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Summer childcare for working parents: How flexible offices can help


Key takeaways

  • 69% of parents are stressed about arranging childcare for the summer break (IWG, 2026).

  • £686 (~$908) is the average extra summer childcare bill for parents in the study.

  • 18% of parents burn their entire annual leave on summer cover.

  • 83% would use a local, employer-provided flexible workspace if they had one.

  • In our own operation, requests for shared summer use led us to build the shared coworking pass: two parents split one desk and alternate days.


Ten weeks. That's roughly how long the summer break lasts, and how long working parents, from freelancers and small business owners to small teams and company leaders, have to rethink their schedules week after week: who will look after the children, and when they'll be able to get uninterrupted work done.


A study conducted by the International Workplace Group (IWG) in May 2026, surveying 2,012 parents across the UK and the US, explored exactly this challenge. The findings show that most parents aren't looking for more office time or more working from home. Instead, they want a workspace that's close to home and makes it easier to balance work with family logistics.


How flexible office space in Budapest eases the summer childcare crunch


Summer is an emotional load and a money-and-time problem at once. More than a quarter of parents (27%) expect to spend more on childcare this year than before, and three-quarters (75%) say the disrupted family routine spills into their working life - a quarter (26%) simply find it harder to focus with work and kids in the same room. Many bend their schedules instead: 22% book fewer meetings or push work into the evening, and a similar share start earlier to keep up. The sample is British and American, but the bind is identical for a parent in Budapest.


What parents say (IWG, 2026)

Share

A local workspace would help

78%

Need flexible work to keep childcare costs down

74%

Faced reduced workplace flexibility this year (33% in 2025)

55%

Mothers vs fathers reporting added stress

74% vs 66%

Using some annual leave for childcare

28%

Source: IWG / Censuswide, May 2026 (2,012 hybrid-working parents, UK & US).


In Hungary the obvious answer is a summer camp, but it adds up: a week of day camp typically runs HUF 50 000-90 000, an overnight camp HUF 90 000-250 000. Across a ten-week break and more than one child, that climbs fast.


What we see in our own operation


When several members came to us asking for a shared, part-time desk for the summer months, usually so they and a partner could alternate the school run, we turned it into a product. That's how the shared fixed desk came about: two people split one assigned desk and take turns coming in. It's the exact situation IWG's figures describe at scale.


In our experience, for many families the biggest challenge during the summer isn't where the children will be – it's where the parents can work without constant interruptions. When parents are able to alternate childcare responsibilities, spending just two or three days a week in an office can significantly reduce the need for summer camps or other childcare arrangements, while also allowing them to work more productively.


At first glance, it may seem reasonable to ask why anyone would pay for office space during the summer when they could simply work from home. It's a fair question. Working from home comes at no additional cost, and it also allows parents to spend more time with their children during the day. For families with younger children or for shorter periods, this may indeed be the best solution.


However, working from home also comes with hidden costs – just not necessarily financial ones. According to IWG's research, nearly one in five parents use their entire annual leave allowance to cover childcare during the summer holidays. And when work is constantly interrupted, productivity inevitably suffers.


Of course, a flexible office isn't a replacement for childcare. What it can do is to make it easier for parents to share childcare responsibilities while still having uninterrupted time to work. Instead of arranging camps or other childcare for every weekday, many families may find that having just two or three focused workdays each week makes a meaningful difference.


How do you know if this applies to you?


  • You're a freelancer or run a small business, and you're trying to work from home while the kids are home too.

  • You and your partner want to alternate childcare — but you both occasionally need a quiet, "real" workplace.

  • Your family isn't nearby to help, and there's no grandparent down the road to take a day.

  • You have client calls or deep-work blocks each week that can't happen over a soundtrack of kids.

  • You don't want to spend your whole annual leave on summer cover.


The tip for this week

If you regularly find yourself needing more than three uninterrupted 2-3 hour work sessions each week, it's worth paying attention. Those focused work blocks could be done from a flexible office, while everything else can comfortably be handled from home.


Since 2021, Flexi Offices has been providing flexible workspace solutions in Budapest's District II, helping local freelancers, business owners and small teams work in the environment that suits them best. Our shared coworking membership is the latest addition to our offering. You can find all the details in our shared coworking membership article.


See it in person

We have two locations in Buda: Csévi Flexi Offices (Csévi utca 7/b, 1025 Budapest, Pasarét) and Regina Villa Flexi Offices (Bölöni György utca 22, 1021 Budapest).


You can choose from our 5- or 10-day pass or a fix, dedicated desk:

Subscription

Price (net / month)

5-day Flexi Desk

€105

10-day Flexi Desk

€145

Fixed Desk (your own desk, 24/7 access)

€210

Prices are net (+27% VAT). Each subscription includes one free membership that covers a second person.


Come for a free tour and a test day before you decide, and see whether that quiet desk really is ten minutes from home.



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Contact us

Address

Contact

Reception opening hours

1025 Budapest, Pasarét,
Csévi street 7/b

1021 Budapest, Bölöni György street 22.

Monday-Thursday

9:00 – 15:00

Please not that reception service is only available at Csévi Flexi Offices

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