How many of you keep your kids out of school

[Jennasmomma]

My daughter started school a few days late in 2004 when we went on vacation. In December I am taking her out the week before Christmas break to go to disney. I will get her work ahead of time and she will work on it when we get back. Our vacation is Dec 14-22. When we come back, school break starts.

 

[shondad]

In Sept I scheduled our trip around Labor Day and the weekend so that she would not miss much school. She missed two days. We kept our trip short for that very reason, but I think it was worth it. Although, I would not make a habit of this, just on a rare occasion for a short period of time. Otherwise, I think so far she has only missed one other day from school this year, and that was because she was ill.

 

[NC State]

In Sept 2003, my daughter started her senior year in high school. We asked her school about her taking the last week in Sept for our "last" vaction together. (We have never allowed her to stay out of school in the past unless she was sick and that was only a few times.) Since she was a honor student with no problems in school they agreed. I'm so glad for that because it was our "last" vacation together. She's now in college and we can never plan anything together because of school or maybe because she has a boyfriend now. I have never regretted her missing that week of school.

 

[Unregistered]

We go to WDW during DD's (3rd grade) Fall Break in October. The break usually occurs the last week of October; the kids are out of school Wed-Fri with a short day on Tuesday. DD misses Monday and Tuesday. One year she missed the Friday before too.

Debbie

 

[WeLoveThePoly]

We go to WDW during DD's (3rd grade) Fall Break in October. The break usually occurs the last week of October; the kids are out of school Wed-Fri with a short day on Tuesday. DD misses Monday and Tuesday. One year she missed the Friday before too.

Debbie

The quote above is mine. I don't know why it posted under user "Unregistered".

Debbie

 

[penguin087]

I always said I wouldn't but when I heard about the crowds I did. We went May 15th-21st 2005. The school would not excuse the absence because that is "their policy".
I never regretted it for a second. I'm doing it again next year. There is not much going on in school by May anyway. My son never misses much school and his grades are not straight A's but close. I'm sure when he is grown he will have very fond memories of our week in Disney and won't be playing catch up his entire life because he missed 5 days of school in 5th and 7th grade.

 

[themudd4]

We took our DD out of school for 5 days in 2002 & 2005 for WDW. We didn't have any problems with school (considering she had perfect attendence other than those days), and the teachers were great. I don't think that either year that she had really much at all...the teachers just kinda "over looked it". Last year we did have to report a differnt reason other than vacation as the reasoning for the time off of school (We told the school it was for a wedding, since vacations were unexcused and all work missed would be zero's). Thank goodness one of the teachers mentioned that to use and suggested the wedding story, And before someone yells at me for having my child lie...we did go to a wedding that week, it was just the night before we actually left for WDW.
One word of caution though...In another thread I seen where a woman was told in order to do this she had to un-enroll and then re-enroll her children. You may want to contact the school or if you know a teacher personally find out what the schools policy is. I can not see the school refusing you the time off but have heard of worse things happening!
Plan you trip and have a GREAT time!

 

[farmersue]

We are going to pull my boys out of school in September to go. My husband has prostate cancer and diabetes. When his PSA started to rise again, I said the heck with it we are going. September is not only good for the crowds but for the farm. We are doing many educational things while we are there (titanic exhibit, and lunch with an astronaut). Lifes to short and families never spend enough time together to to worry about a few days of school. We won't plan a vacation during school very often but this one is and both us and school will have to deal with it.

 

[ashlynn_j_m]

I'm taking my daughter out of school March 21-28 so she'll miss 7 days, her teacher said she would probably give her some work to do over winter vacation so she wouldn't fall behind, and send a journal with her on the vacation....the school was fine with it....

 

[sunny_medford]

I will be taking my children out of school for 5 days Jan '07. At the time we go ds will be grade 4, dd grade k and dd freshman in college. I have no doubts about going. We have a small building supply store and the winter is a slower time of year so dh feels better about leaving then. And with our oldest in college, it's difficult to find a time we can all go. My son is NOT the best student, but sometimes a little incentive can go a long way with kids. I also saved $5000 by going a paritcular week. All those things together were my reasons for booking when I did. If the school doesn't like it....oh well.

 

[JillinNC1964]

The first time we took our daughter out of school was in Kindergarten. It was mid December and I didn't hesitate at all.. even though she had missed 1+ weeks in October when she had her tonsils/adenoids removed.

We took her out for another week when was in third grade. It was the first week in May. She attends a Catholic School and I got permission in advance. They were fine with it.. she made up the work when she got back to school. For that trip, I didn't plan it until late March. I wanted to see how much school she missed that year due to illness. Luckily, she wasn't sick at all that year and the only school she missed was for our trip to FL.

The very next year she had both the flu and double pneunomia and missed 14 days of school... both illnesses in 2nd semester. No way would I have wanted to take her out for another week.

Now she is in middle school (7th) and we are considering trips in May and December. It will be a bit trickier with exams and all but we figure we can work it out.

