Even a nine-year-old would be able to work out that the maths on this one doesn't go, so why can't employers or the government?

The simple calculations are that, on average, working parents get five weeks holiday each per year. Children, meanwhile, are off school for 13 weeks a year.

Even if two parents were to split the holiday care between them they'd still run short.

The reality is that if families want to holiday together then there's going to be a period of time when there's no one to look after the kids.

If it's hard for the average family with 2.4 children it's even tougher for single parents.

How on earth do parents cope with long school holidays when there's no one to share the burden?

The whole issue of holiday care wasn't something I gave much thought to before I signed the little one up for school.

But, like many other parents, it's something I'm going to have to start thinking about pretty soon.

Is there any way to get through the summer holidays without saving your leave, booking the kids into an expensive playscheme or begging your family and neighbours to take pity on you?

I didn't have kids to pack them off for the long summer break when I feel families should be together, but as a working mum there doesn't seem to be a choice.

As a working parent I've also strived for independence. It was my choice to return to work and I've always tried my best to balance home and family.

And although there have been plenty of hurdles along the way (sickness, childminder searches, tantrums at dawn) we've muddled through.

It does, however, feel like the biggest hurdle is right there on the horizon ... in the form of the six-week holidays.

The answer (and yes, I know it seems extreme) seems to rest with a total overhaul of the UK's working hours and our educational system. The two simply don't go together and it's affecting family life.

We work the longest hours in Europe and our kids have the longest school terms. In short we spend too much time in work and they spend too much time in school.

'How do parents cope with long school holidays?'

Across Europe it's a different picture. Children in Portugal and Italy get 12 weeks holiday in the summer. It's not a problem for employees or employers because the accent is on family life. In Italy firms close down and it can feel like the whole country is holidaying together. Elsewhere grandparents and extended families play their part.

A few months ago I heard a childcare expert question whether we'd really made great leaps in terms of family-friendly employment or whether it was all a ruse. Do we fit our jobs around our families or our families around our jobs?

Whatever the answer, it should leave us looking forward to the six-week holidays as a time to spend quality time with our kids. I wonder how many parents can put their hand on their heart and say that's the case.