school and kids

[pixeemom]

This. Education takes place outside of classrooms too.

OP, I would not take your kids out in this specific case, but if you find another time that works for your family, I say go for it. I think the very beginning or very end of a year or semester are a bad time to miss if you do traditional schooling. Those transitions are pretty important and very few kids would adapt easily without them.

(So says the educational anarchist. )

thank you.....i am leaning towards a different time now, i hope

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Different strokes. Family time and the memories we make together and experiences are just as valuable and important to our family. Missing a little school isn't stunting them or putting them at a disadvantage, at least not our kids. Maybe yours are different.

We pulled out kids out for 8 days last year and my youngest still performed a year higher all year. It's just a few days, not a whole year of no education. We work around important school dates and take some work with us. We will reevaluate when they're older, but there's no hard and fast rule on what the best thing for an individual family is.

I think the point though is that if you go when school is "out" you don't have to choose one over the other.

Choosing to take your kids out of school doesn't give you "more" family time than you'd have if you vacation during the breaks (unless you have more than 10 weeks of vacation at your job). It just gives the kids less school time.

Obviously, destinations that only "work" during the school year would be exceptions.

 

[aaarcher86]

I think the point though is that if you go when school is "out" you don't have to choose one over the other.

Choosing to take your kids out of school doesn't give you "more" family time than you'd have if you vacation during the breaks (unless you have more than 10 weeks of vacation at your job). It just gives the kids less school time.

Obviously, destinations that only "work" during the school year would be exceptions.

Depends on the schedules I guess.

Since my kids are in school for 7 hours a day I gain that time vacationing in October. I wouldn't see them otherwise. I see them a ton more in the summer.

There's obviously other factors that come into it all, but if totally gain family time I wouldn't have had otherwise.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Depends on the schedules I guess.

Since my kids are in school for 7 hours a day I gain that time vacationing in October. I wouldn't see them otherwise. I see them a ton more in the summer.

There's obviously other factors that come into it all, but if totally gain family time I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Fair enough, every situation is different. For me, pulling the kids during the school year would mean I'd spend less time with them in Summer.

 

[Lisaloo]

It was never a problem pulling our kids out in elementary. Middle school and high school are completely different ball games.

 

[J'aime Paris]

We've pulled my daughter out every year from K-8. We are a family who loves to travel and see the world. Sometimes it's only been for a couple of days, other times over a week. We went to Maui when she was in grade 8, and she missed 9 days.

High school was the game changer for us. She's an honor student and takes all advanced placement classes. Anything over 1-2 days is agony for her to make up.

I work in a middle school, specifically 6th grade. You know your child best, but I feel that taking him out in the beginning of the year is actually easier than later in the year. The 6th grade staff is sensitive to the changes for children going from elem. to middle school. They will still be helping some kids feel their way, and he can more seamlessly adapt to anything he may have missed. (We don't expect them to "get it" at middle school quickly.) And typically the beginning of the school year has no testing, group projects, field trips, concerts, etc.

That's my 2 cents, good luck however you choose!

 

[pixeemom]

We've pulled my daughter out every year from K-8. We are a family who loves to travel and see the world. Sometimes it's only been for a couple of days, other times over a week. We went to Maui when she was in grade 8, and she missed 9 days.

High school was the game changer for us. She's an honor student and takes all advanced placement classes. Anything over 1-2 days is agony for her to make up.

I work in a middle school, specifically 6th grade. You know your child best, but I feel that taking him out in the beginning of the year is actually easier than later in the year. The 6th grade staff is sensitive to the changes for children going from elem. to middle school. They will still be helping some kids feel their way, and he can more seamlessly adapt to anything he may have missed. (We don't expect them to "get it" at middle school quickly.) And typically the beginning of the school year has no testing, group projects, field trips, concerts, etc.

That's my 2 cents, good luck however you choose!

also very good points.......thank you!!! omgosh I am still so confused.....tomorrow i am going to book since its the last day for free dining, when Dh comes home from his camping trip with my son we will discuss it further....
thanks again