Do you allow your kids to take "Personal Days" from school?

[angel_bright05]

I've read on here and have also heard around from parents in the community that they allow their kids to take off 1 day per school year for a "Personal/Mental Heath" Day.

The only time my kids stay home from school is if their sick...and not sick as in "I have a headache", sick as in fever, throwing up (Yes, I'm a mean mommy!).

So to answer my question, no I don't allow my kids to take personal days from school!

What do you do?

 

[shortbun]

I would for mental health, not just for any whim. Don't ask me to define this, it hasn't happened and I hope it never does. I'm not closing the door though.
eta: some of the sickest days I've had in my life were with a headache. I had migraines beginning in
7th grade and there was no way I could go to school. I would never rule headaches as not sick enough to stay home.

 

[mickeyboat]

I voted no, but my kids are pretty young. I would have to evaluate the situation at the time, should it arise in the future.

Denae

 

[kribit]

Would this be the same thing as a scheduled vacation?

I guess it depends on the circumstance, but my kids are still only in K.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I voted "other", because I don't plan it that way, but I have on occasion let my dd stay home even though I knew she was faking being sick. She'd had some other issues going on and I thought she deserved a mental health day.

I wouldn't tell her that, though.

 

[Cantw8]

yes, I do....everyone needs a break from standard routine from time to time. Kids are no different

 

[mommasita]

I have done it, but try not to. I want to save those days for our vacations

 

[Stitchfans]

I voted other. Cause recently when we had a death in the family I let DD stay home to deal with it.

 

[Chattyaholic]

We always let DS take a day off from school for deer hunting.

And I let DD take a day off from school to go shopping at the mall.

I remember my parents always let me take one day off during the year too. My Dad bowled on a work league in Lansing and he would drop me and my Mom off at the mall for a few hours. I loved being able to do that.

 

[Tinkerbell2002]

I voted no, since my ds is in half day Kindergarten, he doesn't really need a personal day from school. As he gets older, I don't know what my policy will be. When I worked, evey now and then I needed a day off just to have a break.

 

[Disney Ella]

I haven't yet (kids are in 6th grade), but I see no problem in doing it every once in a while, especially during that long stretch from January to spring break.

 

[Youarehere]

I don't have children, but I was allowed to do this in high school. I was a good responsible student, but once every year or two I would get overwhelmed with projects and my mother would let me take one day off on the condition that I rested a good portion on the day and worked on projects the rest. It was never to watch TV or shop or have fun of any sort. I was also allowed to skip on skip day, but had to take the detention handed down by the school- she would not excuse me with the school.

 

[Faerie]

No kids here eather but I was allowed to in high school. I was a drama nerd and my mental health day was usually right after a show closed. The two weeks prior to a show were: School 7:30-2:30; rehersal 3-7; work 7:30-10:30 and then homework so I was so done when the show was over that mom and dad usually let me take a day to sleep (I was an honor roll student)

 

[Nikel]

Yup. In high school, we were allowed so many days off. I have a super immune system and rarely needed them when I was sick. So I used em when I wanted to. Like Sr skip day. And since I was 18 then, I could excuse myself even if my mom hadn't signed for me.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

I don't have children, but I was allowed to do this in high school. I was a good responsible student, but once every year or two I would get overwhelmed with projects and my mother would let me take one day off on the condition that I rested a good portion on the day and worked on projects the rest. It was never to watch TV or shop or have fun of any sort. I was also allowed to skip on skip day, but had to take the detention handed down by the school- she would not excuse me with the school.

In high school, I skipped every other Friday and went to the college library to do research. Yes, RESEARCH! My best friend went with me, and several of our teachers knew about it. We learned more on those Fridays than we ever did in school.

My son won't be skipping school because he'll have no school to skip.

 

[Pam]

Both of my kids are now in college - but yep, I sure did.

My Mom let me do the same thing when I was in school.

 

[carone0318]

I've already done it this year. It was on Columbus Day. Every yr in the past she has had off from school and I didn't even realize she had school until 2 weeks before when my MIL told me.

She actually had a gymnastics competition the day before and we didn't get home until 11pm on Sunday night. I let her stay home. She worked on homework, read her book report book and had to work on another project that she had due. She was allowed to sleep in as late as she wanted. She's in 6th grade.

It wouldn't surprise me if this is the only day that she misses this yr. Last yr she missed one day for a family funeral and 1 day for when we went to Disney for a long weekend.

Her missing days is NOT a common theme, so I am ok with it - but it's not a free ride. I had expectations this past time and she was responsible and did what was asked of her. Plus she is a good student. If her grades were poor or she goofed off at school and was always in trouble - no way, no how would I have let her stay home!

 

[minnieandme]

no because they get enough breaks in the school year. Between a teacher workday, breaks and a holiday, they get at least one day off for every month they're in school.

 

[DISUNC]

YUP! It been a family tradition for many years that each kid gets a day off sometime after Thanksgiving and before Christmas.

They help out Christmas shopping, Decorated....go out to lunch! 1 kid/1 parent each time. It's actually nice. Something more FUN when they think they are 'playing hooky"!

 

[jwann]

I voted yes.
Thank you to the parents who let their child stay home to re-group, grieve, catch-up, etc. These days can create such a bond between parent and child. The child knows they can be understood and respected by their parent. Also, the parent can help teach a child (upper elem to hs) how to manage their priorities and responsibilities. (Now, no flames please, I understand that there are other activities and strategies to teach these things as well as create a bond between parent & child.) When this happens at my house, it is usually me who initiates it. We talk about the problem, decide how to best handle the problem without skipping school, talk about the consequences of skipping school (and associated school sports as I tell my boys that they have to skip sport practice if they miss school), and come up with a plan. This doesn't happen every year but a missed school day is such a small price to pay for "mental health" IMHO.