How many take their children out of school to go to Disney ?

[maryj11]

We was planning on going to Disney in October when my DGD usually has a couple days off from school. That way she would only miss 3 days. Now I'm not sure if they will be getting the days off in October this year. I really hate for her to miss a whole week We already have the reservations. We was thinking of changing my reservation to August the week before school starts but it is so hot and more crowded. What do you think ? Should I go ahead and go in October or change to August ? We really wanted to go around Halloween time for the MNSSHP ,less crowds, and a little cooler weather.
I was wondering how many of you take your kids out of school to go to Disney and how does that go with the makeup work and all ?

 

[LuvsTinker]

I have and plan on doing it again next year. Really depends on the grade and the month with possible exams.

And from the look of it when we have gone during school months, a lot of other people do it also.

 

[cyndiloveswalt]

We take our kids out every year and always have. They usually miss 4-6 days depending when we go. Both my kids are good students and don't really struggle at all, if they did I probably wouldn't take them out as much. The schools have always been good about it, we just fill out a form. I truly believe that our trips to Disney each year are a huge investment in our family and it's so important to me to get that bonding time, especially with busy lives these days. Our favorite time to go is Thanksgiving week and the kids only have 2 days of school that week ( of course when we do that week I usually either add on the Friday before for MVMCP or we do a 3 night cruise before)

 

[PersonalizedMouse]

We take our kids out of school for a week every January. I usually do it the first week of the new semester, so they have plenty of time to catch up. I also make sure that it's not standardize testing week. I used to feel guilty but that is all the days they usually miss barring having a fever or feeling really sick Plus, I know it doesn't make it right but I see so many other families that do it in my school, or they leave on Friday for a ski weekend etc. If I thought it really was impacting their grades I would reconsider, but so far so good.

 

[TinkNH]

Last time we went I didn't have kids in school, but this year my oldest will be in 5th grade and we are taking her out for the week in September. We did a lot of thinking about it, and I wouldnt pull her out of middle or high school, so this is the last year I personally, feel comfortable pulling her out for a week. Shes a good student and also a healthy kid who misses very little school in general so I feel completely comfortable with my decision. (last year she only missed 2 days of school total, and they were around a weekend trip for a gymnastics meet in Baltimore I forgot about that till just now!)
Our school is pretty much ok with these sort of things as long as they are not constant, or kids who miss a lot of school and whatnot I don't know if they will give her any work to do or not, but I do plan to have her read and write in a journal every day

I think these are the sort of things you have to do what makes you feel comfortable....and what the schools general policy is, if they have one.

 

[Missyrose]

OP, just to warn you, this is a heated topic. Be prepared for rough waters ahead.

I think taking kids out of school all depends on the age and the child herself. But I don't have kids, so I wouldn't be considered an "expert."

 

[Angel Ariel]

I was wondering how many of you take your kids out of school to go to Disney and how does that go with the makeup work and all ?

There are many who do take their kids out, and many who don't. As for how it goes with makeup work - that will be specific to your school district and their policies. I'd recommend taking a look at their absentee policy and makeup work policy before deciding what to do.

 

[tinkbyday]

I did take my DD out for up to a full week when she was in elementary school, but not only would I not feel comfortable doing that much time now, she has asked me not to because of how difficult it is to make up the work.

She will miss two days on our upcoming Thanksgiving week trip and we both felt that was an okay amount of time. Our district staggers classes every other day, so she will only miss one of each class during those two days.

I agree with a PP that the grade the child is in and the ability for the child to make up the work are really key in the decision.

 

[AshleeH]

I never have, but I would if our school system was a little more lax. They've really cracked down on taking kids out of school. We will be taking them out next year for our Disneyland trip, but that will also be a trip to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Golden Gate Bridge, Book Depository in Dallas, etc. so it's not strictly a "Disney Fun" trip the way our WDW vacations are.

I agree with what others have said though - if you're school is more lenient about it, it would depend on their age/grade and how many days - and if you're sure they can catch up.

