The children are off for six weeks straight. But you probably don’t have that many vacation hours as a working parent. Where do you leave your children? And what do they need during those free, long summer weeks?
It’s not surprising that childcare during the summer vacation is such a puzzle, says educational psychologist Loes Waanders. “Children have about 13 weeks off per year, and those in paid employment have about four weeks. That dates back to when the Netherlands was an agrarian society and children helped out in the fields in the summer. That hasn’t changed or grown, and it demands quite a bit from parents.”
It’s logical that as a parent you often have no choice but to look for solutions like after-school care, summer camp, grandparents, a few hours alone at home, or another creative childcare arrangement. NUjij users share how they handle it.
Tip 1: Check out local initiatives from museums, community centers, petting zoos, or neighborhood playgrounds
You may only know the community center in your neighborhood from the coffee and bingo mornings, but there’s a good chance they offer fun activities for children in the summer. For example, the DOCK foundation organizes a three-day cartooning course, workshops in chess, sports, video making, or tai chi. They are active in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Schiedam, and Zaanstad. Also check out the sports clubs your child attends. Sports clubs often organize summer camps, day workshops, or clinics.
Don’t forget the museums, petting zoos, and playgrounds in your neighborhood. They won’t offer professional childcare, but they do organize fun activities during the summer vacation that can help you out for a few hours. Also check out the Children’s Vacation Week in your municipality; these are vacation weeks for children who are not going on vacation.
Tip 2. Find a summer nanny
There are summer host parents who have extra childcare spots during the school vacation weeks; inquire about this at host parent agencies in your region. This paid form of childcare – in theory – entitles you to childcare allowance.
NU-JIJ user KarlaF no longer wanted to send her children to the after-school care in her neighborhood during the vacations. “They don’t get beyond ‘gadget afternoon’, i.e. watching a screen, putting on makeup, or making baguettes. We started looking for alternatives and found a very nice host parent.” When she is on vacation, KarlaF’s family goes on vacation themselves.
Tip 3: The after-school care remains open, also for children who don’t normally go
Inquire about the forms of after-school care (bso) in your neighborhood and see which program appeals to you and your children. Educational psychologist Waanders advises to especially look at what your child needs, such as the degree of structure, or need for sports. See if the place offers a safe and loving environment. “Schedule a tour to get a feel for the atmosphere and observe how the children in the care interact with the supervisors and with each other.”
NUjij user The Dark thinks that her son’s after-school care offers a more fun vacation than she can herself: “I don’t have the luxury of taking six weeks off. So my child can go to the after-school care where his friends come to play, where he can go to the zoo and playground, to the museum, mess around, pick apples, look for insects. I bring money in so that I can do really fun things with him when we are together.”
Tip 4: Consult with your employer, and take parental leave
You are entitled to unpaid parental leave until your child is eight years old. That is 26 times the number of hours you work per week. Suppose you work 36 hours per week, then you are entitled to 936 hours of parental leave. You determine together with the employer when you take the leave, and on which working days – but your employer may not refuse this. The employer may also not deduct the parental leave from the accrued vacation days.
NUjij user Sander_eadf6ebc has stopped working for a while because of the children: “My fifth child is on the way, my wife is due this week. It’s all going to be hectic. I’ve taken time off until the schools start again. I’m playing a lot of PlayStation and doing odd jobs around the house. I’m having a great time!”
Tip 4. Enlist your network of other parents and family
Using your parents as babysitting grandma and grandpa is a good and trusted option for many families. If you let grandpa and grandma babysit, Waanders says, it is also good to realize that they are with your child from a different role. “They may naturally be more inclined to spoil them. That’s logical and also okay. Look for a healthy balance between agreements that are in the interest of your child, and let go of things yourself. Focus on the fact that it’s nice that you can rely on them these weeks.”
NUjijgebruiker_acdfbdce suggests taking other people’s children under your care or taking them on a trip as often as possible on your days off. “Then usually the question comes back whether your child wants to come and play. And further: accept that the vacation for you in the coming years will be a period of puzzling, instead of a period of rest.”
Tip 6: Remember that they don’t need 24-hour entertainment
Waanders: “It’s fine to loosen the reins a bit more during a vacation or to use a different daily structure. Children also benefit from periods of relaxation and less strict rules. Hanging out in your onesie, eating ice cream, and watching TV can be a wonderful, memorable experience for a child. Or think of a ‘yes day’: a day on which a child gets to choose. Super fun to do once.”
If your work allows you to work from home, maintain some basic rules such as fixed mealtimes. “Letting go too much can also lead to feelings of insecurity, which can make them inclined to push boundaries, for example.” Children don’t need 24 hours a day of entertainment, says Waanders. “Especially after a school year, it’s nice not to ‘have to’ do everything.”