Do You Pull Your School Aged Kids out of School?

[FredS]

Originally posted by howdy29
5th graders taking the SATs. Very impressive education in Northeast Ohio!

?? I am assuming that she is referencing the Stanford Achievement Test, a test commonly given to third through eighth graders (if I recall correctly) annually. Schools used to more often use the California Achievement Test, but I think the SAT's are the norm now.

Perhaps you are confusing it with the College Board SAT??

 

[zurgswife]

We have taken the kids out twice for family vacations...get work from teachers but ...they are my kids and I go on vacation when it is easiest for me...Summers are out because of my work schedule so that leaves Christmas, Spring Break or pullling them out....we decided to do the MNSSHP twice so we pulledthem out in Oct twice...My kids are still in elem.school...probably in HS it will be different....whew...only 2 more years YIKES!!!

 

[FredS]

Originally posted by zurgswife
...get work from teachers but ...they are my kids and I go on vacation when it is easiest for me...

My oldest would be very upset at missing school. Their curriculum is very demanding and missing days would put her in a bad position. (It is a gifted school, and wonderful, but the lessons are tough, not something that you could just pick up from a book later.) My son is the king of rules and how, except in very unusual circumstances they are there for reasons and we should expect that they apply to everyone, including ourselves even if they are not the most convenient.

Again, if it was a one-in-a-lifetime expedition that you could get worked out with the school, fine, but for many reasons it is a very poor idea for older students.

 

[LKS]

We don't take ours out either - they like their perfect attendance awards and we know that we can fit our great family bonding experiences around the school schedule. We are blessed in that my kids are already back in school, so they get out in mid-May and we can beat the crowds!

 

[Magic2000]

For the last three years, I have let my two DDs miss two days of school so we could go to Disney to see the Christmas decorations. They missed the Thursday and Friday AFTER Thanksgiving. (One is in high school and the other was in K, 1st, and then 2nd grade).

This year, I wanted to try MNSSHP and my older DD said she really didn't want to miss any school this year - she's a Senior now. However, my youngest will be in third grade and I'll be taking her out for a week for a Momma and Me trip (DH may come with us). School starts here on Thursday, and once things settle down a little at school, I will meet with her teacher so she knows in plenty of time.

Both DDs are great students, and missing a couple of days of school has not hurt them at all. Their teachers have been supportive so far, and have worked with me; and I am very thankful. We always take our big family trip in the summer.

 

[cinderella_bella]

I do take my kids out of school. They go to a private catholic school and the school doesn't like it but oh well. Sometimes the things you learn in life don't always happen at school. If it is the only way I can afford to take them and not scrimp too much then that is what I am going to do. I can see it getting harder as the kids get older but for right now I just pull them. The last time I wrote a note to the teach for my dd missing school it said something like. Please excuse Tatiana from school on(insert dates) as we were off on a cultural experience to the Nutcracker Ballet. Teacher thought it was cute.

Tania

 

[toystoryduo]

Oops... Sorry for the confusion. I was speaking of the Stanford Acheivement Tests for fifth graders. Thanks FredS for helping to clarify!

 

[KDawnLily]

Originally posted by Richyams
Pull her out for two weeks without thinking twice.

I have the same opinion for my DS. He is going into GR 1 and I'm sure that a road trip through the US and then some 'extra projects' related to conservation or the like at AK will do just fine for showing his class when he gets back to school.

I'm also checking with his teacher to see what will be taught during our vacation and teaching him these things myself.
and anyway.. Is there really any better way to celebrate a Birthday than at WDW?




I also can't get time off my work during the normal school holidays so for us to vacation as a family we go during school sessions- for now. When he gets older.. well that I will tackle when we get there

 

[Kewz1]

Yes, we do pull our kids out of school for vacation. They are now in 4th and 2nd grade so I think it is a little easier than if they were in high school. I've always been upfront with the teachers telling them that we belatedly celebrate Christmas with my family in January at WDW. I notify them at the beginning of the school year and then will remind them 2-3 more times. I also request that they send along any work (which is why I mention the trip so early -- to give them plenty of time to prepare for this).

We are a military family and do not always live close to our families so time spent with our families is VERY important to us. At times it will take priority over school. My kids were on the honor roll last year so they (we!) do work hard to keep their grades up. Taking them out of school is something I will not -- and do not -- feel guilty about.

Kristen

 

[zurgswife]

FredS...I'm wondering why you rolled your eyes at my comment that I get my kids work from the teachers but they are my kids I take them out when it's easiest for me????

1. You stated that your children would be upset...mine aren't, yet I'm sure like I said when my DD gets to high school in 2 yrs that will be different.. and we will adjust accordingly.

2. My children don't go to a gifted school...just a very small private church school there are only 33 kids in my oldest DD's GRADE...not Class the entire Grade...so it is much easier for us and the teacher to communicate with regards to missing school.

3.

My son is the king of rules and how, except in very unusual circumstances they are there for reasons and we should expect that they apply to everyone, including ourselves even if they are not the most convenient.

this makes the assumption that I don't follow the rules...My schools position is that family is important and if we as parents feel a need to plan a family vacation during school days we just need to let the admistration know what the dates are....I comply with this RULE.

4.

Again, if it was a one-in-a-lifetime expedition that you could get worked out with the school, fine, but for many reasons it is a very poor idea for older students.

Obviously your idea and my idea of an "OLDER STUDENT" is not the same...when my DD is in High School that is what I consider an older student...right now while she is elem. school I will continue to be flexible with regards to missing school...

So, I think every parent needs to do what is right for their family and child...and one families choices might not work for another family...