 

[larryz]

While a trip to a Disney park and resort can certainly be educational, I would check with the child's school and brush up on absentee and truancy laws before risking a trip during the school year.

 

[redheadx3]

You are going to have to use your best judgement taking in consideration- your child's ablility to make up work, school's policy on absences, and timing with testing.

My thoughts are when the child is in elementary, missing 3 days is ok and maybe 5 days depending on time of year. Middle school, 3 days maybe depending on how well they are doing with grades and not around end of semester testing. High school, I wouldn't take out for any days, just too hard to make up work and at our high school if you miss less than 3 days, you get to exempt a final exam. We have to reserve those 3 days for any illness that come up.

I have a friend that is taking her 7th grader out of school just before christmas break for a Disney cruise. Her DD will miss the whole last week of school before the holiday break and will not be back in time to turn in any make up work or take test, so I don't know how she plans to pull that off since most of the teachers in our district don't give out lessons or give test before hand. I couldn't do it to my kids or have the nerve to beg teachers to give my kid special treatment just because I want to take the cheaper cruise (holiday cruise is almost double the cost in comparison to mid Dec. departure)

Now my DS and myself are going to WDW in Sept to celebarate our birthdays. He will miss 3 days of school, so shouldn't be too big of a problem with all the review going on the first 2 weeks of school. And thankfully, I know is homeroom teacher for next year real well and she will work with us on any work missed.

 

[mom2tah]

We took our three kids out this past January for 5 days. My oldest is in 11th grade, middle in 8th grade and youngest in 3rd grade. They only school that gave me a problem was the high school, even then it was just "hey vacations are not considered excused absences". Even so her teachers were very understanding and let her make up all the work. Her grades never faltered and it was a vacation to remember for the rest of our lives. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[hippieck12]

I have and plan on doing it again next year. Really depends on the grade and the month with possible exams.

And from the look of it when we have gone during school months, a lot of other people do it also.

ditto, I have taken both of my kids out of school (they're 14 yrs apart) and they've just made up the work, it depends on what time of the year it is and exams. We've taken amtrak down quite a few times and teachers have given me work in advance that they would do on the train there and on the way home. I would say go for it, they are only young for a short time!!! My daughter now is 29 and doing quite well for herself, so no harm done

 

[Planogirl]

I didn't except for a day or two now and then but I see nothing wrong with it if it works for their district. Our district is strict about it and I knew that going in.

 

[usd2bmd]

we took our daughter out of school once. My in-laws wanted to take all of the kids and grand kids to Disney. so we went the third week of school. we let the school know ahead of time and my daughter got her work to do while we were gone. (she was in 6th grade). She and I worked out a schedule so she did a little everyday we were gone and she missed 5 days of school.

It was good because we went to MNSSHP, which we normally don't because we have always gone at the end of August.

But when we got home she told us that she never wanted to go and miss school again because having to do homework while on vacation makes it not so much like a vacation.

The end of August (the week roght before Labor day) is when we go is usually not very busy, plus normally free dining.

Being able to go to the party is a pluys, but maybe talk to the kids and see if they really wnat to have to make up the work when they get back.

 

[alex9179]

Yeah, check with the school. Tx has a policy of considering 4 or more days missed in a 4 week period as truancy and we, as parents, can be charged with a misdemeanor. However, I know of families in our school who do this and have not been dragged in front of a judge.

We are taking out our 3 kids who will be in pre-k, 2nd, and 3rd. I'm preparing for fall-out even though one of my kids has perfect attendance and the other missed one day. Unfortunately, my DH works in a seniority environment and all of the school vacation times are awarded before they get to him.
If it could be moved, I would. In this case I'm choosing family vacation, but it's a one time thing. I'm just not comfortable with doing it every year, but you school's policies will make a big difference.

 

[juliebug1997]

Yeah, check with the school. Tx has a policy of considering 4 or more days missed in a 4 week period as truancy and we, as parents, can be charged with a misdemeanor. However, I know of families in our school who do this and have not been dragged in front of a judge.

