Don't care if it makes me a bad parent!

[Sleepy425]

Not a flame.. Here is my experience and toughts....

My parents would never have dreamed of taking me out of school, or my brother. We both went to mentally gifted high schools (5 years apart, mind you!) and our education there was a big big deal in my family.

My parents never went to college, and my oldest aunt never graduated high school. (actually she did get her GED in her 60's!) The first person in my family to attend college was my oldest cousin.

In the school I attended...If you fail 3 classes, you are expelled. If you fail 2 classes twice anytime during your 4 years, you are expelled. If you have any behavior issues, you are expelled. NO exceptions; summer school does not count to erase those failures. Half the kids who start leave or fail out before they graduate. Most teachers there are doctors and could teach at any college.

It was a FREE 'magnet' school, not a boarding school, no tuition. (if you lived inside the Philly city limits.) Failure would have meant going to local public schools.

I graduated in the top 10% of my class....so did my brother. We both got partial scholarships to PA colleges...Being out of school for a cold meant lots of make-up time. I could not imagine my folks taking us out of school on purpose. (I had mono in my sophmore year...ugh it was bad!)

My brother and I are doing very well for ourselves...because of the amazing FREE education we received at a FREE puiblic high school, which prepared me for college and life.

It's your kid's education. You know your kids and you know what they need better then anyone.

My parents could not have home-schooled me, or helped me with homework, so my only way to get proper instruction was with my teachers. I'm not a parent and have no right to make suggestions and, your decision is what matters.

Just playing devil's advocate.

But if you were gifted, then school would come pretty easily and it wouldn't matter if you missed a bit.
I was valedictorian even though my parents pulled me out for vacations, I skipped school for bogus reasons (in high school I would just collect things from colleges and turn them in, saying I had gone to visit so it was an excused day off - even did it for one of my Disney vacations!).

One week of school isn't going to make or break your kid. If it did have the potential to, you would be well aware that your child has special needs and could not handle it.

 

[sunshineNJ]

I have taken my kids out for a week many times. The memories you make with your kids are more important then anything!!!!!!!!!!! They are both very good students and got as much of the work as possible before we left.

 

[juliebug1997]

But if you were gifted, then school would come pretty easily and it wouldn't matter if you missed a bit.
I was valedictorian even though my parents pulled me out for vacations, I skipped school for bogus reasons (in high school I would just collect things from colleges and turn them in, saying I had gone to visit so it was an excused day off - even did it for one of my Disney vacations!).

One week of school isn't going to make or break your kid. If it did have the potential to, you would be well aware that your child has special needs and could not handle it.

A school with that rigorous a grading policy is likely to have a strict attendance policy too.

 

[dlinne]

Not a flame.. Here is my experience and toughts....

My parents would never have dreamed of taking me out of school, or my brother. We both went to mentally gifted high schools (5 years apart, mind you!) and our education there was a big big deal in my family.

My parents never went to college, and my oldest aunt never graduated high school. (actually she did get her GED in her 60's!) The first person in my family to attend college was my oldest cousin.

In the school I attended...If you fail 3 classes, you are expelled. If you fail 2 classes twice anytime during your 4 years, you are expelled. If you have any behavior issues, you are expelled. NO exceptions; summer school does not count to erase those failures. Half the kids who start leave or fail out before they graduate. Most teachers there are doctors and could teach at any college.

It was a FREE 'magnet' school, not a boarding school, no tuition. (if you lived inside the Philly city limits.) Failure would have meant going to local public schools.

I graduated in the top 10% of my class....so did my brother. We both got partial scholarships to PA colleges...Being out of school for a cold meant lots of make-up time. I could not imagine my folks taking us out of school on purpose. (I had mono in my sophmore year...ugh it was bad!)

My brother and I are doing very well for ourselves...because of the amazing FREE education we received at a FREE puiblic high school, which prepared me for college and life.