-Jill

 

[keishashadow]

I've been trying to schedule during the 3rd week in June (Father's Day) or 2nd week in October (Columbus Day) plus our school has an additional day for open house that week - only 3 days missed.

Our school district prohibits vacation absences during September & May (eliminates the above strategy for Memorial & Labor Day for us).

We went in early Dec. but, DS missed a chorus concert. He's in a special group of Chamber Singers, teacher was so mad when she found out she instructed him to skip the after school practices "...it's a waste of your & my time..."grrr. He looked @ it as a bonus since he has alot of other after school activities. If the teacher had scheduled the concert @ the beginning of the school year we would have worked around it as we did with band.

My friend is the attendance sec. @ our HS. Amazed @ the number of kids who have missed more than 20 days so far this school year. Not for "excused/dr. absences" but, garden variety "day here & day there".

Yet, if your child is an A student & rarely misses more than a few days/year; they still frown upon it & make you fill out an application stating why the trip is beneficial.

The principal told me that's why they schedule a long Spring Break, for vacations...guess it's too bad my DH can't get those dates off.

 

[jennydep]

We will be taking our kids out of school for 7 days in April/May. It is my 8 year old daughter's wish trip. She was diagnosed with leukemia is Dec. 2004. She is doing well, but our family has been through a lot this past year. I have no qualms with taking them out for this once in a lifetime trip. DD is a special ed 2nd grade student and ds (who will turn 7 on the trip) is in first grade and is working above grade level in many areas. Their teachers said they will give us work ahead of time so the kids don't get behind. I will get some of it to do during Spring Break so as to even out the work load a bit.

 

[lindseesmom]

My daughter is in 6th grade and we have taken her out for a weeks' vacation during school for years now. There has not been a problem. Once she starts 8th grade that will change though.

 

[3princesses+aprince]

Last year was the first time we took our kids to disney, we went 1 week after february vacation. I don't know if i would ever go over a school break, can you imagine the lines. We arent' going this year but we are already planning our next years trip I believe we're going the 1st week of April. 2 weeks before april break. You only live once and your kids don't stay little. Go on your vacation and do not feel guilty.

 

[DLBDS]

My DD will be 9 when we go to WDW. It will be her 1st true vacation. It will be mine and my DH's 2nd after 13 years of marriage and a horrible 3/4 night cruise . NOTE: I don't consider visiting relatives a vacation. An obligation, yes, but not a vacation. And we only took extended weekends to do this. Let's face it, theres nothing relaxing about visiting relatives. I'm doing this trip up right: 1 night at AS-Movies/7 nights at WL. I chose to do this during the Value Season. I chose the holidays as it's our favorite time of year. (Our wedding anniversary is in Dec. also.) We are taking our DD out of school for the 1st time EVER and I better not get any flack from school administration!! I told my DH that I was going to tell her teacher within the 1st week of school in the fall. Hopefully, she'll have a study 'kit' organized for her by the time we leave (Nov. 27th-Dec.5th). This is a small, private Montessori school so this shouldn't be a problem. So, you can add me to the list of parents pulling their child out of school to go to WDW!

 

[ohiomom28]

We are pulling my son out of school this year. He is in Kindergarten and only goes to school 2-3 days a week. That week just so happenes to be his 3 day week. I probably won't do it after this year so he doesnt miss so much, but who knows...


One more week!!!

 

[makinorlando]

I have not read all the threads, so if I am repeating, please accept my apology.

I don't feel that there is anything wrong with taking kids out of school for a family vacation to somewhere that can be as educational as WDW. I would guess that schools would frown if this was something that you did frequently, but for many it's a once in a lifetime trip. As kids get older it may be more difficult to take them away, but in the lower grades, I think it is a great opportunity.

Kids can learn so much at WDW, you can find something educational in many everyday things you do. Even when they think they are having fun.. they can be learning, and in the end, as much as book knowledge is necessary, life lessons are great as well!

In this day when everyone is so busy with life, it is great when a family can find time away from it all and have that quality family time that is so important!

Maybe have them keep a simple journal, or give them a camera to do photo journal. Maybe you have a budding photographer or journalist in your family!

 

[penguin087]

Along the lines of the journal idea. One of my son's assignments from his 5th grade teacher while he was out of school to go to Disney was that he got her a post card everyday and wrote to her about what he did that day and something he learned about each day. He turned them in when we got back. My son would have complained about keeping a journal but never once complained about the post cards and never forgot to buy one for her on our last stop on our way out of the parks each night. I don't think he even realized he was keeping a journal!

 

[ohiomom28]

Along the lines of the journal idea. One of my son's assignments from his 5th grade teacher while he was out of school to go to Disney was that he got her a post card everyday and wrote to her about what he did that day and something he learned about each day. He turned them in when we got back. My son would have complained about keeping a journal but never once complained about the post cards and never forgot to buy one for her on our last stop on our way out of the parks each night. I don't think he even realized he was keeping a journal!

My son's Kindergarten teacher also said that maybe he could write a journal to keep up with his writing skills and then come back and read it it to his class.