At what age do you stop taking kids out of school?

[Canooknic]

My guys are going into G3 and I'm expecting that we'll stop taking them out after G6 unless there is something really important (immediate family wedding etc), but it all depends on how they're doing in school. If they're struggling then they won't be taken out, but if they're excelling and their teachers are good with it then I don think the odd couple of days will matter

 

[EEPETEZ]

Have taken my boys out every year. We will be going again in a couple of weeks-7th and 2nd grade. I have no plans to stop doing so. Both are great students, no issues. I really think it depends on the child, each one is different. It has never adversely affected by boys. My husband is a doctor and is always at the hospital (nights, weekends, birthdays, holidays)-so we take family time when we can get it. It is very important that we leave town to be together. It is a priority for our family. My boys will never remember a few days of school, they will always remember our time together. It is really no contest for me.

 

[clawmachine]

It definitely depends on many different variables.

For us (Canadian)...

Our schools were very free and easy, no truancy officers or courts. Parents have almost complete authority over their children's attendance - a lawyer friend of mine said the only time she sees the truancy laws applied is when there are other issues bringing the family into court (abuse, neglect, etc).

One of our children was an excellent student. The other was dyslexic, and struggled in school. Both were in the district's congregated gifted program.

We always asked our children whether they wanted to take time off school for a family vacation, and let them decide. We trusted them to know best whether or not they could manage it. But, a large part of that has to do with the fact that our children were voluntarily choosing to attend public school, after having homeschooled for several years in elementary. They took their schooling very seriously.

Teachers were always supportive, even encouraging. In grade nine, my son's Special Education Resource teacher tracked me down to ask when he'd be taking some time off. The teacher said he'd noticed my son was under a lot of stress and felt he would benefit from a vacation. That same year, in grade 10, my daughter was waffling over whether or not to visit Disney World with us. She discussed it with her Chemistry teacher, whose response was, "Are you crazy? You'll be way too busy to go next year, so you should grab the chance and go now. Go! Go!!"

As it happened, that year was the last year we pulled the kids out of school to visit Disney World. The next year (when they were in 10 and 11), they both decided they were too busy to take any more time off.

Finally, I don't happen to feel that attendance is in any way a moral or character-building issue. Learning happens everywhere, not just in school.

Personally, if the school and/or legal system allows it, I think most kids can benefit from family vacations during the school year. Your kid doesn't have to be a straight A student. In some ways, I always felt as if my son, having to work twice as hard as anyone else just to keep up, deserved a break more than anyone.

We live in Maryland, in the U.S., but otherwise your post sounds EXACTLY like what I would have written. I have yet to encounter any negativity with teachers or admin AND all agree that our oldest, who has learning disabilities and truly struggles in school, BENEFITS greatly from the school-year break. School here has become WAY too intense and the teachers know it. For the most part I think they are happy for kids and families who get the break! Plus, it's the working parents who are footing the bill for the trip. Many parents, DH and I included, have difficulty taking off at certain times of the year due to our busy times. Summer is problematic for US.

 

[FortForever]

We live in Maryland, in the U.S., but otherwise your post sounds EXACTLY like what I would have written. I have yet to encounter any negativity with teachers or admin AND all agree that our oldest, who has learning disabilities and truly struggles in school, BENEFITS greatly from the school-year break. School here has become WAY too intense and the teachers know it. For the most part I think they are happy for kids and families who get the break! Plus, it's the working parents who are footing the bill for the trip. Many parents, DH and I included, have difficulty taking off at certain times of the year due to our busy times. Summer is problematic for US.

I grew up in Montgomery County schools and we took off to Disney every year in early December. I did the same with my kids who were in Montgomery County, MD schools. Never an issue. Moved to another state and that district was crazy. I ended up homeschooling (for various other reasons as well) for many years after we moved. Only my very youngest returned to school once we moved down here to FL. The rest were in college.

All of my grandchildren are being homeschooled, which offers fantastic freedom. I used to love to go to the state parks, camping, beaches, and lots of other cool places starting the week after public school started. We usually had the places to ourselves. It was wonderful.

 

[CaterFamily]

We homeschool so it's never a worry for us.

I think that middle school+ would be the limit were my children in public school.

 

[kydisneyfans]

We have a senior this year. For the high school years, there is no way we would pull him for a week. Middle would have been tough. We do however, pull him for a max of 2 days during Disney marathon weekends. He will lose 1 1/2 days in November and 2 in January(chances are they would be snow days anyway). Parents don't take kids out a week at a time as much since fall/spring breaks are on the calendar. Our school system tried eliminating the week long fall break and replaced it with a 2 day break, so many parents pulled kids the other 3 days the schools almost lost funding from the state as they fell below minimum attendance levels.

