Spring break is HERE and that means kids are bouncing off the walls with excitement about 5 days of no school, and free time to enjoy some rest, some fun, and time away from the books. Some families use Spring Break to take vacations, travel, or even stay home and enjoy time together, but if your budget doesn't allow for that and you have no paid time off of work, how do you handle a break? Childcare can be hard to find, but here are some solutions to consider if your kids get a break, but you don't.
Family 911
If your spouse works from home, has more vacation time than you, or can afford a few "sick" days, it might be worth asking him/her to take over the kids for the week. If that isn't an option, nearby family members are often happy to help (especially grandparents!) and could be a good option for the week of Spring Break. It's worth asking before you look for alternatives outside of your close-knit relatives.
Friends helping friends.
Friends are your next line of defense when it comes to facing a week of no childcare. If you have friends who work a different schedule, or who stay at home during the week, they may be willing to help you with childcare. Good etiquette is to offer payment, or at the very least, swapping out reciprocative childcare or another service as thanks for their help. Many times friends are willing to help with no cost at all, but it's never polite to presume.
Find a quick fix.
Knowing that Spring Break is hard for working parents, many local churches, childcare centers, after school programs, and day camps have special programs running during this time. Some are free and others require (usually minimal) payment, but it's a good choice if you are stuck with nowhere for your kids to go and have to report to your boss. For very young children and babies, daycare centers sometimes have first come, first serve pay-per-day options so call around to programs in the Polk County area to find one near you.
Working while parenting is hard. Running your own business while parenting is next to impossible. Hopefully the tips above can help you overcome the challenges of spring break, and still manage to get in a few minutes of fun time with your kids while they're on vacation from school. Newton Peach Marketing is here to help give you even more free time by taking away the familiar strain of growing your business through exposure. We take care of making sure your company and brand are known to the community, and are seen by the right people to increase your profits and help your business take off. We are Winter Haven's trusted local business marketing firm, and it's our goal to help you reach YOUR goals. Give us a call, and enjoy your spring break!