Do you take your kids out of school to go??

[Lil'DisneyMom]

I am just curious of how many people do take their children out of school to go to WDW. I myself don't have to worry about this right now (my DS is 2)..But, friends of our want to go this year. They have a 2 y.o and an 8 y.o..None of them have ever been to WDW before, and they siad they hate crowds. I told them then they should go off season in the fall. Well, they don't want to take their child out of school. I told them be prepared for crowds and long waits, but I just don't think they really get it!!!

 

[mericletwins]

I don't, but only because I am a teacher and I can't get myself out of school to go!

 

[Sunny37]

I am just curious of how many people do take their children out of school to go to WDW. I myself don't have to worry about this right now (my DS is 2)..But, friends of our want to go this year. They have a 2 y.o and an 8 y.o..None of them have ever been to WDW before, and they siad they hate crowds. I told them then they should go off season in the fall. Well, they don't want to take their child out of school. I told them be prepared for crowds and long waits, but I just don't think they really get it!!!

We don't take our children out of school for trips. You should suggest to your friends that they might want to purchase the Unofficial Guide to WDW by Bob Sehlinger. We have used his touring plans for years and have never waited longer than say 20 minutes for a ride--and we go the week of Christmas EVERY year. I am sure they can go during a busier season and still have a great time.

 

[C&C's Mom]

This is our first time, but we are taking my older DD's (12 & 9) out of school to go. We planned the trip months ago, and now I found out they are doing state testing while we're gone. I'm currently trying to figure out how they can make it up. It is a hassle, but I hope it'll all be worth it. Both of their schools were very accomodating, so that has helped.

 

[Lil'DisneyMom]

I guess I should say too, that they want to go in the middle of June!

 

[hollyb]

We will be taking them out for 6 days in May. Life is to short to wait for things that are important to us. YES of course school is very important too. When push comes to shove as the parents we have the final say of how we raise our children.

 

[bnf2]

You'll get lots of opinions on this topic, that's for sure!

We have taken our kids out for 2 trips (preschool and 1st grade) and will do so again this Christmas. Our school does not have a problem with it, the kids both make A's (with one or two B's!) and we always get the work turned back in the day we go back (yeah, it's just 1st grade now, but wow... that A Beka curriculum is a killer! )

Our main reason is that it's hard for DH to get time off in the summer and, I while I fully agree school is important (I'm a former teacher!), our family time is equally- if not more- important. I know our time with them is fleeting. Now, will I take them out in middle school or high school? Not sure yet. But for now it works for our family.

 

[Lil'DisneyMom]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I know it is a touhy subject. Everyone has their own opinnion!

I myself, been at WDW in June, and in Sept, I will never go back in June! Sept is awesome!!! No wait, no huge crowds, I feel it is perfect. We actually walk right onto the rides. We rode the buzz ride 5 times straight this past Sept. And seeing how the parks were then, I will definately take my kids out of school for future trips (when they are old enough to be in school). LOL

 

[MousekaMaddi]

YEP we DO!!! I think a FAMILY vacation is a learning experience in itself so WE DO!! LOL
ps, 6 more sleeps till we go whooooooohoooooooo

 

[Steph9072]

We planned our trip for the weekend after school was out. Even though we had built in snow days it snowed after all of them but one. So our kids will not be going for the make up days but will do and turn in all of their work.

 

[storzo]

I pulled my kids out of school until first grade, now it's strictly summer and break vacations.

 

[Kewz1]

When my kids were in public school we did take them out. We homeschool now so we never have a problem with the teacher.

Kristen

 

[Marble8]

This is a dilemma we have faced. When we first went (2004) we went to WDW in July and braved not only shoulder to shoulder crowds, but stifling heat and humidity. The next July we went on the Disney cruise from California and enjoyed a couple of days at Disneyland afterwards, in July as well. It was, as WDW, crowded and hot. 2006 May/June WDW/Universal some of the same. In Feb '07 we took the kids out of school for 3 days before their break to go. The first day in the parks (Feb 15) was NICE! NO CROWDS and pretty nice weather. We are so convinced of going in the off season that we are going again in late Sept/early Oct. We will be taking them out again for 5 days. The teachers were oK with it (we told them well in advance). Some had policies that the work could only be made up when the kids returned. We have 6 kids, all in school (grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9th) and it worked out. We will only do it once a year max, but it is possible. Besides the crowds and weather, it was lots cheaper.

 

[annie1995]

Yup, we take our kids out to go in September! It's the only time my DH would be able to go then. Plus, I don't think we could afford to stay 10 days during peak season. (Plus there might be free dining too , ya can't beat that ).

 

[TMB1203]

Yes, we do (for now). We will only take him out for a max of 1 week.
If there every comes a time that my son is not a straight A student, then we probably would not. We tell him that this is a privledge,not a right.

We went last month and my son missed 5 days of school. He had quite a bit of school work, but the school and his teacher were very accomodating. He goes to a Catholic school and sometimes they are much stricter than public schools.

I would think as long as the child is a good student missing a few days of school is not the end of the world!

 

[A&CsMom]

We are taking the kids (JK and Grade 3) out of school for 2 weeks. I know some people will think that is too long, but we have let the teachers know well in advance and will be working with our son in Grade 3 (I don't think DD in JK will have much to make up!) to make sure he does all the work he missed. We only do this once per school year and our kids rarely miss school for illness, so we feel it's ok. Our son does well in school and our family vacations are very special to us. Growing up, my brother and I were taken out of school for Florida vacations or 7 or 8 days every March, and we had no problem making it up, even in high school. Plus, my husband picks vacation by seniority, so it will be difficult for us to get Christmas, Spring Break or summer off until he has more years in.

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

We did, but only for two days b/c it was fall break and she was out for 3 days already. I felt guilty at first but the teacher was really great about it and encouraged us to have some family time. DD got most of her homework done before we went and finished when we got back. Would do it again too.

 

[daisyduck123]

Every year.

We go to WDW every year in early/mid May, because the weather is perfect then & the crowds are so low.

Last year, DD12 (8th grade now) & DS9 (3rd grade now) missed 6 school days in May. We also went in Jan. last year, so they missed 5 or 6 days then too.

This May, they'll each miss 6 days.

***I'm a teacher, so I pull myself out of school as well.

 

[bibbity bobbity boo]

Yes. This is the first time we are going to WDW as a family and we are pulling DD out of preschool to do so. We spoke with the teacher and the teacher assured us that it was completely fine because it is such a GREAT learning experience for them, especially at this age.

 

[NU2WDW]

We're going in June because my stepdaughter (age 13) didn't want to miss any school. Otherwise it would've been late April. My girls are still preschool age but I will do my darndest as they get older to work family vacations into the off-season. May sound silly to some, but the single biggest "dread" factor I have about them starting school is feeling that someone else decides when we can leave town for a few days!