The holidays are over? Here’s how families can plan ahead with ease

The holidays are over and everyday life is back. The suitcases have been unpacked, the washing might still be waiting to be done, and already the next question is on everyone’s mind: when are the next holidays?

For working parents, planning holidays is often about more than just choosing a destination. It involves childcare, organising work, nursery or school holidays, coordinating with colleagues, and ensuring that you don’t neglect your own rest and relaxation in the end. Every family has to find their own way of organising things over time. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but small routines and making arrangements well in advance can help make holiday planning a more relaxed process.

Look at the whole year

If you plan ahead, you’ll have more flexibility. It’s therefore worth setting up a shared family calendar at the start of the school year and noting down all known days off, school holidays, long weekends and school closures, as well as work commitments and personal obligations. Ideally, you should sit down with your partner once a week to plan the coming week.

Thinking ahead when it comes to care

Not every week of the holidays can be spent on family holidays. Grandparents, close relatives and family friends or holiday activities can be a good alternative. It is important to take the needs of everyone involved into account. Children do not need a special programme every day. Often, a reliable routine, familiar people and enough time to settle in, play and rest are all that is needed.

The key thing is that the solution fits in with everyday family life. profawo also offers holiday programmes in various regions

Discuss holiday plans at work well in advance

Once it is clear when the children need to be looked after, it is worth planning ahead at work. What holidays does the family need? Is there some flexibility? Can individual days be organised flexibly? Bringing specific suggestions to the table at an early stage makes planning easier for everyone involved. This makes it easier to balance family life and work commitments.

Consider a contingency plan

It’s also helpful to have a contingency plan. Who could step in at short notice if a holiday booking falls through or a carer is unable to attend? Thinking through such questions at an early stage takes the pressure off the planning process and provides peace of mind. With its ‘emergency nanny’ placement service, profawo offers support for situations where a childcare solution is needed at short notice.

This small routine can be a big relief

After the holidays is a good time to take a moment to look back: What went well? What was stressful? What would we like to do differently next time?

Step by step, this helps you plan your holidays in a way that better suits your family’s everyday life. And perhaps the next holiday season will then get off to a slightly more relaxed start.

A quick guide to planning your next holiday

1. Gaming an overview
   What school holidays, public holidays, long weekends and daycare centre closures are coming up?

2. Assessing care needs
   

   On which days do both parents work? When do you need childcare arrangements?

3. Cathering ideas
   

   Could grandparents, godparents, families of friends, holiday camps or the parents’ own days off be options?

4. Register your holiday entitlement at work
   

   Which days should be planned for in advance at work? Is there some flexibility?

5. Consider a contingency plan
   Who could step in if a holiday programme is cancelled or a childcare day falls through?
   

6. A brief look back after the holidays
   What went well? What was too much? What would we like to do differently next time?

We hope you have a smooth return to everyday life and that planning your holidays becomes easier step by step.