And by “fix”, I don’t mean set but sort out.
How much do you spend on holiday? Ask many parents and they’ll reflexively say, “Too much”, but the issue of high season holiday prices for families is on the government agenda now after a couple of e-petitions have garnered huge support.
Yesterday MPs debated a proposal to restrict the amount that companies can put up prices during half terms and school breaks. I watched most of the debate online in what turned out to be a thoughtful discussion, and it highlighted what a complicated issue it is.
You have the need of families to fit in a holiday, juggling work, school term times, sometimes coordinating between different schools. You have parents who are seasonal workers, armed forces and police, who are very restricted as to when they can take holiday. You have children with special needs who may have requirements of their own that affect timings. And you have companies with business cycles who need employees to adhere to their schedules.
Now you have fines for parents who take their children out during regular school time, punishing them like naughty children.
In this context, the idea of capping the percentage increase that travel companies can charge seems far wide of the mark. Market forces, not government restrictions, should shape holiday prices. Destinations, hotels, resorts, B&B, local guides and so on (themselves employers of parents) often rely on flush high seasons to carry them through slow times when inclement weather and other conditions thin out visitors. There’s a reason that fewer people (not just parents) visit holiday spots during mosquito season or when extreme cold or heat make walking outside miserable. Those are the times when deals can be had.
But going during the usual school breaks puts family trips out of reach of too many people. We know how vital a relaxed getaway can be for children and parents. For my family, they are one of the main times during the year that we can hang out together without the pressure of weekend chores, homework, sports clubs and DIY. Our annual trip to Texas is the one time of the year where we get to see grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles who the children otherwise wouldn’t know.
We don’t take them out of school for that trip, but if I had to, I would. It was in their uncle’s pool where the kids perfected their swimming strokes; the national park, where they rode their first horse. The lessons they get on holiday — about the world, their family and themselves — outweigh missing a few days of worksheets and library time.
We need to find a solution that works for parents across the country, and that may mean, ironically, not having a national policy. If we force all parents to take their holidays at the same time, it puts a trip abroad or even a UK getaway out of reach for everyone but the most well-off.
Instead, we need realistic thinking: staggered holidays, flexibility for parents and teachers for occasional time off during term time, perhaps even reduced air tax during school holidays (although this might have the effect of increasing demand even more, as all travellers race to take advantage).
As a country we’re working harder, spending more time at the office, with children working harder at school and extracurricular activities. That sounds like a good reason for all of us to have a holiday, from time to time. Let’s find a way to make it affordable too.
What do you think? Do you take your children out of school for special family holidays? Do you think staggered terms or price caps would work?
About Jennifer Howze
Jennifer Howze is the Creative Director and co-founder of BritMums. She blogs about family travel at Jenography.net, tweets at @JHowze and Instagrams at @JHowze. Previously, she wrote the Alpha Mummy blog at The Times and as a journalist has contributed to The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Wall Street Journal, Travel & Leisure, Budget Travel, CNN.com, Allure, SELF and Premiere, among others. She won The Maggie Award from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for a health article in Seventeen magazine.
Clare
Wednesday 5th of March 2014
Great idea - keeps it positive too. My first shout would be for DFDS ferries - i used to use them a lot when living in Germany and you could easily find a good price.
Clare
Tuesday 4th of March 2014
It's such a frustrating problem on both sides. I sympathise with teachers having to provide catch up work for children or specific attention for them when they have missed something. But this seems somewhat of an extreme state ruling to counteract the problem. Like others, i still agree that the authority should be with the head who can make individual decisions based on the child, the frequency and timing of requests, etc.
In Germany they too do not allow any holidays during term time, but they do stagger their holiday times by region and I think this helps. It doesn't need to be too extreme to be of benefit I think.
I agree that we should vote with our feet. Generally ferry and chunnel prices are still good through the holidays, and france has many options for holiday cottages - keeping their prices lower than their UK counterparts - it's a heck of a lot cheaper to eat out there and chance for more sun! I find it a shame that in the UK prices are so high (and I have lived in other EU countries) as it does nothing to help us parents, or to encourage tourists to the UK either but while we pay it, they'll continue to charge it.
Expat Mum
Tuesday 4th of March 2014
How about BritMums finding the companies that don't hike the prices up too far, and giving them a big shout out on the blog?
Jennifer Howze
Tuesday 4th of March 2014
These sound like very sensible guidelines, Franglaise Mummy. I think the government decided they needed to "make a stand" without really thinking through what it means to not allow parents and schools the latitude to work together.
Rosie
Wednesday 9th of April 2014
We have the same situation with dual nationality kids. The only difference is that their other nationality is Sri Lankan. We are currently looking at making a visit there, in order to keep them in touch with their family and culture. The problem is that outside the school holiday period the cost would be around £2000 for 4 of us, but during both the summer and Christmas holidays this jumps to £4000, which is quite simply unaffordable.
So do we break the rules and pay the fines, or tell them that until they grow up and leave school they will not be seeing their family in Sri Lanka. I am wondering in fact whether this is not a breach of their rights. Any thoughts?
Franglaise Mummy
Tuesday 4th of March 2014
I'm sure when we were kids there was not this great debate about families taking holidays during term-time, so can we not just go back to how it once was? Maybe with certain rules in place, like no more than 2 weeks per school year, not if your child is struggling and not once you're into GCSEs and A levels??
We are in a similar situation to you in that my children have dual nationality, as their dad is French, so our holidays are often spent in France where they are immersed in their second culture, language and family. I would far rather they missed a fortnight of school and had these incredible, and vital, experiences than not.
Nicola
Saturday 1st of March 2014
Very interesting debate and I don't think there's an easy answer. A interesting point raised above is that really, wherever you travel and whatever time of year, there's always a school holiday somewhere, driving up prices of flights and accommodation. I'm often surprised when I travel to some places expecting it to be quiet, only to realise that the Australian schools are on their long Christmas break etc. I remember the good old days when my mum (who actually taught at my primary school!) used to pull us out for a week over May as it was a lot cheaper to go abroad then than in the school holidays. How she actually got away with that and being a teacher in the school I'll never know!
Jennifer Howze
Tuesday 4th of March 2014
Nicola, your mum sounds like a woman to know!