All the days off in regular school -- what do you do with your children, if you work full time?

[Anonymous]

My dd4 will start kindergarten next year. She's been in daycare all this time and they stay open all the time. I am looking at the calendar for next year for my county schools and she will be off much more than just the holiday weeks. There seem to be a couple of election days, teacher conventions and meeting days. Would do you all do? Do you have any leave to even go on vacation in the summer? Do you alternate with your spouse, grandparents, neighbors? Tell me it will all work out. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I take the day off as a vacation day, or they spend the day with grandma. If I were more creative and motivated, I would trade days with the kids' friends parents.

My husband is a teacher, so we are covered for snow days and other days he is off, but we need coverage for his professional days.

[Anonymous]

So far we have taken turns with the days and hired a babysitter for others. Some after-care centers also are open on no-school days.

[Anonymous]

our aftercare program is open on the professional days and conference days, which is a help.

Christmas break we'll either swap days, or possibly take a lot of vacation. Spring break (2 wks this year) we'll do a week vacation and do a camp for a week. Summer break we'll do camps plus a trip to my parents for a week or two. Luckily we are far enough along in our careers to get more than two weeks of vacation.

Swapping days with another family is a great idea. Helps entertain the kids and less vacation time taken for what isn't a vacation.

[Anonymous]

We couldn't get into aftercare (FFX Cty.) so we have an au pair. It works out very well for this sort of thing.

[Anonymous]

For those in FCPS, if your child is in before or after care, then you are entitled to coverage for teacher workdays and snow days. We are on the wait list for after care, but my DD is in before school SACC, so she gets full day coverage for teacher work days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those in FCPS, if your child is in before or after care, then you are entitled to coverage for teacher workdays and snow days. We are on the wait list for after care, but my DD is in before school SACC, so she gets full day coverage for teacher work days.

Does that apply for delayed starts as well?

[Anonymous]

My son's not there yet, but his day care takes elementary aged kids on the days public schools are off, including bus service to and from. That's what I plan to use since he knows the teachers already. Not every time, but to cover the days I can't stay home.

[Anonymous]

Does that apply for delayed starts as well?

oops, I was slightly wrong. From the SACC handbook (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ofc/Docs/sacc_parent_handbook_09-10_updatedweb.pdf) :

Teacher Workdays: SACC provides full day service from 7:15 a.m.
to 6:15 p.m. on most FCPS teacher workdays. Children enrolled in BS,
AK or AS programs may attend the full day. School cafeterias will be
closed. On teacher workdays, please send a packed lunch and drink that
does not require refrigeration or heating and label both with the child’s
name and date. Snack will be provided by SACC in the morning and
afternoon.

Full Day Closings – SACC will be closed whenever schools are closed
for the full day due to severe weather conditions, energy problems or other
emergencies.

Delayed School Openings – On days when school opens late, SACC
centers will make every effort to open by 8 a.m. Please call your center to
make sure that teachers have arrived before leaving your home.
Early School Closings – SACC will operate from the time school closes
until 6:15 p.m., the regular SACC closing time. In the event of severe
weather conditions, energy problems or other emergencies, SACC
administration may ask parents to pick up children earlier.

Teacher Workdays – SACC will be closed whenever schools are closed
for the full day due to severe weather conditions, energy problems or
other emergencies. If it is announced by the media that FCPS teachers do
not report to work, SACC teachers do not report to work and centers are
closed.

My younger DD's child care offers drop in care for elementary aged children on a first come, first served basis.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes we take a day off but we often send our son to a daycamp at the YMCA or a camp organized by groups like Left Noodle Right Noodle. I'm lucky that I work for the government so on federal holidays that are also school holidays, I take the day off. I often wonder how families with less leave time handle it - I get a lot of vacation time but when you factor in a vacation trip or two during the year, plus time off for school-related events, it's really tough.

[Anonymous]

We kluge together a bunch of different things.

Camps, grandparents, days off, baby sitters etc.

It is hard.

[Anonymous]

Our daycare will often take it's alums for holidays and summer days when camp is not available. If you like your daycare, I would talk to them about it now and arrange a daily rate. I have had to hire babysitters (can be $150/day, UGH) and often beg my parents to visit during that time (nothing in life is free, though!).

Factor in sick days if you really want to put yourself over the edge

[Anonymous]

Our aftercare, which is at my child's school, is open just about every day that school is closed except Thanksgiving, Christmas, NY's Day. It's open during both winter and spring breaks, snow days and all those days that school is closed or closes early. Basically, it's a godsend!

[Anonymous]

We live in Arlington, VA and my child usually goes to Left Noodle-Right Noodle camps on those days. They hold camps on all the federal holidays and teacher work days, etc. and it's always a lifesaver. My DS loves going which is an added bonus.