Now that all of you have "twisted my arm" (and did I mention how much that hurt?) and

[C.Ann]

you are forcing me to take this trip in December - should we stay up in Lady Lake with my sister and make the hour drive back and forth each day - or stay in Orlando and maybe keep a couple of days free to visit my sister?

Also, would it really be pushing the envelope to take my granddaughter out of first grade for a little longer than a week?

Come on now - you got me into this - now tell me how to pull it off - LOL..........

 

[ScarlettO]

When my Sis was living in Orlando , we still stayed on site 4 days , then visited with them for 2-3. They weren't going to the parks with us(not Disney fans) so it was the best solution. As far as how many days she can miss, I think you need to get your daughter involved with that one.

 

[C.Ann]

Ooops! Didn't mean to make it sound like I was the one making the decision regarding my DGD's absence from school - obviously that's up to her parents - but she's so far advanced for her age it's highly unlikely that they would have any major issues with it.. I'm just wondering if taking a first-grader out of school for a few days more than a week would cause any problems.. She's in Kindergarten now - but functioning beyond a first grade level already - so it's not really the educational aspects I'm concerned with.. I guess it's more the idea of her missing out on other things..

How long have others here taken their first graders out of school for a vaction?

 

[ripleysmom]

Her parents need to check with the school as to whether it will be a problem. There are some districts that will prosecute parents for removing their children from school for an "unexecused" absence.

 

[Barb D]

C. Ann, I would definitely recommend staying on site for the time you'll be doing Disney parks. An hour each way will take a big chunk of your day, and you'll be exhausted at the end of it. Plus, it will be much harder to get going in the morning if you have to say goodbye's etc. My sister lives north of Orlando, and we don't stay with them at all...but we do leave a few days free to drive up there to visit (still staying at WDW) or they come down and do cheap/free things with us. (She has 9 kids and I have 3, so it's just a little too chaotic to stay with them.)

 

[Mskanga]

I go for the second option....stay in Orlando ( onsite if possible ) and just keep a couple of days open to visit your sister.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by ripleysmom
Her parents need to check with the school as to whether it will be a problem. There are some districts that will prosecute parents for removing their children from school for an "unexecused" absence.

---------------------------------

That's something that will definitely have to be checked into eventually.. The problem right now is that they currently have their house up for sale (no unexcused absence problems with the school district she's in now) but we're not sure where the new house will be - in terms of which school district she'll be attending.. It could be any one of 4 different districts so I guess we'll have to check into that once they've moved..

 

[Octoberbride03]

As far as unexcused absences go, in my former school districts all the child needed was a note from a parent either prior to the absence or immediately following. All the state law required was that the parent be aware that their child was missing school. So i don't see where there could be any prosecution for a vacation.

But have fun planning your trip. As far as daily travel goes, if i were you i'd reserve a few days to see your sister and spend most of the time staying in or closer to the parks instead of going an hour each way.

Have fun

 

[debster812]

C.Ann--stay in Orlando (onsite if you can swing it), and save a few days to visit with your sister. My suggestion is to visit with sis first, then head to WDW. Leaving WDW to go visit an Auntie might be a bit of a downer to your DGD. Not that your sister is not a joy to be around, but after WDW, DS did not want to hang around with US, let alone, other relatives.

As far as missing school, in first grade, in the grand scheme, I really think missing a bit over a week is going to be fine. We have pulled DS from K and 1st grade the past 2 Januarys. I would be happy to PM you with the details of what we did, just let me know.