SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2021 tHE JUgglE oF sCHool HolidAys For WorKing PArEnts Did you hear the collective sigh of relief from parents making it through the longest school holidays they can remember? In a time when most parents work, the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child could not be more apt. Sophie Rishworth and Wynsley Wrigley look at what is available in the community for school children over the holidays, and how parents cope if they do not use holiday programmes. EvEnts For All HolidAy ProgrAmmE: Daniel Beckman and Leroy Tuhi had a lot of fun at one of the activities on the holiday programme they attended during the summer holiday this year. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell nnie Cousins feels very grateful to “I’d highly advise other parents to form four weeks, which leaves a deficit of 10 weeks rest of the week they were organised. be connected with other families small groups to do the same thing. for many to figure out who will look after the “Knowing they’re going to somebody’s through the school her three “It’s something we will definitely be doing children. home and not just a mass group of children Achildren attend. in the future.” Options include school holiday is important to me. These last holidays she and two other For some students, the Christmas holiday programmes, grandparents, or reciprocal “I’d rather they be in a home setting with mums joined forces. They each took one day break was eight weeks long this year and arrangements with friends or extended other kids. It is nicer for them and I know off a week to look after their combined seven they do not go back to school until Tuesday whanau. they’re going to have a good day as well.” children. next week. Annie and her husband both work full Annie said putting her three children in a “It’s a community-based idea of the village Other schools staggered their start times time. So this year Annie took annual leave holiday programme would cost her family raising the kids — it’s good.” over the past week. for one day a week to have her children, and $150 a day. Annie said their kids all knew each other Combined with the six weeks of school the four other children of two friends, with “We can’t afford that.” from school, and the mums knew each other holidays during the school terms, it equals the other mums each taking a day as well. Mum of one Rebecca Grunwell juggled too. 14 weeks of holidays. “It worked out great. I got to spend time “That trust is really important. The allocated annual leave for employees is with my own kids as well as knowing for the Continued on page 2 You have probably heard it before – “It’s my life, my funeral.” So shouldn’t you have some say in it? A “goodbye” doesn’t have to be a fuss, doesn’t have to be big, it just needs to be meaningful. Covid-19 has highlighted the importance and value of a meaningful goodbye. Give us a call to discuss livestreaming and virtual funerals where your loved ones can participate in your farewell from abroad. Start the conversation — talk about your ideas and wishes with family and give yourselves the gift of peace of mind. Goodbye is as important as hello. A meaningful Evans Funeral Services Ltd Ph 06 867 9150 Fax 06 868 5312 funeral supports healthy grieving. 171 Ormond Road, Gisborne Email offi [email protected] 33889-01 2 THE GISBORNE HERALD LEAD Organising care a stretch for many over longest holiday From page 1 solo parents. “ ese holidays have felt so much longer part-time work and her daughter Indie, 8, . the kids are getting sick of the sight of with the help of grandparents, friends and each other. a boss who allowed her to bring Indie into Two of her children are also a bit nervous work for a day. about going back to school. “It seemed so long this year. “So much time has passed they’re a bit “I used annual leave so I could enjoy some apprehensive. time with Indie, which is a blessing. e two “I just wish there were more options for weeks we had off together we went camping working solo parents. and it was awesome. We’re very lucky.” “It’s hard enough only having fi ve sick days For two of the other weeks Rebecca a year let alone the school holidays. drove Indie to Mount Maunganui, where “I know there are subsidies for parents but her parents live, so she could enjoy some if you have kids who don’t like the holiday grandparent care. programmes, you can’t force them to go.” e other days Rebecca relied on friends. Another mum whose child did attend a “Personally, the break was so long this holiday programme said he loved it, and year that a kid like Indie is a bit anxious wanted to go back. about going back now — it’s the fear of the “ e YMCA OSCAR is awesome.” unknown and starting the whole routine up OSCAR stands for Out of School Care And again.” Recreation. To top it off , Rebecca said she does not like YMCA OSCAR manager Iona Maxwell said the guilt that comes with being “that parent” they had up to 50 children a day at the height who has to ask other people for help with of their holiday programme. It dipped down childcare. to about 20 children just after Christmas and Rebecca said she would consider a holiday the New Year holiday when everyone was programme next year when Indie was older. off work anyway, but climbed back up to 50 “If you have a kid who doesn’t socialise children a day when everyone started going there, they will be anxious there as well. It is back to work. also really expensive — a friend of mine did ey cater for working parents with a one and it was $45 a day.” breakfast club from 7.30am, and at the other For many mums it can be day-by-day who end of the day children can stay until 5.45pm will look after their children. with an afternoon snack. Cara Haines is a single working mum of ese each cost $10 a day on top of the three children aged 15, 12 and 8. She took holiday programme, which is $45 a day. 2.5 weeks of her annual leave at the start of Depending on the parent’s income, the cost SWIMMING WITH GRANDPA: Indie Neshausen, 8, enjoyed a fun-fi lled school holiday by the holidays — but that still left 5.5 weeks. can be subsidised. spending time with her grandparents, going camping and hanging out with friends. She Because her eldest son was 15 he was able Iona said they had children returning every is pictured here at a pool in Mount Maunganui with her grandfather Nick Grunwell. to look after the younger children while she holidays they enjoyed it so much, with the Picture supplied went to work. relationship the staff built with the children game development to digital art, robotics into the after-school holiday programmes, But she didn’t want him to have to “really important”. to chemistry, virtual reality to music with evening sessions for adults. “babysit” all of his school holidays. Plus, Also on off er through the YMCA is the engineering. Bev says going forward the after-school halfway through the holidays he also school holiday programme Breakaway. Held “While the technologies diff er, the constant care and holiday programmes would got a job at a packhouse, which his mum every January, it is free because it is funded in this innovative learning environment is continue to run if they could get a minimum supported. by the Ministry of Social Development. the fun, collaborative, exploration the Tōnui of 15 children. Juggling care for her two other daughters Manager Cam McCreedy said they had 539 Collab team encourages all young creators to “With a smaller group there is more focus meant asking grandparents from both sides individual youths take part this year, and adopt.” on the development of the child as an to help on some days, while other days 1617 total visits over the four-week period it Events For All was another popular holiday individual, to grow in confi dence, be fi tter the children was run. programme which ran for seven weeks at a and learn skills to protect themselves.” had play dates at was cost of $50 a day. ey off ered horse riding, e museum runs holiday programmes in a reciprocal pretty usual IT TAKES A VILLAGE: arts and crafts, movie days, and baking. during the year for the school holidays, but arrangement with This year Annie numbers, he eir website said their main priority was not over the summer holidays. other parents. Cousins created said. to keep the children safe while enjoying a day Last year, despite the impact of the Cara said she a group with two e full of fun. Covid-19 lockdown, 5679 school students tried diff erent other mums to look programme Post-Covid had been a challenging time for visited Tairawhiti Museum to take part school holiday after their combined encourages school holiday programme Awhio. in Ministry of Education-funded learning programmes seven children. “I’d young people to For the fi rst time in seven years the experiences.