Holiday costs

I treated my DS and his family to a 4 night, 5 day holiday at a Haven Holiday Park in the last week of July/first week of August. Absolutely everything a family with young children could want, swimming pools, childrens entertiainers, plus beaches within walking distance and they all loved it. Cost £428, self catering. And that was booked last minute too so possibly could have been cheaper if I'd thought about it earlier. Doesn't have to be a holiday in the ££££££'s to be enjoyable.

happysexagenerian both stays are in November and the second one is quite a bit more than the 9 days we stayed there in August last year for my niece's wedding.

My recollection is that when I was young (in the 50's) the vast majority of people I knew holidayed in the UK. My Mum, Dad and I spent two holidays in a rickety old rented caravan sited at Walton on Naze. Even though it rained, I enjoyed it because it was something different in a relatively boring life.

However, I don't recall there being constant adverts on the TV showing beautiful, sunny locations, and even whole programmes devoted to holiday destinations.

I would imagine most people have been abroad these days and I know several people who have very regular holidays, both in the UK and abroad. But there is still a significant minority who can't afford a holiday in the UK - or even a day out. It must be much harder to bear when they can see how many people go on exotic holidays. Call it envy if you like but I wouldn't blame them for being envious.

And, having just been on a 7 day self-catering holiday in Devon, I agree that in the height of the season it is very expensive to have a holiday here too. It cost as much as going to a hotel, half board, in Madeira in May.

I would certainly take the children out of school for a week or two during term time if it were the only way I could afford a decent holiday. Most women work now and both they and their partners need to relax and have time with their children, away from the demands of home. I personally don't think camping fits the bill for many because it can be quite hard work. It's not something I enjoy anyway.

For anyone who feels it is important for low income families who are going through a difficult time to have a holiday together, away from their everyday worries, the Family Holiday Association is a charity that provides such holidays.

GillT57
I beg to differ. I did check and could find dozens...many dozens. Aug 19-24 2019.

My daighter, a working single parent, three children, an ex-husband she is too frightened of to reveal their address therefore no help with finances, has never been able to afford to take her children on holiday either here or abroad. The rules regarding taking children out of school for even a short break are ludicrous. Having worked in a school for a number of years I can honestly say that missing out on school for five or even ten days does not cause children to miss out on any education that they can’t catch up on quite quickly. My grandchildren will not be able to look back on any holiday memories spent in the country or at the seaside and for that I feel very sad. Personally, I don’t blame hotels or holiday parks for their charges, I blame whichever Government brought in these rules, yet another way of creating a ‘Have and have not’ society.

Sad that we don't pay either what something is worth only what we don't have any alternative to pay.
Remember my father saying in very strong tones
"I refuse to pay through the nose for it"
things don't change.

I blame whichever Government brought in these rules, yet another way of creating a ‘Have and have not’ society.

That was far from the intention though, Pat1949. The disruption caused by children having time off in term time had the worst effect on the most deprived, particularly those with poor language and social skills. Children at some schools would disappear for weeks, sometimes back to their country of origin, often for a funeral or family illness, coming back having lost the little language and learning they’d picked up, having to be assimilated back into class, with all the trouble that caused for the other pupils and staff. The life chances of all the children in these schools improved when headteachers could just say no, without argument and being accused of insensitivity, even racism. It’s such a shame though that children like your grandchildren have been further disadvantaged by it.

In Germany they have, or used to have, a system where they rotate the main school holiday, so in one area all the schools will be closed in June, in another they’ll shut in July, and in another August. Which seems a sensible way of easing the pressure on accommodation and prices.

Oh whatever Gabriella, I have better things to do.

If we're talking about holidays when we were young, we always used to go or be sent to relatives. Always enjoyed the change. Also enjoyed it when they came to stay with us in return. Do people still do that?

As a mum to a high school aged child (as well as a granny) I think it would be hugely helpful if schools adjusted the school holidays. Starting earlier than normal, or even reducing the 6 weeks Hol and adding in a couple of out if season weeks. I thinks it's the only way parents gave a chance at cheaper hols. 5 nights in our own caravan this summer cost £185 !

