Do your kids miss school for vacation?

[Disneyhabs]

Take the kids out of school for atleast 2 weeks each year for going on holidays. The kids teachers even agree that 2 weeks with family and discovering new things even if it is to go to WDW we do many activities on our drive down. They feel is more beneficial than sitting in class for that same 2 weeks.

The kids teachers always know at the start of the school year when we will be away and they ask the kids to create a timeline of when we are going and write up an essay of sorts for the things we have done and seen and the places we travel through on the drive to WDW. My kids are 17/12/11/6 and they enjoy the trips each year. We always stop along the way for things like the Tenn aquarium and historic caves etc. We also do a trip to Meritt Island while at Disney etc.

 

[mom2rose&john]

We do and have taken them out of school for 3-5 days depending on how the schedule goes. However, I do not schedule any vacations during the state assessment week. My dd is in 5th and my DS is in 3rd. I don’t know how long we can continue to take them out but we will until it becomes too much of a burden on my children with making up school work.


This thread also got me thinking about my nephew and his high school hockey team. His team was in a school sponsored out of town tournament. He and the team missed school on Thursday and Friday to attend. The teachers allowed them to get their assignments before they handed them to the students that were in attendance on those days and they are allowed an extension on the due date. However, the school district frowns upon parents taking kids out of school for vacations and do not allow teachers to hand out lessons or homework before they have been taught in a classroom setting. It’s okay for a school to allow it when it is for school sports but not allow it when a child goes on family vacation. Makes me laugh at the double standards of the school system; it actually supports my (non-guilty) feelings about taking them out for a vacation.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Yes we do. Trying to keep it to a one week minimum as they are getting to middle school.

 

[wallawallakids]

Nope. I wish we did though. Airfare for 6 is so much less when you are not flying over break.

In all honesty, I am not against people doing it, but I don't think it is fair for my children. Making up work and missing stuff is hard. My oldest DD actually hates missing school (and not because she loves it!!) She has her heart set on perfect attendance. She has not missed a day since 2nd grade (she is now in 6th). It is hard because one of these days she will get sick and have to miss a day and then she will be crushed. But she really looks forward to getting the "perfect attendance" award and she was the only child who got it last year. She is convinced that if she stays perfect though middle school she might get a 4 year award. (Not sure this is true though?!? ) I guess it isn't a bad ambition for her to have though!