Are school holidays to long?

[mehastings]

I don't disapprove of extended breaks but I sure wish they had a full summer school program or summer long camps or something [iexpensive] so that parents aren't forced to go into debt paying for daycare over the summer break. I wish Christmas and spring breaks were one week rather than two - again because it costs too much to have your child in daycare during the time that you can't get off work. Not everyone gets two or more weeks of vacation a year, most especially those who would be burdened by the extra expense of daycare during school breaks.

Great point. Have you thought about calling your town? A lot of them around here have summer rec programs. You can send your kid for one week, once a week, or every day all summer if you want. There's also the YMCA. They have scholarship programs to offset the cost.

 

[Ronny]

Our community center offers many inexpensive camps, classes and programs to keep the kids busy. My son likes the soccer camps and reading program. I taught some art classes at his school this year, which he loved and we are doing more of that at home as well. He also just spends a lot of time playing with friends and being a kid but his room, which he's supposed to be cleaning today, looks like hell.

 

[Kookamoor]

I wish Christmas and spring breaks were one week rather than two - again because it costs too much to have your child in daycare during the time that you can't get off work. Not everyone gets two or more weeks of vacation a year, most especially those who would be burdened by the extra expense of daycare during school breaks.

I'm not sure you'd want to wish that on your kids, though. It would give them some serious burnout. Kids need time away from their studies to be kids. I can't believe they only get 2 weeks at christmas here, but then the seasons thing has a big impact.

Can you tell me if this is true... In the US is it true that there is no law that requires employers to give full and part-time employees holidays?

 

[novella]

I don't disapprove of extended breaks but I sure wish they had a full summer school program or summer long camps or something [iexpensive] so that parents aren't forced to go into debt paying for daycare over the summer break. I wish Christmas and spring breaks were one week rather than two - again because it costs too much to have your child in daycare during the time that you can't get off work. Not everyone gets two or more weeks of vacation a year, most especially those who would be burdened by the extra expense of daycare during school breaks.

I really wish we had more of the European attitude concerning holiday time. Most European cultures consider time off, family time, and leisure to be an essential part of life. Having less than a month off a year is considered insane.

I read recently about the changes in the Irish economy causing a shift away from leisure time and family time and toward more working hours and materialism. Really sad.

 

[clueless]

I totally agree with novella. I grew up with long summer holidays and we never had problems finding things to do. And teachers loved them too. They could have a long trip and many used part of the holidays to do courses and update their skills.

I suppose one of the reasons for the long holidays was farming but another one is the weather. Schools don't have air conditioning.

I've been to schools here in a really hot day and feel so sorry for all those teenagers who are not even allowed to take their blazers off. They are in the classroom, but they cannot do any work.

 

[Renee]

Great point. Have you thought about calling your town? A lot of them around here have summer rec programs. You can send your kid for one week, once a week, or every day all summer if you want. There's also the YMCA. They have scholarship programs to offset the cost.

I live way out in the rural suburbs. Most of the available programs only run for a couple weeks. There really aren't any back to back programs. And many of the available programs are only half days. There is typically 4 weeks of the summer that there is nothing at all available.

Kookamoor -- We are typically given one or two days off for major holidays. Children may need time off from studies but they also need a stable home. Inexpensive day care can still cost from $120 to $180 a week for full time care. A lot of day cares close during holidays which only exasperates the problem.

 

[sung]

well, i for one am finding plenty of things to do this summer and it is almost over! it hardly feels like a vacation, so many things have been happening!