In Germany they have, or used to have, a system where they rotate the main school holiday, so in one area all the schools will be closed in June, in another they’ll shut in July, and in another August. Which seems a sensible way of easing the pressure on accommodation and prices.
Some of the holidays do not coincide here in the UK so if a family lives on the border between, say, England and Wales, they could have children who end up having different holidays which can make life difficult.

True enough. And it could be even worse for grandparents. ? Our DGS are in two adjacent local authorities, and none of their half-terms coincided this year. Then one school had the week before Christmas off, the other shut on the day before Christmas Eve...

But I’ve just checked and they still have a system of different holidays in Germany. Some areas had 25 June to 3 August, some had 5 July to 15 August, some had 30 July to 10 September. It’d be interesting to know whether parents are happier with this system.

It's difficult enough trying to get the DGC together when some live in Australia and others live here, but if they are siblings even more so!

sorry, I meant siblings in different LEA here - and a parent who works in another school altogether.

We had the same system in Poland it’s much better and it’s whole areas that have the same time off not local authority’s, much more like counties. It’s highly unlikely it would cause the problem of children being off at certain times

Newbiedoobie I live in Lancashire and upto a few years ago schools in the town and surrounding area did finish early (end of June) and had done for many, many years. Unfortunately things changed and we were brought in line with the rest of the country. When I was young we went on holiday every year to Blackpool, stayed in the same boarding house run by a wonderful family,it was very different to what it is like now. At the age of 9, we had our first holiday in Cornwall, we travelled overnight in the car.... all very exciting, at the age of 12 I went on my last ever family holiday with parents and brothers. At 13 I went to Yugoslavia with school, 2 weeks during the summer holidays in a hotel, we travelled by coach, ferry and train... it was wonderful. The following years I went to Austria, Switzerland and on French Exchange. Only when I grew up and had children of my own did I appreciate how hard my parents must have worked and saved. Unfortunately I wasn't able to do the same for my children as I became a single parent when they were very young, I did manage to take them away for a week in a caravan to Wales through H. E. L. P (Holiday Endeavors for Lone Parents). The holiday was during term time and we had a fantastic time and met families in the same situation as us and the girls have never forgotten it.

I too was a single parent and holidays were mostly visiting relatives, camping and borrowing a friends caravan. We did go abroad with my mum and dad one year. I don't think the summer hike up of prices was as high then. We usually do a week in a cottage in the UK with DS and his children and, till this year my mum. The price rises in the summer are appalling, and yes I know its a business, and yes I know the owners have to cover costs, but it does seem unnecessary to more than double prices.

A young friend told me that Centre Parks charge double in the English Autumn half-term than they do the week afterwards. She could take advantage of this as they live over the border and Welsh half-term was the week after the English one.

Jalima all the Centre Parks on mainland Europe are considerably cheaper than the UK Parks all year round even when you factor in travel.

I think MaggieMaybe hits the nail on the head in her post:

The disruption caused by children having time off in term time had the worst effect on the most deprived, particularly those with poor language and social skills

In my experience, it does little or no harm to take a child out of school in term time for a week. In my own case, I was hospitalised for a fortnight twice each year till I was eleven. It had no effect on my educational achievements.

Later, we took our sons on holiday out of term time, as we had little money. Again, it has had no effect on their eventual life situations. Both have good jobs, mortgages, families, and all that goes with it.

I don't understand your post Blinko. Maggiemaybe was, I thought, in effect saying that children shouldn't holiday during term time.

My own feeling is that if children are so disadvantaged as to have poor language and social skills, a week's holiday in term time isn't going to make an awful lot of difference - it might even be beneficial.

I think all these people who feel that altering school holidays/taking kids out of school at any time etc are missing the point! If there is enough demand then prices will remain high - supply and demand. It’s business and always has been as has those who can afford it and those who can’t. In fact it’s life!! ?

Eleothan, I agree that taking a child out of school for a week may not be an issue. However, some people take their children abroad for cultural reasons for anything up to twelve weeks. We live in an area of the country with a large Asian population and have heard from teachers that where it happens, this is highly disruptive.