We are taking out our 3 kids who will be in pre-k, 2nd, and 3rd. I'm preparing for fall-out even though one of my kids has perfect attendance and the other missed one day. Unfortunately, my DH works in a seniority environment and all of the school vacation times are awarded before they get to him.
If it could be moved, I would. In this case I'm choosing family vacation, but it's a one time thing. I'm just not comfortable with doing it every year, but you school's policies will make a big difference.

They're only going to drag you in front of a judge with a ticket with excessive absences. In the district where I work, the parents have only gone before a judge when the kid misses 30ish days or so.

 

[Princess Bette]

We are taking our son out in December. He will be 9 years old and in the 3rd grade. Our school doesn't have a problem with it for the lower school kids. But once he gets in upper school, we probably won't do it.

 

[cmpeter]

Mine are in 6th and 10th grade and I wouldn't take them out of school for a vacation...neither of them would want to miss that much time either.

 

[stitchlovestink]

You are going to have to use your best judgement taking in consideration- your child's ablility to make up work, school's policy on absences, and timing with testing.

My thoughts are when the child is in elementary, missing 3 days is ok and maybe 5 days depending on time of year. Middle school, 3 days maybe depending on how well they are doing with grades and not around end of semester testing. High school, I wouldn't take out for any days, just too hard to make up work and at our high school if you miss less than 3 days, you get to exempt a final exam. We have to reserve those 3 days for any illness that come up.

I have a friend that is taking her 7th grader out of school just before christmas break for a Disney cruise. Her DD will miss the whole last week of school before the holiday break and will not be back in time to turn in any make up work or take test, so I don't know how she plans to pull that off since most of the teachers in our district don't give out lessons or give test before hand. I couldn't do it to my kids or have the nerve to beg teachers to give my kid special treatment just because I want to take the cheaper cruise (holiday cruise is almost double the cost in comparison to mid Dec. departure)

Now my DS and myself are going to WDW in Sept to celebarate our birthdays. He will miss 3 days of school, so shouldn't be too big of a problem with all the review going on the first 2 weeks of school. And thankfully, I know is homeroom teacher for next year real well and she will work with us on any work missed.

bolding is mine...
Here where we are there is NO way to get out of taking any exam...midterm, final... you can have 100% in the class (which my daughter has had, she once had better than 100% due to extra credit the teacher gave out if the students wanted to do it and my DD overachiever that she was did it! ) and have perfect attendance and you still must take the midterm and final. No exceptions...

Now our County policy is that you can request five days for a vacation during the school year and they will be an excused absence. You can request more from the supervisor of primary/secondary education (according to what grade your student is in) and the additional days may/may not be approved. Our county realizes that not every family has the ability to vacation and/or travel during the summer months or at the holidays. Now they certainly prefer that families do if at all possible but realize that sometimes it just isn't feasible. Which can be the case with my DH. They only allow one person off per week during the summer months which is 12 weeks, but there are way more employees than that! And then when you add in seniority... The chances of him getting a summer week aren't necessarily very good... and on top of that the kids didn't have 12 weeks of summer, realistically, they had 9.

Everyone has to figure out what is best for them and their situation. We have taken DD out of school. Taking her out of middle school was HARDER than high school!!!! It should not have been but it was. She has missed 5 days of high school and it worked out fine. DD is a member of National Honor Society has a 3.875 GPA. Now we have block scheduling here so it is really like she only missed 4 classes twice and 4 classes 3 times rather than having missed each class five full times. Maybe that makes a difference too, I can't say for sure. But, she is fine with it, her teachers don't complain, and the school district says it's an excusable absence...so it we can't vacation during the summer, then during the school year it is. I do like to try and use the week in November where school is closed for two days, so she really only misses 3 days unless we throw in an extra friday or monday. Due to my own medical limitations, travel for our family is already a Major challenge...