Heatwave now, but what’s the betting…?

The summer holidays do seem to be grey and wet much of the time which makes life difficult for parents. I remember having to spend a lot of money on cinema, swimming pools and other indoor activities with three needing entertainment.

Witzend

…that it’ll turn cool and rainy once the school summer holidays start?
Judging from previous form, that is.

this weather is a fluke
rain will be most welcome

I couldn’t agree more. For young children 6 weeks is a very long time not to be in school, older ones get bored, from a working mum perspective 6 weeks childcare is expensive all in one hit.

My true view, start school days earlier, end earlier, and split into 4 terms with equal amount of holidays at the end of each term and no half terms.

Methinks it’ll be next week! Wet Wimbledon!

Sago

I always feel for parents when schools break up and the weather turns.
It’s so expensive to entertain children, day trips etc.
The alternative is to go abroad but temperatures are really to high in July and August.
The school holidays need to be revised
The October and May half terms could be lengthened and the the traditional 6 weeks reduced to 4.

this has been mooted for as long as I can remember,
with children at school from the early eighties

my son had 10 weeks through the summer, with not
even homework, a project, access to the school facilities
or extensive grounds for any reason
it was difficult when he was 12/13/14 too young to work
and earn his own money, until he was 15/16 and worked
at a large famous plant nurseries in all weathers, for a
small wage throuh the summer, but he cycled there,
it beefed him up, money to go out with, opened his own
BS account, took a loaf and a half of sandwiches, fruit, drinks.

I well remember the extra cost of feeding three biguns
who would normally dine at school for what seemed at
the time to be a nominal sum

getting into gear in October and the extended journey
to school for my son took weeks to adjust to the routine,
a long working day, even though he was fit and healthy
an adjustment nevertheless

6 weeks is too long, 4 weeks should be enough - mine slept
for the first week anyway

yes definitely extended May and October weeks, when the weather is invariably balmy

Grannybags

I think I'd rather cope with that than this red alert heat!!

Me too.
We are in London in the red alert zone.
A kindly neighbour just dropped a bag of ice cubes and ice lollies off, he had several bags.
And I agree with Sago the summer hols are way too long and originally were made so long in order for the children of farmers to help out in the fields. I don’t that is relevant now.
As an erstwhile teacher you would think I would be in favour of a longer holiday but seeing as we had school age children, like many other teachers, we still had to keep our own kids entertained and occupied for 6 long weeks.

That's a really good idea Sago.

I always feel for parents when schools break up and the weather turns.
It’s so expensive to entertain children, day trips etc.
The alternative is to go abroad but temperatures are really to high in July and August.
The school holidays need to be revised
The October and May half terms could be lengthened and the the traditional 6 weeks reduced to 4.

I think I'd rather cope with that than this red alert heat!!