Anyone have problems taking their kids outta school for vacation?

[MidgeD79]

In February of 2002 my ds Michael was given a terminal diagnosis and not expected to live until that August when we had a WDW trip planned so it didn't interfere with school. My younger ds who was in 2nd grade at the time lived with his dad. I decided to go to WDW in late April/early May and take the kids out of school for a week. The 8 year-olds dad said no and the school remained neutral. We ended up in court where the 8 year-old parroted his dad and said school was more important than WDW. The judge agreed and we went without him. Michael died and now we won't have any more vacations with our complete family. When the now 10 year-old looks at pictures or hears conversations about that trip he asks "where was I?". He can't imagine saying school was more important. We can never make it up unlike homework or a test!

 

[MAGGIED]

I took my DD out of school for 3 days just a couple of weeks ago - she went to all of her teachers first - got the assignements and had them completed when she returned. The days did count as an illegal absence but I was more concerned about missing the work.... I will also be taking both of them out in April for 2 days - I couldn't get a flight out of Syracuse for a Friday, Sat or Sunday departure for April and I booked way back in July!!!!! - Sometimes you just have to make allowances based on the circumstances...

 

[fausz4]

We are taking our DS8 out of school next Sept to go to WDW, we are going the week after Labor Day. he will miss 4 days of school.

We took him out when he was in Kindergarten to go to see his grandparents in TX during Thanksgiving and he missed 4 days then too.

I believe with advance notice and a note to the teacher describing what you have in store for the child during vacation helps alot.

We don't regret pulling our child out of school - but understand that we do alot of preparation to make sure it is a learning experience for him too. We research the states we are driving through and find fun fact sheets on them, we get books on tape, we have him keep a journal, he gets his own camera and makes a scrapbook when he returns. We also are vigilant that all homework is completed before we return home so he can turn it in promptly.

My final thoughts are... with a little mutual respect and your school's blessing - a vacation during school can be beneficial to every child.

 

[Laura66]

My oldest are 11 and 13 and we always missed a the week after their class went back to school after Easter. Made sure to work with the teachers to complete all assignments they gave us ahead of time - and the ones they couldn't - we made darn sure they were completed w/in two days. They always did fine.
This year they told us they do NOT want to miss school anymore for WDW vacation. The work load is just too heavy for them to make up. Heck - missing one day for being sick is really hard to make up!
So now we are going in June and I'm aprehensive about it because of the heat and the crowds. Especially since we have a little one who's 3 now.

Laura

 

[Lewisc]

I certainly think the opinion of the school should count for a lot more than trying to get a consensus from an internet discussion board.

Most schools have more than enough vacation time and days off to allow for family time and family vacations. I can understand parents who have difficult work schedules or have a Disney business meeting /convention asking to take their children out of school. Taking kids out of school for Disney solely to avoid crowds sends the wrong message about school. Schools by us go so far as to say in writing that trips to Disney are not an excused absence.

Why can't the trip be scheduled around the school schedule? If there is a good reason I'd think most schools will give permission.

 

[JMCDAD]

This is more of a personel decision. We haven't and wouldn't take our kids out of school for a vacation.
The only problem I really have with the posts I have read is to bring up how family time is more important, like its impossible to have both a family vacation and not miss school.
We do it, yeah its not as conveinant as going on off times but, thats the choice we make.So unless is impossible for the parents to take any vacation in the summer or during school breaks, its more of Convenience thing.

 

[BostonRob]

This is more of a personel decision. We haven't and wouldn't take our kids out of school for a vacation.
The only problem I really have with the posts I have read is to bring up how family time is more important, like its impossible to have both a family vacation and not miss school.
We do it, yeah its not as conveinant as going on off times but, thats the choice we make.So unless is impossible for the parents to take any vacation in the summer or during school breaks, its more of Convenience thing.

I agree with you completely. And since this thread is soliciting opinions, here's mine.

I think it sets a bad precedent to take a kid out of school for vacations. It isn't about making up missed work. I believe part of teaching your child responsibility is showing them that they have certain obligations that aren't optional. I'd never take my daughter out of school for a vacation. They get two months in the summer, a week in February, a week in April, and the Christmas holidays. We can have family time then. And every night throughout the year and weekends and holidays.

 

[JMCDAD]

BostonRob
Although I am from NY (Mets fan not Yankees fan )
We are on the same page on this
I totally agree

 

[cricket429]

I agree to a point. I feel that every situation is different and if there is no other way, because of work schedules, etc.. then we would probably do the same thing. It is just that they do have so much time, (summer, holidays etc.) that it give us enough flexibility to choose a time to go instead of taking her out of school.

 

[calie_j]

Our school lists family vacations as an excused absence. They will have to make up any work missed while they are gone but the teachers are good about having them work ahead before we go and making up the rest after we get back if you tell them about it months ahead of time and remind them as it gets closer. I know this will be harder for DS in 8th grade next yr then it is for DD in 2nd but it's not something we do every year, I've only done this one other time when DS was in 1st grade. The family time will be remembered long after what was taught in class for that week and we'll have a better time together not battling the crowds or summer heat. Our school does not have spring break like other schools, they get a 4 day weekend over Easter.

Calie

 

[mrsmom]

I am too taking my kids out the first week of May for a week, I have already talk to the schools and they are okay with it. My kids are in 2nd, 5th, and 6Th and all Straight A students and family time is very important for us , my dh is a boss of a big company and has to take vacation time when he can and it can falls when school is going on, My kids have always made up their work and not fell behind,So i see no problem of it. So I think every parent has to decide for himself or herself whats best for their family.
Kim

 

[FallDisney]

As the daughter of a teacher and the mother of a 4th grader and a 1st grader who excel in school, I don't have an issue taking them out of school for a week. We did it last year with no problems. I'm very up front with the teachers and tell them VERY early on when the kids will be gone. They've been great to work with. This is a very personal thing that everyone has an opinion about, but it really depends on your school district and your children.