From a moral dilemma-if cheerleaders can be pulled for a week to attend competition and basketball/baseball teams can be pulled for a week to play a game at some vacation destination, I have no problem pulling my son out to run a race with me.

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

Our district does not allow taking children out for vacations. Obviously I am in charge of my family and not the school district, but I'd rather not make things difficult when they can be easy. We took her out in kindergarten when she was in private school and scheduled during spring break this year now that she is in public. Since her school bus was empty and they watched movies the last day before spring break, I'll be taking her out for two days prior to February 2018 break. As most everyone has said OP, it's up to you and your family. The couple we travel with has no problem taking their child out and wishes we would, but I'm pretty firm on the issue No judgement, just what works for me and mine.

 

[tlmadden73]

It bothers me that somehow school districts feel they can "dictate" whether you take your kids out for school. It bothers me that somehow kids (as young as middle school) are "too busy" to miss a few days of school?

I feel it mainly comes from the school's pressure to keep attendance up (for funding) .. to keep kids in school and jam them with information so they test well (for funding) .. and to me that is not in the child's best interest.

I mean school's cancel school now if there is a "chance" of a big storm (hurricane, snowstorm, etc.) even if nothing happens the next day. Yet that is never a concern. Sports teams and bands get pulled out of school for competitions all the time.

There is a lifetime to learn .. missing a few days a year won't destroy a child's future.

 

[tony67]

It bothers me that somehow school districts feel they can "dictate" whether you take your kids out for school. It bothers me that somehow kids (as young as middle school) are "too busy" to miss a few days of school?

I feel it mainly comes from the school's pressure to keep attendance up (for funding) .. to keep kids in school and jam them with information so they test well (for funding) .. and to me that is not in the child's best interest.

I mean school's cancel school now if there is a "chance" of a big storm (hurricane, snowstorm, etc.) even if nothing happens the next day. Yet that is never a concern. Sports teams and bands get pulled out of school for competitions all the time.

There is a lifetime to learn .. missing a few days a year won't destroy a child's future.

Got to agree with you.

The also don't seem to mind randomly adding is 3 and/or 4 day weekend almost out of the blue for some random "training" - if we know about that a few months in advance i cloud have taken advantage of it.

Also in the real world you don't all go on vacation at the same time - so you miss work and have to get caught up.
That is a life lesson that has value as well.

In the end it really depends on the kid and the parents comfort level with it.

 

[smiths02]

A full week of missed school would not ever be an option for us. Honestly, my school-aged DS has only missed school due to illness or family funeral.

I am considering that our next trip might be shorter. DH and I took an adults only trip early Feb this year, and it was SOOOOO much better crowd, weather, and price wise than our June trips. So I might pull older DS 3 days or so when he is in 6th grade.
I won't pull from high school just because of keeping up with the curriculum AND the final exam exemption rules (you can waive some finals in some classes due to either grades or attendance)

 

[BuckeyeBama]

We have taken our boys out of school every year for a week or more - usually more. They are great students. We have even done so when they were taking AP classes and they did fine. In years when our boys struggled with concentration, we used the WDW trips as carrots. Get good enough grades and you get to make the trip, but if you let your grades slip you stay home and we go without you. Worked every year.

I have no idea how we might have changed our approach had our boys not been great students. We would never live in a school district that did not allow us to travel with our children as we saw fit.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I don't think we'll take DD out of school once she reaches middle school, maybe high school if it's only for a few days.

 

[biondagirl]

We stopped after my son was in 3rd grade and my daughter was in kindergarten. We are taking them out of school for three days this fall for another trip (we worked it around another school holiday). Our school district lets them miss 5 days for an educational trip. This year, my kids are in 8th and 5th so it'll probably be the last. I can't imagine what my son would have to make up in high school.

I wanted to add that in our school district, we never get more than a few days off. No spring break. Winter break is the days following Christmas. Easter break is the Thursday and Friday before and the Monday after. We try to schedule trips (when we do take them out) around the holidays. If we got a full week off at any time during the year like other districts get, it would be a non-issue.

 

[Regan117]

My daughter starts kindergarten next fall and that will be the last time we pull her out of school to go. Once she's in first grade, we will limit our trips to breaks and deal with the crowds.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Last time we did it DS was 9. We went again when he was 11 but did free dining in August. We are in NJ and don't start school until after Labor Day. I wouldn't pull him out after that because of the work load. My son has a tough time focusing so him making a week of work up would be too much for him. He's 16 now and going into his junior year.

Since we are in NJ we get "Jersey Week" and I plan on doing a mother/daughter trip around that time or continue to go in August. My daughter (5th grade) is a much better student than my son and could probably manage a week out of school without issues but our district has truancy laws and I don't feel like ending up in court. After ten days unexcused (no doctor note) you have to go to truancy court and after 16 days they repeat the grade.

