突然，我所在的城市宣布

tū rán | wǒ | suǒ zài | de | chéng shì | xuān bù

Suddenly, the city where I live announced

给学生放春秋假

gěi | xué shēng | fàng | chūn qiū jià

that students will have spring and autumn vacations.

也就是说，除了暑假和寒假之外

yě jiù shì shuō | chú le | shǔ jià | hé | hán jià | zhī wài

In other words, besides summer and winter vacations,

在春季和秋季，也要放假

zài | chūn jì | hé | qiū jì | yě | yào | fàng jià

there will also be vacations in spring and autumn.

这次的通知比较突然

zhè cì | de | tōng zhī | bǐ jiào | tū rán

This notice was quite sudden,

因为宣布的秋假就在11月中旬

yīn wèi | xuān bù | de | qiū jià | jiù zài | 11 yuè | zhōng xún

as the announced autumn vacation is in mid-November.

我们还以为幼儿园不包含在内

wǒ men | hái | yǐ wéi | yòu ér yuán | bù | bāo hán | zài nèi

We thought kindergartens wouldn’t be included,

可是我们还是接到了老师的电话

kě shì | wǒ men | hái shì | jiē dào | le | lǎo shī | de | diàn huà

but we still received a call from the teacher—

幼儿园也要放这个秋假

yòu ér yuán | yě | yào | fàng | zhè ge | qiū jià

kindergartens will also have this autumn vacation.

从下周三到周五，放三天

cóng | xià zhōu sān | dào | zhōu wǔ | fàng | sān tiān

It’s three days, from next Wednesday to Friday,

加上周末就是一共五天

jiā shàng | zhōu mò | jiù shì | yī gòng | wǔ tiān

and with the weekend included, it’s five days in total.

每个学校都会问家长

měi gè | xué xiào | dōu huì | wèn | jiā zhǎng

Every school will ask parents

有没有困难

yǒu | méi yǒu | kùn nán

if they have any difficulties—

也就是说有没有人带娃

yě jiù shì shuō | yǒu | méi yǒu | rén | dài wá

in other words, if someone can take care of the kids.

有困难的话，学校也提供了托管服务

yǒu | kùn nán | de | huà | xué xiào | yě | tí gōng | le | tuō guǎn | fú wù

If there are difficulties, the school also provides custody services.

大多数的家长都是怨声载道

dà duō shù | de | jiā zhǎng | dōu shì | yuàn shēng zài dào

Most parents are complaining,

没有人想长时间带娃

méi yǒu | rén | xiǎng | cháng shí jiān | dài wá

no one wants to take care of the kids for a long time,

更别说有非常多的双职工

gèng bié shuō | yǒu | fēi cháng duō | de | shuāng zhí gōng

let alone the large number of dual-income families—

也就是夫妻两个人都要上班

yě jiù shì | fū qī | liǎng gè rén | dōu | yào | shàng bān

meaning both spouses have to work.

孩子放秋假，大人却没有秋假

hái zi | fàng | qiū jià | dà rén | què | méi yǒu | qiū jià

Kids have autumn vacation, but adults don’t—

谁来带娃呢？

shuí | lái | dài wá | ne？

who will take care of the kids?

烦啊！咋办呢？

fán | a！zěn bàn | ne？

So annoying! What can we do?

只能去承受吧

zhǐ néng | qù | chéng shòu | ba

We can only endure it.

像我这样是全职妈妈或全职爸爸的人

xiàng | wǒ | zhè yàng | shì | quán zhí mā mā | huò | quán zhí bà bà | de | rén

People like me who are full-time moms or dads

就可以自己带

jiù | kě yǐ | zì jǐ | dài

can take care of the kids ourselves.

还有一大部分呢

hái yǒu | yī dà bù fèn | ne

And a large part of families

是老人带娃

shì | lǎo rén | dài wá

rely on the elderly to take care of the kids.

这个现象在中国非常普遍

zhè ge | xiàn xiàng | zài | zhōng guó | fēi cháng | pǔ biàn

This phenomenon is very common in China.

老人不堪重负

lǎo rén | bù kān zhòng fù

The elderly are overwhelmed,

住在一起也不自在

zhù | zài yī qǐ | yě | bù zì zài

and living together is also uncomfortable,

但也无可奈何

dàn | yě | wú kě nài hé

but they have no choice.

没有老人帮忙的双职工家庭

méi yǒu | lǎo rén | bāng máng | de | shuāng zhí gōng | jiā tíng

Dual-income families without the elderly’s help

就只有托管了

jiù | zhǐ yǒu | tuō guǎn | le

have no choice but to use custody services.

正好我老公想要请年假休息一下

zhèng hǎo | wǒ | lǎo gōng | xiǎng yào | qǐng | nián jià | xiū xi | yī xià

Coincidentally, my husband wants to take annual leave to rest,

他就打算把年假请在下周三到五

tā | jiù | dǎ suàn | bǎ | nián jià | qǐng | zài | xià zhōu sān | dào | wǔ

so he plans to take it from next Wednesday to Friday.

我们一家可以出去玩玩

wǒ men | yī jiā | kě yǐ | chū qù | wán wán

Our family can go out to play,

也是因为有了一个秋假

yě | shì | yīn wèi | yǒu le | yī gè | qiū jià

all thanks to this autumn vacation.

各地的旅游景点也会有一个小高峰

gè dì | de | lǚ yóu jǐng diǎn | yě | huì | yǒu | yī gè | xiǎo gāo fēng

Tourist attractions everywhere will also experience a small peak.