The Struggle of Summer: A Parent’s Dilemma
With the school gates closed for the best part of seven weeks, it should be a time for relaxation and family bonding. However, for many working parents, it’s a period of anxiety and financial strain. The long summer break is not just disruptive but also expensive, leading to a growing debate on whether the school summer holiday should be shortened to four weeks.
A poll by charity Parentkind revealed that over half (53%) of families support this idea, with 60% of those with children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in favor. Former chief inspector of schools, Sir Martyn Oliver, believes shorter breaks could benefit children by helping them return to school more “regulated” and in routine, making the transition back to learning easier. However, teachers are less enthusiastic, with only 24% supporting the plan.
For families like mine, the long summer break is more about managing finances than creating memories. As a family of four with two working parents, the summer months can quickly drain our savings. We’ve calculated the costs, and they don’t look good. We’re taking one shared family holiday for 10 days, but otherwise, keeping two young children safe and entertained is costing us over £2,000.
We manage through a combination of reduced work hours, extra annual leave, and costly holiday clubs. I’m freelance and usually work around 30 hours a week over four days. During the summer, I’ll be cutting down to three days for more than a month. Our youngest child will still attend nursery until the end of August, at a cost of about £700 for the summer. Our eldest daughter is booked into nine days of holiday clubs, which range from sports to creative arts to theatre, costing between £40 and £60 a day in London.
These activity camps often do not accept government tax-free childcare programmes or childcare vouchers, forcing parents to pay full price. Council services offer cheaper alternatives, but space is limited and demand is high. According to Coram’s annual holiday childcare survey, costs for holiday cover have increased by 4% in one year, with an average weekly cost of £179 per child for full-time childcare. This means a six-week summer break could cost over £1,000 per child for a parent unable to take time off from work.
While the government has focused on the cost of routine childcare for children under school age, much less attention has been given to the mini crisis that hits families every summer. Even when parents pay vast sums for supportive childcare, many holiday activity camps in the UK operate from 10am to 3pm, forcing parents to negotiate home working agreements or pay for additional wraparound care.
With no family support this summer, we’ve had to book high-cost clubs, but even nine days is all we can stretch to. The reality is that my long British summer will involve far too many early starts and late finishes to fit paid work around looking after my kids.
Research shows that most parents are in the same position. Deloitte UK found that over a third (35%) of working parents felt significant guilt about not spending enough time with their primary aged children during the summer and lacked enough annual leave or flexibility to cover the entire break. The juggle causes a strain on relationships, with over a third (39%) saying a lack of flexibility around holiday time led to conflict over childcare responsibilities.
Martina, a self-employed writer and editor, says her husband has agreed to take unpaid parental leave for the first time since they had children nine years ago. The couple has three children and lives in London, where clubs can cost upwards of £600 a week for three children. She is reducing her work to three days a week, meaning the family will lose around £2,000 of pre-tax income over the six weeks. “It’s really stressful,” she says.
Heidi Ellert-McDermott, based in Dorset, runs a global speechwriting business and has two children aged 10 and 12. She is dreading her summer break, which will involve working around trips and activities she’s planned to keep her children happy. “The cost of the summer holidays isn’t just financial, it’s spiritual,” she says.
Many working parents face parental burnout and guilt. Hearing from families who don’t need two parents in work and are planning long restful breaks doesn’t help. Social media posts telling you that you “only have 18 summers with your kids, so make them count” add to the pressure.
Today’s parents are more likely to both work full-time and less likely to live near relatives who could offer informal support. Smaller families mean fewer older children to keep an eye on younger siblings. Despite this, there is little flexibility from employers. In the UK, unlike in parts of Europe and the US, there is no culture of a summer slowdown. Employers expect productivity to remain high, leaving working parents to navigate the challenges alone.
For single parents, the situation is even more difficult. Vaila McClure, head of engagement at Gingerbread, says the government must do more to raise awareness and make the system work better for those on low incomes. Employers must also offer flexible work options to reduce the burden on single parent families.
Whether you’re full-time staff or self-employed, and ploughing through with children at your feet or paying through the nose for activities, the message is clear: even if it feels like it, you’re not alone.
