2 dc, 5 & 4, both dh and i woh. we have a f/t nanny. next fall, both dc will be in school 8:30-3 - so i plan to let the nanny go (the $40k/yr is tough!). other moms who've done this, what do you do for coverage? college babysitters in the afternoons for a few hours? what do you do on school holidays & school vacation? dh and i are both in industries where people are being fired so flex-time isn't really an option. tia.

Not in that situation, but know people who are. Either they are lucky enough to have a semi-retired sitter, who sits a few hours for older kids after school and is free to take them during the day, or (more commonly) they sign up for all the holiday/vacation camp programs for their kids. It's the reason many parents just bite the bullet and pay for a full time sitter (who ideally also does housework or something during school hours), for that coverage.