Working Parents of Young Children: What Do We Do With Kindergarten-Age Children in Summer?

The paper proposes that educators take two to four consecutive weeks of leave simultaneously within 1-31 August, with the rest taken in turns during the year. Closures would be banned in June and July, when over 70% of children attend. Specialised, 24-hour, 12-hour and on-duty kindergartens could stay open year-round, while private ones remain autonomous.

Since 2017, 42-day closures have hurt parents, especially mothers, who are forced to take unpaid leave, reduce hours or quit. Birth rates fell by over 15% in five years, employers report staff shortages, and Moldova has the highest injury rate among under-5s in Central and Eastern Europe. The authors argue that replacement costs are justified by growth, taxes and family incomes. They also recommend capping shortened pre-holiday days at one hour.