Teacher Workdays/Student Holidays

We used holiday care through the YMCA when the kids weren't old enough to stay home on their own. They always offered care on professional development days.

I'm a SAHM who usually has a couple of extra kids on school inservice days.

The after-school programs in our area are open on those days. I don't have my kids in a program regularly but if I have to go into the office on one of those days, I sign them up for just that day. We have a couple of programs in our area that offer this coverage for days when school is closed.

I usually worked a short day and had my dad hang out with them. Now that they can watch themselves I just make sure there is food in the house.

My girls school has an before/after school program linked to it. My girls would either go there or my mom would take them.

Usually the places that do after school care also offer child care on these days too.

Where does your child go for after school care? A Rec Center and day care? Ask them if they will also provide care on Teacher Work Days.

At our daughters old elementary school, the "Lunch monitors" also ran the "after school care" and then had Day camps on Teacher work days.. It was a great service to our campus.

After school they all went to the after school portables for a snack, then they worked on homework and then they played on the playground until their parents picked them up.

On rain days they played games inside or watched videos.

During camp days, they went on field trips. Museums, parks, movies.. etc.. It is an amazing program and really helps the working parents.

I work in an elementary school, so when my kids were younger, they were off on staff development days, parent-teacher conference days, etc and I worked. I had a neighbor whose mom used to watch her kids, at her house, while she worked. I paid her to watch the kids on those days and she watched my son in the mornings (I left for work about a half hour before his elementary bus came). I was relieved when I didn't have to pay for care anymore.

Around here, there are park and rec programs you can sign them up for if you are unable to take off work or have other childcare options. Some of those days the school-based childcare was still open for parents. If your child attends child care that is not in the school, ask them how they handle these days. They may be able to cover you for the full day for a fee.

For us, those are Grandparent Days, but we're lucky enough to have grandparents willing and able to take an energetic 7 year old for the day.

If your principal is amenable, an older child (8 and up) might be able to sit in your classroom and entertain him/herself or even help out with room set up, etc.

My school has been full of tween offspring of teachers the past two days. They put up bulletin boards and unbox books. Very helpful! And they get student service learning hours which are required for their HS diplomas.

I had a nanny, so she would just have the kids the whole day.

If your child is an afterschool program, many of these programs have all day options for these special days.

My girlfriend (SAHM), watches kids on these days. It gives her a little extra income.

Use a vacation day and have a "stay-cation" day.

What do you do with them for before and after care now? That might be an option. On those kind of days, we have our morning sitter all day, or my husband or I will work from home.

This year I may send my youngest to his old babysitter and have the older two stay home alone. We'll see!