Is missing preschool really missing school?

[MaryAnnDVC]

The kids are not missing out on any real curriculum when missing preschool. Go for it, take them out and enjoy Disney.

IMHO the kids are going to learn more at a week in Disney than they will at preschool! Travel is so important to kids so they can learn. If you are driving down think of all the states they can learn about.

If your DH is really against it, maybe you can plan 'lessons' during the drive down. Teach the kids about each state you go through. Spend plenty of time at Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Lots to learn and allow them to grow!

The OP's kids are two and four. When my kids were that age, if we had driven down, they'd be sleeping, or looking out the window at the cornfields, in which case I'd say "oh look...corn!" which would mean very little relative to a day in pre-school.

Having said that...we took our kids out of school for the week after Thanksgiving through middle school, and shortened it after oldest DD's Freshman year in HS because they were all tired of catching up with schoolwork when we got back. I never ever thought of our trips to Disney as "educational", and never proposed that to the teachers in my contact with them about taking them out of school...it was family fun, pure and simple. Surely, they learned things along the way...we usually wouldn't walk through Epcot or AK or any other park, or a resort, without normal conversation about what we're reading/seeing/experiencing, just as we'd do any day out and about in real life. But primarily, we were just plain old having fun.

In preschool tho, I wouldn't think twice about taking them out of school.

 

[fairestoneofall]

DD didn't even attend preschool and she does very well in school.

DS did attend preschool, but it was more for socialization. he did learn things while he was there, but he was also sick a lot (and missed days because of that).

i don't discount the importance of preschool for certain children. DS certainly benefitted from it. however, i don't think it's SO important that it would be detrimental to your children to miss it for a vacation.

 

[mom133d]

Take them out. My son went to a very nice daycare/pre-k school. It was daycare for 6 week - 4 year olds and Pre-K for the 5 year olds. Open all day 6-6, M-F, year-round. We loved it there and not only did he learn the basics - 123, ABC, colors, etc but he started learning phonics, telling time and practiced writing in Pre-K as well. We didn't give it a second thought when we planned last years trip. And our center allowed 2 weeks "vacation".

I don't see myself pulling him out of school for a vacation now. Not unless we won a trip that required specific travel dates.

 

[ols386]

Missing pre-school isn't missing school. It's "pre"-school.

 

[Coconut36]

It's not really about the instruction at the preschool, honestly. It's just that certain preschools in NYC are feeder schools for the elite private schools in NYC, which are (for some) feeders into better colleges--and even for those who aren't going to go to Ivies, it's part of the whole UES (and UWS, to a lesser extent) culture. Getting into these preschools is cutthroat: standardized tests and interviews are standard; recommendations from CEOs and preschool counselors are at the extreme but regular end of things. Competition is fierce and can be nasty. It's not the norm for all of NYC, of course, but it's a huge deal for a small slice.

Ah...don't live in NYC and if such a thing exists in my city I am blissfully unaware (not that I would buy into even if I knew/it occurred here). That figure was shocking to me as that is not remotely the norm.

I do agree cost really isn't relevant to program/teachings..it's more about finding the right school for your child and to suit your needs. My oldest attended the Montessori for 2 full years prior to K. My youngest attended it for a year and then we moved him to another preschool after realizing Montessori wasn't a good fit for him (and he flourished in the new school).

 

[Worfiedoodles]

We took ds14 out of preschool for his first WDW trip. I spoke with his teacher in advance, and she provided a packet of all the worksheets they would be doing while he was away. He missed the classroom content, but we did all the worksheets and he was not behind in any way. Just a thought -- perhaps your preschool would provide the written materials in advance? At that age, they are more willing to do it on the plane (or in the hotel). Occupies their time, and then we reinforced those lessons we had just learned at Disney. It was a win/win!

Maria

 

[bettymae1121]

Well I'm comfortable with kids missing a full week of school up to about 6th grade, assuming they are good students. So pre-school wouldn't even make me blink!