It's your kid's education. You know your kids and you know what they need better then anyone.

My parents could not have home-schooled me, or helped me with homework, so my only way to get proper instruction was with my teachers. I'm not a parent and have no right to make suggestions and, your decision is what matters.

Just playing devil's advocate.

I graduated from a Magnet School in Philly (1993) and it would have been a lot to miss a week. I believe I would have gotten pretty far behind. I did miss 1 day at a time about every other week though and it wasn't a problem. I guess some of my teachers questioned it, but I had good grades and did my work.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

Enjoy your trip, but I'm curious as to why you felt you needed to post this? Are you wanting justification from the forums ? Are you trying to make a statement that family time is more important? I think you would be hard pressed to find many who would disagree and Family time is extremely important. I will offer this....there are 186 days a year that the kids are not in school...

 

[ConnieB]

Depending on the school district's rules, they sure can!

You have to understand, some parents could care less if their kids go to school or not. So many districts are now very strict on missed time. In some areas parents can even go to jail if their kids miss too much school.

Well, ok, so there is reason number 1,384,293 that I'm glad we homeschool! We actually jokingly call it car/plane/train/hotel school because we travel so much but take what we need with us (and heavens have tablets and laptops made that easier than 8 or 9 years ago when we had a suitcase full of books, lol.)

I think there is a huge difference though in parents that allow their kid to sit at home watching TV/video games instead of going to school....and a parent like OP who is spending time with their kids. Hopefully this court looks at that....if not, and it were me, I'd be looking at moving, lol.

There is a LOT to learn on the road, even at Disney......and the time spent together goes a long way toward family bonding. I have twin daughters....just turned 17....and they are not your typical teenagers in the sense that they enjoy the company of their old mom......something I certainly never did with my mom, I couldn't wait to be old enough to leave home! I was very proud of my mom though, after I moved out her IQ appeared to have gone up quite a bit.....I joked with her for years that my living there obviously was holding her back, lol.

The media is always hyping about how dysfunctional families are.....perhaps if more parents would spend time with their kid on a family vacation this bond would spill over into the rest of life?

Good luck OP....I can't imagine living somewhere that wants to have so much say in MY child's life! They really should be concentrating on the kids that are failing, being mistreated, coming to school ill-prepared and unfed, etc....rather than with a family who wants to go on a trip.

 

[Planogirl]

If it's public school, they might actually get smarter from missing it.

If it's not, eh, what's six days.

Luckily this is a good school district. Overly strict perhaps but definitely a good one.

No flames here! I think it is ridiculous that the school should control when we take family vacation. I am with you: we hate crowds and we wouldn't be able to afford to go any other way. I don't really see what the big deal is as long as you notify them well in advance and get the work ahead of time. And yes if you notify the teacher well in adavance then I expect to be given makeup homework and assignments so that I can help my kids work on it. I think that teachers have to meet you halfway and I think most are more than willing to do that. I mean I guess it would be different if your kids really struggle in school.

Our district has strict rules against giving the kids work ahead of time. You can notify them as much as you wish but the teachers would be breaking rules by handing out work before the trip.

Well, ok, so there is reason number 1,384,293 that I'm glad we homeschool! We actually jokingly call it car/plane/train/hotel school because we travel so much but take what we need with us (and heavens have tablets and laptops made that easier than 8 or 9 years ago when we had a suitcase full of books, lol.)

I think there is a huge difference though in parents that allow their kid to sit at home watching TV/video games instead of going to school....and a parent like OP who is spending time with their kids. Hopefully this court looks at that....if not, and it were me, I'd be looking at moving, lol.

There is a LOT to learn on the road, even at Disney......and the time spent together goes a long way toward family bonding. I have twin daughters....just turned 17....and they are not your typical teenagers in the sense that they enjoy the company of their old mom......something I certainly never did with my mom, I couldn't wait to be old enough to leave home! I was very proud of my mom though, after I moved out her IQ appeared to have gone up quite a bit.....I joked with her for years that my living there obviously was holding her back, lol.

