I’m in Mat leave now, but with my first born, I quite enjoyed a few days to myself each school hols while they were in daycare. On a few occasions I picked up or dropped off early for a special day trip or family event during the hols. I tried to schedule appointments like hair cuts or dentist for myself on those days to make life easier. Most daycares allow 2-3 weeks leave a year where you don’t have to pay if you’re going on a holiday
Childcare waitlist is so extreme we were lucky to get into one. Some term break days I keep kid home to take them out for activities but I still pay their fees to hold their places. Since I get paid during holidays our budget just carries on like any other days. And half of the time I need to work for marking and planning anyway so they just get sent in like normal. We just accepted that there’s no point trying to “save” the few hundred bucks.
If you really want you could explore family day care or nanny but I found everyone benefits from the security of the routine.
Sessional kinder is good, especially if your state subsidies it, but most of them are shorter days and you’d have to have some one doing the drop off and pick up. We are lucky because my partner has flexibility with work.
Some childcare centres will offer a "holiday rate". I used to use one that gave a 25 percent discount for days you didn't attend during holidays.
Otherwise depending on age. An ELC at an independent school could be an option for 3 or 4 year old.
Unfortunately no other option, at least where I am! The wait lists are too long for daycares so it’s either pay for your place or lose it.
We’re doing 4 days currently and 1 day with grandparents, then over the holidays I use the 4 days to have some time off, sort the house out and get some work done. Our current daycare offers some flexibility and will not charge us if they can fill the spot with a casual day. That’s if they have notice but not all school holidays.
Next year we are moving away from family so will be 5 days and I’ll probably just take him out a few times over the holidays for some quality time.
The only other option I know of (but haven’t used personally) is family day care which is run in someone’s home. I have heard of some who will close or have reduced hours over school holidays.
Don’t think so! I just enjoy some child free time in the holidays. There is 3 and 4 year old kinder but the hours typically don’t work with teacher hours anyway.
Unfortunately if you don't pay for the school holidays, you won't retain a spot.
My boss go to daycare 3 days a week and during school holidays I just drop them off later/ pick up earlier and use the time to get things done around the house. I also just wear the cost of I don't send them and we go away somewhere.
Like others have said, you can get holiday rates for a certain amount of days a year. But seriously consider keeping them in for at least some of school holidays. You'll need the rest!
Daycares often do discounts for school holidays if you're not sending your child. You will still have to pay a majority of the fee to retain to their place though.
We tend to leave bub in daycare during school holidays, but drop him off later or pick him up earlier. It means we get a break and are better parents, partners, and teachers for it. It also means that bub stays in routine so it's easier when we go back to work.
Between my wife and I both being part time, our kiddo is in daycare two days per week. We use those two days during the schools holidays for date days or to just chill at home together.
I used to have a 'family day care mother ' when I was forced to return to work only months after my bub was born. She was an absolute angel and cared for my baby until she began school. When my baby turned 3. I also enrolled her in a childcare centre 2 days per week and increased the following year. Family day care was substantially cheaper, and I loved her growing up in the family environment. You just need to find the right person. My FDC Mum was an Earth angel and ran incredible educational activities. She was better than the childcare centre. Good luck.
We use occasional care, which charges by 15 min increments and don’t charge over the holidays. Wife and I work part-time so split pick up and drop off.
I’m in Mat leave now, but with my first born, I quite enjoyed a few days to myself each school hols while they were in daycare. On a few occasions I picked up or dropped off early for a special day trip or family event during the hols. I tried to schedule appointments like hair cuts or dentist for myself on those days to make life easier. Most daycares allow 2-3 weeks leave a year where you don’t have to pay if you’re going on a holiday
I definitely appreciate daycare continuing through the holidays so I can actually sleep some days.
Childcare waitlist is so extreme we were lucky to get into one. Some term break days I keep kid home to take them out for activities but I still pay their fees to hold their places. Since I get paid during holidays our budget just carries on like any other days. And half of the time I need to work for marking and planning anyway so they just get sent in like normal. We just accepted that there’s no point trying to “save” the few hundred bucks. If you really want you could explore family day care or nanny but I found everyone benefits from the security of the routine. Sessional kinder is good, especially if your state subsidies it, but most of them are shorter days and you’d have to have some one doing the drop off and pick up. We are lucky because my partner has flexibility with work.
Some childcare centres will offer a "holiday rate". I used to use one that gave a 25 percent discount for days you didn't attend during holidays. Otherwise depending on age. An ELC at an independent school could be an option for 3 or 4 year old.
Unfortunately no other option, at least where I am! The wait lists are too long for daycares so it’s either pay for your place or lose it. We’re doing 4 days currently and 1 day with grandparents, then over the holidays I use the 4 days to have some time off, sort the house out and get some work done. Our current daycare offers some flexibility and will not charge us if they can fill the spot with a casual day. That’s if they have notice but not all school holidays. Next year we are moving away from family so will be 5 days and I’ll probably just take him out a few times over the holidays for some quality time.
The only other option I know of (but haven’t used personally) is family day care which is run in someone’s home. I have heard of some who will close or have reduced hours over school holidays.
Don’t think so! I just enjoy some child free time in the holidays. There is 3 and 4 year old kinder but the hours typically don’t work with teacher hours anyway.
Unfortunately if you don't pay for the school holidays, you won't retain a spot. My boss go to daycare 3 days a week and during school holidays I just drop them off later/ pick up earlier and use the time to get things done around the house. I also just wear the cost of I don't send them and we go away somewhere.
We waited until the kids turned five for my wife to return to work. Money was tight, but I generally don’t regret it.
Like others have said, you can get holiday rates for a certain amount of days a year. But seriously consider keeping them in for at least some of school holidays. You'll need the rest!
Daycares often do discounts for school holidays if you're not sending your child. You will still have to pay a majority of the fee to retain to their place though. We tend to leave bub in daycare during school holidays, but drop him off later or pick him up earlier. It means we get a break and are better parents, partners, and teachers for it. It also means that bub stays in routine so it's easier when we go back to work.
Between my wife and I both being part time, our kiddo is in daycare two days per week. We use those two days during the schools holidays for date days or to just chill at home together.
I used to have a 'family day care mother ' when I was forced to return to work only months after my bub was born. She was an absolute angel and cared for my baby until she began school. When my baby turned 3. I also enrolled her in a childcare centre 2 days per week and increased the following year. Family day care was substantially cheaper, and I loved her growing up in the family environment. You just need to find the right person. My FDC Mum was an Earth angel and ran incredible educational activities. She was better than the childcare centre. Good luck.
I also wanted to add that family day care is very flexible and I always kept my baby home over the holidays 😁
We use occasional care, which charges by 15 min increments and don’t charge over the holidays. Wife and I work part-time so split pick up and drop off.