early. Then I can leave a little early (and beat traffic!).
- Use your paid time off. Working parents often use sick time to take care of sick kids. We should also use our vacation time for…vacation! Instead of being mad that I don’t have the budget to go on a full week vacation to the beach, I could take a Friday, Monday, or both off and enjoy a long weekend. Go see a movie, visit a museum, or go skating.
- Lunch. When my daughter is staying with my mother-in-law, she’s about 10 minutes away from my office. So, it’s very easy to bring lunch and have it outside at the park. Or, we could grab some lunch from a restaurant for an added treat. Or ask Grandma or your caregiver if you can meet up somewhere in the middle.
- Go on vacation (or a staycation). If you do have the budget or have saved up for a summer vacation, thoroughly enjoy it with your family! I’ve got a few tips for reacquainting yourself with your city in my staycation post. No cleaning either! Just fun!
- Use the weekends. Don’t spend your weekends catching up on chores. Do those on Friday night and treat the weekend like you would if you had a weekday with the kids. Have the fun, leisurely day you imagine it would be. You can have fun AND get stuff done on the weekends.
- Ask to work from home. Ask your employer if you can work a partial day or full day from home each week. You can start work earlier without a commute, get work done while the kids are occupied, enjoy fun outings, and finish up any projects at the end of the day once everyone is settled.
Fun Summer Family Activities
Read: 100 things to do when kids say I’m bored
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