The media is always hyping about how dysfunctional families are.....perhaps if more parents would spend time with their kid on a family vacation this bond would spill over into the rest of life?

Good luck OP....I can't imagine living somewhere that wants to have so much say in MY child's life! They really should be concentrating on the kids that are failing, being mistreated, coming to school ill-prepared and unfed, etc....rather than with a family who wants to go on a trip.

I would personally rather have a school be too strict because they want the kids at school than be like some districts close to us who don't seem to care one bit. It might be all about the money but DS did get a good education and that is what mattered the most to us.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

The media is always hyping about how dysfunctional families are.....perhaps if more parents would spend time with their kid on a family vacation this bond would spill over into the rest of life?

Good luck OP....I can't imagine living somewhere that wants to have so much say in MY child's life! They really should be concentrating on the kids that are failing, being mistreated, coming to school ill-prepared and unfed, etc....rather than with a family who wants to go on a trip.

Again kids only go to school 180 days a year for about 8 hours a day...with having 10 weeks during the summer and time off at Christmas and in the Spring I would think there is more then enough time to squeeze in that family vacation.

I went to public school and missed 4 days out of 13 years and spent as much (if not more) time with my parents as those who missed school for trips. In the end it comes down to using your time wisely. My mother and father made it a priority to be a family....dinner every night together, weekends fishing, camping, hunting, going to ball games, playing cards, movies, home repair projects....in the end quality time can be spent without missing school/work if you use your time wisely.

 

[White Rose]

But if you were gifted, then school would come pretty easily and it wouldn't matter if you missed a bit.
I was valedictorian even though my parents pulled me out for vacations, I skipped school for bogus reasons (in high school I would just collect things from colleges and turn them in, saying I had gone to visit so it was an excused day off - even did it for one of my Disney vacations!).

One week of school isn't going to make or break your kid. If it did have the potential to, you would be well aware that your child has special needs and could not handle it.

In my post, I said the parent knew best. I know my parents did not ever pull us out of school for a trip anywhere. Instead they saved for 6 years and we went the day after school was out. (I went when I was 6,12,18 etc.)

In my school, every course was an AP level course. It is actually possible to get a 4 year college education from U of Penn as well as your high school diploma. (I am not streching the facts at all.) Every student who graduated in the top 10% would have been the valedictorian at their own local high school. The school I attended requires taking an aptitude test and scoring within the top % in order to gain a spot in the freshman class. A week of school there is like a month in a normal school.

I just wanted to talk about the other side of this, and play devil's advocate. I just know that my parents placed a emphasis on education for both my brother and I, and we have both done well for ourselves, and this was not because we had any advantages growing up. We both worked very hard.

Basically, if I could pull kids out of school for a week and this would not make an impact with their grades/schoolwork...then they are not being challenged enough.

 

[GrumpyBelle]

We have taken our kids out of school--even when the oldest was a senior. They don't miss other days and we make them keep up with the work throughout the year--even on vacation. I think family time whenever it occurs is just as important as their education. We continue to stress the importance of education as well as balance in life. We will continue to take DD out of school as she gets older if that fits our needs.

 

[LaurenT]

No flame. We took DD out through 3rd grade. She's been struggling lately though, so no more missing class now (she's starting 5th grade).
If your kids are keeping up in class, and THEY are ok with missing some days (not all kids are), then go for it. They're your kids, it's your right (IMHO).

 

[LisaBi]

I wouldn't have taken my oldest out...he was a horrible student and wouldn't do his makeup work. But I've pulled my youngest several times. The only time I ever had an issue was his senior year...we had a ****** of a principal. He was on a power trip and no one liked him. He tried to deny the trip...but the joke was on him. DS was over 18...so truancy rules didn't apply since he didn't legally have to be in school.