 

[gorkt]

One of our children was an excellent student. The other was dyslexic, and struggled in school. Both were in the district's congregated gifted program.

We always asked our children whether they wanted to take time off school for a family vacation, and let them decide. We trusted them to know best whether or not they could manage it. But, a large part of that has to do with the fact that our children were voluntarily choosing to attend public school, after having homeschooled for several years in elementary. They took their schooling very seriously.

Teachers were always supportive, even encouraging. In grade nine, my son's Special Education Resource teacher tracked me down to ask when he'd be taking some time off. The teacher said he'd noticed my son was under a lot of stress and felt he would benefit from a vacation. That same year, in grade 10, my daughter was waffling over whether or not to visit Disney World with us. She discussed it with her Chemistry teacher, whose response was, "Are you crazy? You'll be way too busy to go next year, so you should grab the chance and go now. Go! Go!!"

As it happened, that year was the last year we pulled the kids out of school to visit Disney World. The next year (when they were in 10 and 11), they both decided they were too busy to take any more time off.

Finally, I don't happen to feel that attendance is in any way a moral or character-building issue. Learning happens everywhere, not just in school.

Personally, if the school and/or legal system allows it, I think most kids can benefit from family vacations during the school year. Your kid doesn't have to be a straight A student. In some ways, I always felt as if my son, having to work twice as hard as anyone else just to keep up, deserved a break more than anyone.

I am in a similar situation - I have one kid who is an honors straight A student with minimal effort and one who is on the autism spectrum and really struggles to get the A's and B's he gets. We take one vacation during school every 3-4 years. This year the kids are in 7th and 9th grade, and will miss 3 days of school during "Jersey week". My daughter is nervous about it since it is her first year in high school, but I talked to her, and she agrees we can manage 3 days worth of missed work. My son will absolutely be ready for a break by that time. Like your son, he is under a lot of stress at school, and missing a few days usually is a net positive for his ability to cope in the classroom.

I also agree that learning happens everywhere. My husband missed all sorts of school as a teenager to help his dad renovate houses, and I know that this was an absolutely helpful skill that he has as an adult. If he had been going to school now, his father would be in huge trouble for his truancy.

 

[Boopuff]

I worked for a district that had a "no work sent on vacation" rule. The teachers didn't have to plan ahead for just one child. So the child was required to make up the work once they returned to school. Most of the time it was during lunch recess. The district I currently work for is a very much teach-to-the-test district the pace is really quick. Most families plan around long weekends.

Personally, We took our kids out just a few times. High school is impossible especially if the kids are in sports or "specialized" activities - it's not unheard of to bench a kid for missing practive. One year - I had a freshman & Senior, Thanksgiving week ended up being only two days. So we did take the kids out for those two days. But that was it!

 

[SuperPreparo]

My kids are grown now, but growing up we took them out of school almost every year from elementary school right through high school. It was a small school district, and we were fortunate that the teachers were very supportive. We never had any trouble getting all their work ahead of time, so they were all caught up and sometimes ahead when we got back. It would have been much harder if they had to make up the work when they got back.

 

[Finkerfell]

I have a sophomore and and and 8th grader. We've been taking them out of school for Disney since 2008. They both get good grades. My high schooler doesn't have any honors or a/p classes so she doesn't seem to miss much. We've never had a problem with teachers or schools taking them out. My high schooler is in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and rehearsals don't start until after Labor Day. Once they begin, we don't get any time off until Thanksgiving or Christmas. You cannot miss a rehearsal unless there is a death in the family or an illness with a Dr. note. So, we are taking a long Labor Day Weekend trip again and the kids only miss 3 days of school. I keep saying this will be the last year we take them out of school...

 

[Gillbob316]

I have no kids of my own, nor experience w/ this as a parent, but I was a kid (Currently 30), and I know that my mom stopped doing it after I hit High School.

My freshman year, we took a trip shortly after spring break. The teachers got po'ed that rather than go DURING spring break, we were going a few weeks after. I explained to them my mom deliberately avoided booking on spring break to avoid crowds, and I had no control over that decision as the child. While they were powerless to stop her from pulling me, the teachers (a few in particular) took it out on me anyway, and were very harsh and non-lenient as far as my homework/workload.

She'd done this in the past, mind you, without much trouble, but that first year of High School is apparently when the teachers got seriously antagonistic enough about it for her to change her strategy.

I honestly don't remember if she ever pulled me and my sister again after that, but I do know she was much more delicate about it at the very least. Avoiding doing it for too long, or too close to a break. She never made the same mistake again.