 

[RKC]

My DD will be starting K-5 this Sept. We have a trip planned to WDW the first week in Oct. I'm planning on informing her teacher as soon as I meet her. I don't feel guilty in the least for taking her out of school for a week. Broadening (sp?) horizons, and all that.
My DH was discussing our up coming trip with a patient, who also happens to be a retired kindergarten teacher. She thought taking her out of school was just terrible !! " Think of all she'll miss!!" she said. My DH said, "Don't worry, we'll take along her crayons and paste."
-Rachael

 

[4greatboys]

I do take my kids out of school for vacation. Im not paying big bucks to go over the summer where it is 90+ degrees and waiting in lines for hours. Vacation should be fun, that does not sound like fun to me.

 

[Jakesmom1]

My DS is going into 4th grade. He goes to a private school, and I told the principle at the end of last year that we were going to WDW the first week of School this fall.

The principal said no problem, I requested her to give me any work he will be missing and she told me, not to worry about it, that he will catch up the following week.

This is the first time we will be going during the school year, however my DH and my vacations could only be taken together at that week.

I do agree that family time is so important in a world where both parents have to work more often then not.

 

[cheeringmom]

the kids get "teacher workdays" when they usually get a Mon and Tues off. Then we pull them the rest of the week. This year, however, we pulled them the previous Fri too. Summers do not work for our family. Too many visitors, family, friends etc.

 

[Mermaid02]

We leave September 30th and come back October 8th. My kids are in 8th grade and 1st grade. They are very bright and will catch up easily. Do I feel badly for taking them out of school for vacation? NOPE. Do I care if the school cares? NOPE. Do I think it's setting a bad example? Now HOW can spending quality time with your family be considered a "bad" example? Family first- that's the motto around here.

 

[deb305]

I always love this thread. Yes we will take DD-5 and DS-2 out of school (just starting Kindergarten) to go on family vacations in Fall/Winter. Stress is low and crowds are light. We have them for such a short time in their lives. Face it, its the lucky set of parents who have teen age children/20 somethings wanting to take vacations with them.We started a family late life, after a lifetime of managing the work/family balance tilted towards the work side. We want to give the kids a sense that their families come first, and they can be still be very successful in work (school). Whats the expression - no one ever died wishing they had spent more time in the office.
I have a stepdaughter that challanged the concept that school rules all. In Law School she gave up Law Review to spend more time with her soon to be husband. We thought she was nuts, yet she went on to become a lawyer with a good job, and a solid family life.
In the end we all make these choices, and I respect those who chose to work around school schedules for the sake of the school and/or their kids. Who knows, my tune might change once she hits high school.

 

[grinningghost]

We took DD out of school when she was little, but not since she's been in the higher grades. She freaks if she has to miss a day due to illness because it's so easy to fall behind. Alot of the work is hands-on labs, and they're almost impossible to make up. So we stick to summer vacation. We actually enjoy WDW in the summer more anyway.

 

[southernwingz]

I guess I'm like a lot of other parents that add a day or two to an already existing school break.

Last year, we added a couple days around Labor Day weekend and went to Texas.

This year, we'll be leaving two days before Christmas break starts to head out to DW. When we made our reservations in January, I didn't know exactly when the break would begin.

I did found out the other day though that because I'm now working for the school that any personal days that are taken before a holiday are each counted as two days. I'm kind of bummed about that, but I really had no idea I'd be working in the district when we made these plans in January. Oh well.

 

[FredS]

Originally posted by grinningghost
We took DD out of school when she was little, but not since she's been in the higher grades. She freaks if she has to miss a day due to illness because it's so easy to fall behind. Alot of the work is hands-on labs, and they're almost impossible to make up. So we stick to summer vacation. We actually enjoy WDW in the summer more anyway.

Exactly. If you have a child who is advanced, then generally missing a few days in the lower grades is no big deal. However, if your child's curriculum in high school is such that missing a week or more is no big deal and they can somehow make up missed lessons doing something out of a book, then to be honest I would be concerned that my child was not being adequately prepared for life and college!

We spent five days in Disney just before Christmas in 2002. We spent several days, beginning in mid-May just after school ended. We spent a week just before and including July 4th. We could, if we had chosen, spent a week in March during another break. I certainly don't scrimp on vacations or family memories but we didn't miss any school taking these trips and making these memories. If school was not an option I probably would not have taken those exact same dates, but it certainly was not that big a deal to accommodate their school schedule. It definitely is not a choice between family vacations and school -- you certainly can do both, and any implication that parents who don't choose to pull their kids from school are not as concerned with family (i.e., parents who DO pull their kids are "putting their family first") is just ridiculous.

 

[Mermaid02]

I spoke with my ds's principal yesterday and asked her how much flack I was going to get for taking the kids to WDW in October.... turns out SHE is taking her girls out of school the next week for a vacation in WDW. Her take on it is family vacations are VERY important for children (whether near or far) and some people can't take them during the designated school vacations. She said some teachers feel differently... but she also said they TEND to be married to other teachers and their whole WORLD revolves around the school calendar. She also said travel is an education in itself.

" you certainly can do both, and any implication that parents who don't choose to pull their kids from school are not as concerned with family is ridiculous"

Sorry you misunderstood me Fred.... what I meant was My Husband is NOT going to go to Florida (or any other hot place) in June, July or August- We also would have a hard time affording the inflated prices during school vacations. If we WANT to go to WDW, we have to do it during the "off season" and yep that means a family vacation, comes before work and school. Granted we don't/won't do this yearly... but do I feel guilty for taking my kids out of school? No. I also pull my daughter out regularly for orthodontist appointments.