Go have a great trip!

 

[Cynister]

We just took my son out of school to go in May. I can't say I blame you about not wanting to go during peak season. It was busy enough when we went. Perhaps you could try to ward off any negativity from the school by doing some preemptive things like we did. We had a discussion with the teacher several weeks in advance to let her know what the plans were. Then we asked her to send all work home in advance that he would be missing. That way he could do all the work before he left.

Don't feel guilty about it. In the end, you know your child. If they aren't having problems keeping up in school, then taking them out for this shouldn't be an issue. If you are willing to make up the work to keep your child current with the rest of the class, & the child hasn't had any issues with keeping up with the work, then the school should be understanding that not all parents can schedule vacations during school breaks. Some parents' job schedules just don't allow for it.

 

[jjl181]

Again kids only go to school 180 days a year for about 8 hours a day...with having 10 weeks during the summer and time off at Christmas and in the Spring I would think there is more then enough time to squeeze in that family vacation.

I went to public school and missed 4 days out of 13 years and spent as much (if not more) time with my parents as those who missed school for trips. In the end it comes down to using your time wisely. My mother and father made it a priority to be a family....dinner every night together, weekends fishing, camping, hunting, going to ball games, playing cards, movies, home repair projects....in the end quality time can be spent without missing school/work if you use your time wisely.

While you have a point about family time, family situations can make a difference in regards to when one can vacation.
My husband works 7 days a week, 9 months a year. He has Nov, Dec, Jan off. Therefore, after he gets done, we leave for Disney within a few days. Yes, my children take the time out of school, and I try very hard to limit the number of days, but we can not go during summer vacation even if we wanted to.
Even Christmas vacation is not feasible, due to the huge increase in costs. So while there is a number of non school days, there is not always the ability to plan for that, for many reasons for many families.

 

[ConvenientTruth]

While you have a point about family time, family situations can make a difference in regards to when one can vacation.
My husband works 7 days a week, 9 months a year. He has Nov, Dec, Jan off. Therefore, after he gets done, we leave for Disney within a few days. Yes, my children take the time out of school, and I try very hard to limit the number of days, but we can not go during summer vacation even if we wanted to.
Even Christmas vacation is not feasible, due to the huge increase in costs. So while there is a number of non school days, there is not always the ability to plan for that, for many reasons for many families.

Understandable and I see no issue with vacationing during the school year if that is the only option, but the OP stated they were doing it because of crowds and not out of work obligations.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Well.....you might not want to approach the school quite the way you did here but......
We took/take ours out. Started when oldest was in kindergarten and went through 8th grade, took out 1 week most years. Crowds and heat were our main reasons.

We did make ourselves aware of the school policy and were fine with them and the consequences of them. We also have boys that work well above grade level and knew that missed time would not be a too difficult for them.

I firmly believe parents can choose what is right for their kids but think you need to make yourself aware of what you are dealing with.

Grades: Will they get all 0's? Are you ok with this. Some school allow no make up work for unexcused days. Grades really mean nothing in elementary but be sure you are ok with a really poor report card the next time if they do this.

Work: If they do allow make up work, are you AND your child willing to spend the following couple of weeks working a few extra hours every night to catch up. Only once was this an issue for us. Third grade! Took forever and a lot of work. DS was willing and I did help more than I normally would for homework.

Fines: Some school districts do fine parents for unexcused absence. Just be aware. I have no idea if your state does this.

Government Interference: I think you said you are ok with dealing with it. In our district it is only a form letter that you can ignore, but some places they do carry it much (too) farther. Just know so you can be prepared.

You kids: We let our DS start deciding in 5th grade if he was ok with missing school. He was through 8th grade, but not after that.

