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

[dodukes]

I would, but I dont have kids. When I was in school my mom pretty much would allow me to stay home if i wnted to. With that being said, I didnt abuse it, i was acutally a good student and i enjoyed going to school so i dont think i stayed home unless i acutally felt crappy or something. I did get pulled for disney one year. She would also pick me up early if there was something kool happening that i really wanted to do, again this was not abused or done often.

I think school is just like work, sometimes you just want a break to sit and veg.

 

[pittypat]

Yes, I would do that if I felt my child needed it. When I taught High School, I kept a laminated card by my door that said "please don't bother me today". When a student was having a bad day, they took the card and put it on their desk and I left them alone that day. Remarkably, I never once had a kid abuse that privelege.

 

[debbi801]

I said no. However, the day before my son's Bar Mitzvah, I did allow him to take the day off of school to meet with our Rabbi, do a run through in the sanctuary, and mentally prepare for the next day.

Next year, I will do the same with my daughter.

Other than that, unless they are sick, they're going to school.

 

[tara lynn]

I'm a high school senior and my mom has always let me stay home a few days each semester as long as I spread the days out. I usually work all weekend so some weeks I don't even have one day to sleep in. There are also a good number of days when I end up doing busy work and watching movies all day so if I know about them in advance I'll stay home.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Because I didn't want her to get the idea that school is unimportant and she can just blow it off on a whim (yeah, even though that is what I was doing).

I don't think that you were blowing school off on a whim, though. You wanted to spend time with her because you were feeling disconnected. I don't see a problem with that. I think there is an age-appropriate way to explain that to her and it would probably make her feel extra-special.

Absolutely Freakin' Not!

They get 2 "mental health days" a week.

They're called Saturday & Sunday.

But what if things come up for them and it doesn't happen to be Saturday or Sunday? Besides, Sunday in our house is actually a pretty busy day and it's definitely a family day not a personal day.

 

[MrsPete]

No way!

Kids go to school 180 days per year; that means they already have 185 days off! They have every weekend plus plenty of teacher workdays here and there. A "mental health day" is in no way a need for a kid.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No, but then again they would waste it goofing off.

I would also not consider bereavement a "personal day". That is more of a sick day imo.

 

[Minnesota!]

My kids aren't in school yet, but when the time comes, yes, I will allow it.

My mom let me take 1 day off a semester or so. Just to hang out at home and be lazy.

I was involved in sports, service activities, etc. Some days I just needed to lay on the couch and relax. I see nothing wrong with it. No different than you or I taking a mental health break from work.

 

[daisyduck123]

Teacher here

Sure I do...

today is the last day of the marking period....DD13 (9th grade) got straight A's.
She's taking Honors Biology, Honors Algebra II, & Spanish II, just to name a few.
If she wants to take a day off next week to rest & relax - well, FINE BY ME!!

I doubt her GPA will suffer.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Yup. It can't be a day when they have a test. Otherwise, they can pick any day they choose.

My mom (a teacher) did this for us. I'm just continuing a family tradition.

 

[JimB.]

But what if things come up for them and it doesn't happen to be Saturday or Sunday?

Such as ???

We do not allow "things" to be scheduled during school days. Period.

The only things that have come up have been funerals of relatives, and i consider that an appropriate exception to the rule.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

Such as ???

We do not allow "things" to be scheduled during school days. Period.

Unscheduled things... such as being dumped by a first love.

When i was 16, my mom let me take a day off because my high school boyfriend (not a short or insignificant relationship) broke up with me. My face was red and puffy and I couldn't stop crying. Her letting me stay home showed me, that even though it was "only" a high school relationship she understood my pain and my emotional health was important to her... moreso than getting good grades (which I had).

In letting me stay home, she strengthened our relationship. I opened up to her a lot more, and felt a great deal of empathy and understanding from her.

What would have been accomplished by forcing me to go to school? I wouldn't have able to focus on anything, and would have been teased over my appearance. I took the day, got myself together and went back to school looking and acting like myself, being able to concentrate on my work and felt closer to my mom.

 

[punkin]

DD8 stayed home from school today. She had a dentist's appointment in the morning but was done by 9 am (4 fillings). I was going to send her to school, but she looked so miserable, that I decided today was a good day to play hookie.

 

[NAB]

I said no too!!

They get enough days off during the year.

My husband I don't take days off either. It is called life.

Their job is to go to school not stay home because believe me they would just sit and play video games or TV. And what is that teaching them.

Being sick or dentist or funerals I don't count as personal days.

 

[gina2000]

Most definitely. The days are very, very few and very, very far between but they have happened with my blessing.

 

[aprilgail2]

I sure do! Normally she gets 2-3 she can take a year, sometimes for planned things, other times for days she just wants to sleep in or take a break-but it can't be on a day there is a scheduled test. Last year one day she took off from school, I called off from work-we started out the morning bowling, then went to a local indoor amusement place that had rides and games, then we caught a movie and topped it off with dinner out. It was a wonderful day! I know this year we have a "hookey day" planned for May when we are going to great wolf lodge for Sat-Mon so she will take off that Monday. Next Tues they have off from school so we are going into NYC to the american girl store for shopping and lunch, then to rockefeller center for ice skating, then to toys R us to ride the big ferris wheel and then ending the day off with seeing how the grinch stole christmas on broadway-by the time that is over and we get the train home it will be close to midnight so the next dya I will just let her sleep in and take her to school late whenever she gets up and ready that way it doesn't count as one of her "personal days". She works hard at school and I get personal days from my work so I don't see why she shouldn't get them from her "work"

 

[angel_bright05]

Thanks for replying everyone!

Absolutely Freakin' Not!

They get 2 "mental health days" a week.

They're called Saturday & Sunday.

See this is how I see it as well. We have busy weekends as well, but it's called going to bed early or just hanging out when everythings done. Our Sunday's are usually quieter so they can sleep in. If not...well...they can always go to bed earlier!

I said no too!!

They get enough days off during the year.

My husband I don't take days off either. It is called life.

There job is to go to school not stay home because believe me they would just sit and play video games or TV. And what is that teaching them.

Being sick or dentist or funerals I don't count as personal days.

Absolutely agree. When things get hectic...well...we deal. I can't just take a day off work to hang out. When they're sick or there's a funeral, this is different. We also try to schedule dentist and doctors appt.'s after school, and if that's not possible then they get out of school then go back when the appt. is finished.

 

[MM27]

My mom let us take days off when we needed them in middle and high school. It didn't hurt me, but I also didn't abuse it.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I haven't yet, and I don't know if I would. It would depend on the situation and his reason for staying home.

However, DS6 had pinkeye last Friday and I had to argue with him about staying home. He didn't see why he couldn't go to school if he didn't touch anyone or anything. He was still mad at me when I came home from work (DH was home with him).

 

[MushyMushy]

I used to let them all the time, but the past few years they've been getting legitimately physically sick a lot more often than they ever did so they just can't afford it anymore.