 

[2girls4me]

We plan on taking both kids out, one will be in K and the other nursery. I don't see an issue with it at all.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Missing preschool is not missing school. My kids missed every day of preschool and it didn't hurt them a bit.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Ive worked in preschools. Each one is differnt. The one preschool I worked in did worksheets and had a letter of the week and was learning based. The other program had sceduled days but did more play based things (where it wasnt important if you missed). IMO if its education based the teacher should be able to provide you with whats being missed. If its play based, dont worry! I dont think it would have an educational impact if they miss school. Our teacher in the class I worked with was just worried they would miss an art project and have no art on the wall.

 

[Nancy]

Preschool...don't really consider that school. I took my kids out for family vacations until the oldest hit high school....Family is much more important then school to me.

Exactly. Once they hit high school it is just so hard to catch up if they miss a week. We did it once and after that it was no more missing high school.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I can't be the only one noticing the OP is on board with having her kids miss a few days of preschool but that her husband has an entirely different opinion of education? That "school" is "school" and the kids go if it's open?

She doesn't need any encouragement from you all. He does . OP - print out the responses from the preschool teachers and show your husband those, in support of your extra day/s.

 

[HelenePA]

I didn't even send sick notes in for Pre-K!

 

[kerriemiller]

I can't be the only one noticing the OP is on board with having her kids miss a few days of preschool but that her husband has an entirely different opinion of education? That "school" is "school" and the kids go if it's open?

She doesn't need any encouragement from you all. He does . OP - print out the responses from the preschool teachers and show your husband those, in support of your extra day/s.

He is SOOOO reading this thread tomorrow he rolls his eyes at me when I tell him about stuff I read on the DIS, but he sure was happy about how well our last trip went because of all the reading I did

 

[E-P-C-O-T]

We take DD out of preschool a couple of times a year, for a minimum of two weeks each time. We have actually been encouraged by the principal and her teachers to take her out now before she starts "real school" on 1st grade. She has been doing extremely well and catches up in no time with her class.

Tell DH that while "school time" is important, family time is even more important...

 

[marcyinPA]

Preschool teacher here-

Take your children to Disney and make memories!!! Missing a few days of preschool is no big deal. Heck, I took my own kids out of school up until middle school for vacations!

Do you pay for preschool? My only thought is that your DH might not want to lose out on school that you have to pay for. At my private preschool, there are no makeup days. If you are absent, you pay anyway.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

DH and took DD2 and DD4 for their first trip last Sept. We had discussed going again but waiting a little. So DH comes home from work the other day says we should pick a week that the girls have some time off of school and go back to Disney this fall. GREAT!!! I have seriously been planning our next trip for like 6 months. So I set to work narrowing down days. I find that the days that they have 3 or 4 day weekends from school are going to be busier times at Disney. I want to go back the same week we went last year. And with the help of my DD4 we have convience DH a die-hard deluxer to stay at the new AoA, Lion King room. I showed him the parking at the resort is fairly close and we dont have to use the buses because we will have the car, sweet he says sign me up. Then I suggest since we are saving so much what if we stay an extra day or two. This is when things go sour. Absolutly not we are not taking the kids out of school. Im like what its preschool they only go 3 days a week. With DD4 going to kindergarden the following year, IMO this is the last year that taking her out wont leave her behind.

Long story short, Im thinking Im going to push this issue. Its a two day drive for us I want to stay longer then 5 days. What do you think?

I'm one of those who really doesn't like to take kids out of school for things that can be done in Summer months, not only because of the disruption to their education, but also the potential impact on school funding that results from absenteeism.

Having said that, preschool is NOT "school". We took our oldest daughter on her first real vacation when she was 4, and we did it in October

 

[snarlingcoyote]

And what about all the learning your DDs will do while AT Disney? You can work soooo many lessons in. Patterns, colors, letters, fine and gross motor skill stuff. . .and then Animal Kingdom? Epcot? They can learn more at Disney than they would in pre-school!

 

[Kellydelly]

I live in MI too and it would suck to drive all the way down there and stay only 5 days. We always plan 2 wk vacations to FL. Preschool is not something that would stop me from taking vacation time.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

Take them out of preschool!