I would not make a huge deal out informing of the absence. You can inform the teacher, a week or two before the trip that your family will be out of town during this time period. Ask if there is anything she would like to send home ahead of time to help them from getting behind. Assure her that you will be sure that all make up work is done. If she ask where you are going tell her, but I would not include that in my letter. You can also wait until your return and send a letter that your family was out of town during this time and you will be sure that all make up work gets done. I am sure that the teacher has protocol on absence but sometimes you get lucky and they don't make a big deal. Glad you are not willing to lie or ask your kids to do so.

Bottom line.....your choice but you have to deal with the consequence too.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Flame away.

None from me! In our school district (as of last year) they call you after 3 missed days, send a letter home after 5, require a conference with the school after 7 and report to child protective services after 10. And yet they still require us to notify them of planned unexcused absences. Used to be at Principal's discretion.

I get that they are trying to curb serious truancy problems, but this automatic reporting to CPS seems ridiculous to me. Apparently principals in the district don't like it either, and some are saying officials might reverse out of this strict approach and revert BACK to principal's discretion.

Pretty silly to send me a letter notifying ME that my child was out for the 5 days that I TOLD YOU they would be out for. Huh??

 

[kerplop]

When I was a kid my mom took me out of school once a year for a (sadly) non-Disney vacation because she couldn't get time off during the year. She always managed to make it educational too and with the teacher's permission it was never an issue. I'd have to do a report on things I learned while we were gone, but that was easy for me because we usually went to places like National Parks or places with some sort of historical significance (even if we were just camping or seeing the sights). I say do it and enjoy! If your child is struggling already, obviously your situation may be different, but I think at that age it's easy to make up. Have fun!

 

[ConnieB]

Again kids only go to school 180 days a year for about 8 hours a day...with having 10 weeks during the summer and time off at Christmas and in the Spring I would think there is more then enough time to squeeze in that family vacation.

I went to public school and missed 4 days out of 13 years and spent as much (if not more) time with my parents as those who missed school for trips. In the end it comes down to using your time wisely. My mother and father made it a priority to be a family....dinner every night together, weekends fishing, camping, hunting, going to ball games, playing cards, movies, home repair projects....in the end quality time can be spent without missing school/work if you use your time wisely.

Well, that's what makes America great....the right to choose what works for your family. If the only time we could go to Disney was the hot crowded summer, or the worse crowded holidays, we would not be fans and wouldn't go. For us homeschooling works....my just turned 17 year old twins (3 weeks ago) will have an AA by the time they turn 18 due to dual enrollment and online college courses (some via Skype). Then one will be applying for Disney College Program and the other has already been accepted at the Air Force Academy for Fall 2014.

And we have never counted days of school in all their years....in fact hitting these college courses with all the busy work and repetition has been tough on them, lol....they're used to learning and moving on not sitting through the rest of the book when they already passed the test, lol. In my opinion, that is why they love learning....they don't have to wait for the slower learners to catch on, when they feel they know the material we take a test if they get 90% or better (my requirement) we move on.

OP knows her kids best....if she's confident it won't hurt their education, then she's the parent and should have the right to that decision. I would have a very difficult time with a public school telling me my A students can't miss a week. And I have to say I don't quite get the "Breaking rules if they give kids the work to do while they're gone".....that makes me think they WANT the kids to have a difficult time keeping up. I would think they'd be proud of the kid/parent for taking responsibility to stay current on the work while they were gone, instead of seemingly punishing them by refusing to give them the work. Not like it's state secrets, lol. Oh well, guess that's another reason it's a good thing I'm not involved with the public school....the stupidity of so many rules would make me very grumpy and not in the cute character way!

 

[1000HappyWishes]

Have a great time in Disney!

My high school is ridiculous. I hate it anyway, but the policies make it harder to enjoy it too. We're only allowed 10 absences a year, so we have kids go to school sick so they don't have to miss a day, getting other kids sick. I hate it. I'm being pulled out a couple days before our spring break for this upcoming trip and maybe missing one day after. The school can't stop me from going on vacation, and I'll be darned if they say I have to go with 102 fever.