Remember the summer holidays of your childhood – the seemingly endless, sunny days many of us look back on fondly? Those six “precious” weeks look very different when you’re a parent. Having to feed, entertain, look after and fund your offspring during the extended break can sometimes make the summer seem endless for all the wrong reasons.
Parents in England where, as in Scotland and Wales, the school summer break is six weeks, have complained that this is too long, and are backing a reduction to four weeks. Pity then the parents in mainland Europe: French school holidays last for eight weeks. In some regions of Italy, summer is a whopping 14-weeks long. Having birthed and brought up my five children in France, only moving back to England in April last year when my eldest was 14 and my youngest nine, I’ve experienced summers on both sides of the Channel. And it will be no surprise that I prefer the six-week version.
But not for the reasons you might think.
I’m lucky. I may have five children to entertain, but I work from home and have a husband who’s retired. I have to combat additional noise and break up the odd skirmish, but at least I don’t have to worry about childcare during the summer months.
Then again, in France, nor did most of my friends. France is set up differently for the summer break. For starters, there are affordable play schemes in most areas. In my small town in Limousin, children could have a day of fun, sport and supervision from 7.30am to 6.30pm, plus a cooked meal, for as little as €9 (about £7.80).
Rather than the odd snatched moment or week off, many children in France benefit from a healthy dose of family time over the summer as their parents are also on holiday. August is sacrosanct in France. Many businesses close or pare down, and people often take a fortnight – or even the month – off. (Need a routine scan in August? Good luck: even hospital services seem lighter on staff during the summer.)
And while it’s traditionally expensive to take holidays during peak times, in France help is available to those on modest incomes. The Vacaf voucher is a means-tested benefit that families can offset against a holiday at more than 7,000 hotels or holiday parks, saving up to 70%.
Money won’t be made tighter by “back to school” shopping, either. France gives parents a “rentrée” payment of more than €400 a child in August to cope with these costs. It’s means tested, but generously so, taking into account income and family size.
If additional childcare is needed, help will probably be available from grandparents. Of course, many UK-based grandparents also help with childcare, but in France it seemed the expected norm rather than the generous exception. Kids are shipped off to Mamie and Papy for two weeks at a time, leaving parents free to enjoy the sunshine.
Eight weeks seemed long, but in France they were manageable. Even – whisper it – fun. So why do I prefer the six-week option?
Well, first, it’s better educationally. The “summer slippage” children experience from the six-week break is well documented; pupils are thought to lose up to 40% of the gains they have made over the school year during this time. Another two weeks to forget everything could be catastrophic. And, however well supported children are, eight weeks is a long time to be away from the structure and routine of school. By the end the kids seemed feral, and were so accustomed to getting up later they found it hard to adjust to the 6am start.
Despite moaning that their French friends are already sunning themselves, my children have had fun during those “extra” two weeks at school. Lessons have been wound down and learning tied up. School plays have been performed, awards dished out, sports days (something they didn’t experience in France) enjoyed. Classes have met their new teachers for September, and new schools have been visited. There’s a sense of growing anticipation of the break ahead when teachers and pupils relax and (dare I say) enjoy each other’s company. It’s true that, in my experience, not a huge amount of learning occurs during this time. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t value in spending another fortnight in the classroom.
Some might argue that even six weeks is too long for a summer break. But despite the summer slippage, I’d be loath to have holidays reduced further. This six-week break is a childhood rite of passage and I’d hate to see kids lose it. (Plus, as an ex-teacher, I know it’s one of the few times staff get a proper break not filled entirely with marking and planning – mess with it at your peril.)
Instead, imagine if the UK government took a lesson from France and provided better, affordable care for families, and helped those who need support take their holiday during these expensive months (not necessarily by subsidising, but by staggering school holidays across the country or working with providers to ensure fairer pricing). Then, perhaps more parents would actually look forward to the summer.
Gillian Harvey is an author and mother of five living in Norfolk. She is the author of The Village Café in the Loire
