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FOR most children across Hampshire tomorrow marks the start of the best time of the year - the summer holidays.

But while the kids look forward to days without school, life without routine and the odd late night, for parents the coming six weeks are a different story.

Juggling childcare, work, keeping the children happy when you are with them and worrying about them when you're not, the summer is not always a happy time for mums and dads.

With the ever-tightening grip of the credit crunch, this summer has the added pressure of finding things to do that keep them amused without breaking the bank.

According to Southampton City Council supernanny Islay Downey, the key to a successful summer holiday is in the planning.

"As with most things, preparation is the key. For those parents who really try and plan what they can do and when the summer holidays aren't such a daunting task.

"Getting the children involved in the planning is a really good way of not only giving them something to do but gives them a sense of responsibility and teaches them that parents aren't totally responsible for organising their social life. If they have had a hand in organising an activity they are more likely to enjoy it.

"While some parents dread the holidays others do find it quite liberating, as they are also free from routine, the school run, picking the children up from wherever they are and getting them to bed on time. Adults can enjoy that sense of freedom, too, but a degree of planning what to do on certain days can help."

According to Islay, diet can also have a big effect on how youngsters behave.

She said: "Just because you are out of routine doesn't mean proper meal times should slide. Letting them eat rubbish all day long which can give them lots of pent-up energy they can't burn off if they haven't got anything to do. That's when tempers can get frayed."

Highly-strung children can often lead to parents thinking they have to spend a fortune to keep them entertained.

According to figures, the summer holiday is the time parents are most likely to get into debt by spending cash on children's activities or just extra childcare.

A report out last week by the Daycare Trust highlighted how the cost of holiday childcare has risen by more than ten per cent in the last year.

This has led to calls on the government to do more to support working parents who campaigners fear have to give up their jobs to care for children over the holidays.

For those who do mange to juggle work with childcare over the holidays there is then the cost of what to do with them to keep them amused.

According to a survey of more than 5,000 mothers by parenting site netmums.com, mums are having to stick to a budget of around £5 per day over the summer.

Nearly 40 per cent of those questioned felt their partners were putting them under pressure to drive down the family's spending when the children break up this week for summer.

Three quarters of those questioned (73 per cent) in the Netmums survey said they were planning on tightening the purse strings, with the average family budgeting less than £5 per child per day - a total of just £150 - to get them through the six-week period.

More than half (51 per cent) of mums find the summer holidays more of a financial worry than any other time of year.

However, the survey also found that mums did find inspiration from pictures of celebrities taking their children on low-cost days out. These included Victoria Beckham taking son Romeo to a pumpkin patch in the US while Kate Moss was seen having fun with her daughter simply using a bubble gun.

As a result, the parenting site has put together a new guide to cutting costs this summer.

The Netmums Summer Solace guide features 13,000 local activities and events, along with practical tips for cutting costs and a collection of 101 free things to do as a family this summer.

Researching online guides, getting in touch with your local authority and talking to other parents are all good ways of finding out about what's on and available in your community, agrees Islay.

"Days out don't have to break the bank. An easy one is just getting an all-day bus ticket and letting the kids decide where to hop on and off. Just see where you end up. Giving them a bit of responsibility and a sense of adventure works wonders.

"It is a good idea to check out your local Children's Information Service as well. It is a great source for all sorts of ideas. Even if the weather isn't good, go out anyway. A bit of rain won't hurt you, younger children love jumping in puddles and it doesn't cost a thing."

Every week the Daily Echo will be featuring some suggestions on what's on over the summer holidays for all age ranges and different budgets.

If you have any ideas you want to share or are running an activity or group over the holidays email sian.davies@dailyecho.co.uk and we can tell everyone else about it.

For ideas of what to do this summer log on to dailyecho.co.uk and follow the What's On links or to view the Netmums Summer Solace Guide by visiting netmums.com For information on activities in and around Southampton log onto southamptonchildcare.org.uk

4:44pm Tuesday 22nd July 2008

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