 

[Idahomom]

This is more of a personel decision. We haven't and wouldn't take our kids out of school for a vacation.
The only problem I really have with the posts I have read is to bring up how family time is more important, like its impossible to have both a family vacation and not miss school.
We do it, yeah its not as conveinant as going on off times but, thats the choice we make.So unless is impossible for the parents to take any vacation in the summer or during school breaks, its more of Convenience thing.

I agree w/ you that it's possible to have family time and not take your children out of school. Luckily for our family dh doesn't work weekends and has a 7-4 job so we spend a lot of quality family time on weekends and do a lot of camping and traveling in the summer and on long weekends.

Now, I will admit that taking our kids out of school for 5 days a few weeks ago had a lot to do with convenience. It wasn't impossible for us to take our vacation during summer break or spring or Christmas break for that matter, but we decided that if we were going to be spending literally thousands of $ on this trip (there is 6 of us) we wanted to get the most out of it and go at a time when the parks aren't crowded & the weather is mild. No crowds and temps in the 70's-money well spent.

Our kids are in grades 2,4,7 and 8. The younger two finished their homework packets on the plane and in airports and the older two got all their tests (we were gone during finals) finished before we left and made up their homework in two days when we returned and we just got their report cards last week and they each got one B and the rest A's!

Suzanne

 

[WDSearcher]

I'm always interested how people use the "family time is more important" line so often when choosing to take their kids out of school. I understand that not all families have time to spend together on a daily basis, and that the focus a vacation can give a family is important, and then I see the families who split up at the gate and say, "Meet you for lunch in four hours" and I have to wonder about that whole family time thing!

From the vantage point of the teacher, I can see it being tough to attempt to keep all the kids at the same level when a couple of kids are playing catchup from their family vacations. It must be incredibly frustrating, especially in the upper grades, where a lot of information is covered each class. Sure, the kids will remember that WDW vacation long after the stuff that was covered in History that day, but that's partially because they weren't in History that day.

 

[musicmom3]

For those with older children (middle school and up) who are considering taking their kids out of school--bear in mind that not all subjects can be made up with ease! Math and science, in particular, really require the lessons to make it possible to make up the work. My daugher (a Pop Warner cheerleader fortunate enough to go to Nationals twice in a row) missed algebraic equations last time around. She still does not understand them. She got a 28 on the test that she was required to take. Likewise, her science grade dropped. She decided that participating in National Competition was worth it (and I agreed), but I would not be casual about missing school. I think it is a very personal decision that has to be weighed carefully.

 

[jenjersnap]

You know this thread has me thinking ... ODS will be starting kindergarten in the fall. We already have our airfare booked for a 10 day trip in December (He will be missing 5 days of school) and a week-long cruise booked in 12/2006 and it didn't occur to me to ask my school district if this was all right. Part of me thinks "Oops, probably should have checked into it before getting non-refundable tickets" but the rebel in me says "What?! He's MY kid and, as long as we are able financially and health-wise - his little brother has a heart condition that may be ultimately fatal - I am going to enrich his life with these experiences and I could care less what they think." I understand both points of view because I do think personal responsibility is an important lesson for children to learn, but I think that it is my job, not my local school district's, to teach it. I am going to try to balance that sense of responsibility with what is best for our family. And, if the school district gives us a hard time, I will probably pull him and homeschool ... which I've toyed with in the past anyway.

As far as his schoolwork, his school uses the core knowledge curriculum and we will be able to see exactly what they are studying while we are gone (core knowledge follows a very precise course of study and you can purchase a book that tells you from week to week exactly what the kids are studying in every core knowledge school in America). I intend to have him spend a couple hours a day while we are on vacation so that he can keep up. This is an easy matter in kindergarten and first grade, but I doubt that we will be planning school-year trips after that.

 

[sc9500]

When I look at my daughter it pains me to think how much she's grown and how much time we missed of that growth. I remember fondly those trips in my youth that my parents would take me on... there is only one time when your kids are young, I absolutely have no problem taking my daughter out of school for vacation.

 

[Mom2RinJen]

I have taken my daughter out of school for a week each time for the past three years (kinder, 1st and 2nd). My husband does seasonal work and can only go on vacation in Jan or Feb when we know there won't be any work scheduled for him. Sure, we can probably go during President's week or MLK weekend, but I wouldn't go to Disney World at that time due to high crowds and my problem with crowded places, tight spaces and constantly bumping into people. I can suffer from severe anxiety attacks in that kind of situation. So, I will continue to pull my children out of school as long as the work can be made up and they don't fall behind because of it. With my husbands schedule, its the only way we can go somewhere as a family and enjoy ourselves.

 

[BrerRabbit_fan]

I'm a fourth grade teacher and I think I'm a pretty good one at that. I would have no problem with a child taking a few days off for a family vacation. Not everyone can take vacation when the kids are off and family time is much more important. Much more! I usually send work home in advance so no time is lost when the child returns.

If you have a weak student, you might want to think twice but otherwise, go for it!

 

[calena]

We live in Canada, so maybe the schools are a bit more relaxed, or the teachers a bit more understanding about the need to escape the cold, but I have not had any problems taking my kids out for a week or two. My husband has a landscaping/nursery business, so summer isn't an option for us.