Cost of Summer

Sep 3, 2012 by Kate Sutton

 

Things have been very fraught lately,  starting a new job a month ago just being one contributing factor, so on Friday I decided to have the day off.  (I was meant to be in Cornwall but couldn’t afford the bloody petrol money!)

 

I began the day well.  I had a whole extra thirty minutes in bed.  I’d already paid for Dexter to go to Holiday Club and ‘unfortunately’ I couldn’t get a refund.  Which meant I HAD to have a day to myself.  Them’s the breaks right?

 

After dropping him off I took a trip to my favourite café for a reminiscent scone and coffee (can scones be reminiscent??)

 

Except … I went and did something stupid to spoil the mood.

 

I have written before about having to work during the school summer holidays and how I feel guilty not being with Dexter and how if you’re lucky enough to be off with your children this summer, try your best to not strangle the poor lovelies (tricky I know.)  Anyway, I have just worked out how much money I’ve spent on childcare during the summer holidays.   I really, really shouldn’t have.

 

In the six weeks he’s been off, I’ve spent nearly £900 on childcare.

 

Let that just sink in for a bit.

 

£900.

 

Now, bearing in mind I’m a single parent, that I’ve just started a new job and that I didn’t get paid for the first month of working … that’s a whole lotta cash dished out for childcare.

 

Don’t get me wrong, it’s been worth every penny insofar as the quality of care he’s received and I’m sure, should I be stupid enough to continue torturing myself by working out much money I don’t have, the rate per hour would be comparatively small.

 

But … OUCH!

 

Anyway, Dexter’s had a ball to be fair.  He’s been to places I would never have thought to take him.  Castles, parks, adventure playgrounds.  He’s dressed up as a Transformer, had Super Hero Day and played with a whole range of children he might not have otherwise had chance to meet.

 

I guess there’s no price you can put on your child’s happiness, (although I’m still wincing a bit at the whole £900 thing.)   I have to swallow it, (as the actress said to the bishop,) and I AM grateful to have a good job.

 

I plan to spend the rest of the day driving to Whitstable to drop a tent off, (exciting I know,) painting my nails and I may … MAY … do some housework.  Actually, sod it, I’m not going to.  It can wait.

 

But things will get easier.  Won’t they??

 

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