Panama Canal Eastbound Sept. 14, 2013--it'll be WONDER-ful

[CrusinLattas]

Hi Everyone!

My family and I are just off the Dream for a short getaway and I saw this cruise listed on the upcoming cruises. I see some families close by in Kansas and St. Louis. So I am guessing your kids are in a pretty similar school schedule as mine.

My question is if your kids to OK being taken out of school for 2 weeks. Mine will be 6, 8, 12 and 14 by the time the cruise rolls around. My 8 and 14 year olds didn't even want to come with us this past weekend because they'd miss 2 days of school. How do I convince them to miss 2 weeks?

Thanks for any helpful feedback.

My Best,
Trish

It is a hard decision, but I know my kids will get more education traveling for two weeks than they would in a classroom. We will be missing 4 days in a couple weeks to travel so it will be a good test run. My kids are constantly asking to be home schooled, so I don't have to worry about them being upset at missing school. I will have to take them off the roll for this trip, but it is before testing, so we should be able to keep up with lessons.

 

[MPS516]

Trish,

Our school has a 4 day unexcused absence policy, they include travel in that category. We did take our daughter to Washington DC on a business trip with us and got assignments she could do and turn in for class credit. Worked pretty good, she became interested in the history and wrote papers on two different topics. She went to her civics, english and geography teachers to get the assignments which they combined into the 2 papers and had actual math assignments to do on the plane and in the hotel room.

They are not as forgiving when the trips are family vacations, hunting or fishing trips.

 

[pdwimmer]

Thanks so much for the help guys. It's not the school that is a problem. They allow them to be out of school and will provide the homework packages for them to complete while away. My issue is getting the kids to be OK with being out of school. My hubby and I come from a long line of educators. We both decided to go into the pharmaceutical industry with our science degrees rather than teaching. However, we do a lot of home schooling outside of the public school system. For us, going to school is purely for social interaction with kids their own age.

Any ideas on how to get them to be OK with missing two weeks even though they will learn much more while away and will also be able to make up the work? Heck, on a 2 week cruise we can devote a few hours a day to school and they will still learn more than if they sit in the classroom for 8 hours each day.

 

[oybolshoi]

I don't have kids but if my parents had said two-week Disney cruise with panama canal thrown in for good measure I would have been all over it! And I was a total school nerd.

 

[pdwimmer]

I don't have kids but if my parents had said two-week Disney cruise with panama canal thrown in for good measure I would have been all over it! And I was a total school nerd.

Too funny! I gave my eldest son, 14, an option of going on a 1 month voyage in key west over the summer instead. He'll be aboard a sail boat. He will be required to help maintenance, cooking, cleaning and learn how to sail the boat, become certified in scuba diving, etc. He was very stoic about it and said yes. I read on his Facebook page he is very excited. Wish I could go with him. I guess he just wants to get out on his own. Now just have to convince the 7 year old daughter that it's OK. The other two are no problem whatsoever!

 

[oybolshoi]

Too funny! I gave my eldest son, 14, an option of going on a 1 month voyage in key west over the summer instead. He'll be aboard a sail boat. He will be required to help maintenance, cooking, cleaning and learn how to sail the boat, become certified in scuba diving, etc. He was very stoic about it and said yes. I read on his Facebook page he is very excited. Wish I could go with him. I guess he just wants to get out on his own. Now just have to convince the 7 year old daughter that it's OK. The other two are no problem whatsoever!

knowing kids (we have 9 nieces and nephews) they will be so excited about it and never let on ...

 

[tojam]

We booked tonight!

TC, wife Jamie, Callen 2yo and an infant....we don't know sex or name yet!

Really excited and can't wait to get to know you all.

 

[twokats]

We booked tonight!

TC, wife Jamie, Callen 2yo and an infant....we don't know sex or name yet!

Really excited and can't wait to get to know you all.

Welcome! Excited also to get to know all. When is the baby due?

 

[Denine]

Welcome new cruisers!

We also homeschool. The Panama Canal is very educational!

DD is 10 today. Hopefully 1 year from now, she will be turning 11 on this cruise!

 

[tojam]

Baby is due 11/9/12!

I have to apologize as I have not yet had a chance to read the complete blog on this cruise. As we get closer, would love to plan some activities. On the last WBTA we did in 2011 we did a pub crawl, shirts, etc. Was really fun and made for a great trip.

 

[Paragd911]

Baby is due 11/9/12!

I have to apologize as I have not yet had a chance to read the complete blog on this cruise. As we get closer, would love to plan some activities. On the last WBTA we did in 2011 we did a pub crawl, shirts, etc. Was really fun and made for a great trip.

Hi TC & Jamie,

I was on the WBTA with you. Yes I had a great Time with the pub crawl!!
Here's the shirt that we had made.

 

[pdwimmer]

Welcome! Excited also to get to know all. When is the baby due?

Congratulations on the baby. How exciting!

 

[tojam]

Those shirts were great....and so was the pub crawl!

Thanks for the well wishes on the new one. Excited to know if it will be a boy or girl!

 

[youalleverybody]

Welcome TC, Jamie and kids!! Excited to have you join us. I added you to the roll call.

Trish, do your kids not want to go because they are dreading the extra school work? Or worried there won't be many other kids? If you do decide to book, I bet they'll get excited as the time draws near. My kids can't wait! They had so much fun in the kid's club and Edge. Will it help to tell them about other kids on the cruise? Or remind them that there probably won't be tons of kids, so they'll have lots of attention from Cast members and opportunities to play and do what they want in the clubs?

If you do decide to book, let me know and I'll add you to the roll call. Since you are just over in Liberty, we could even get crazy and meet at the KC zoo or Union Station, or something. I'm just a little way across the state line, near Lawrence. Maybe that would get the kids excited? To already know some other kids going?

DH and I leave this weekend for our 15th anniversary cruise on the Dream. I feel pretty guilty not taking the kids, but we really need this trip. It's been a very long time since we've had a trip together, just the two of us. Over a decade.

 

[tojam]

Thanks for adding us and for the welcome!

Don't feel bad about some couples time....but if you get a chance, do the couples massage retreat package in the Spa. A great stress reliever.

 

[JanDave]

DH and I leave this weekend for our 15th anniversary cruise on the Dream. I feel pretty guilty not taking the kids, but we really need this trip. It's been a very long time since we've had a trip together, just the two of us. Over a decade.

Enjoy your time on the Dream! We celebrated Dave's retirement on the Dream this past June. Beautiful ship!


Jan

 

[JanDave]

Welcome TC, Jaime and Family!!!

We don't live too far from you - in mid-Michigan near Lansing. We'll be driving through your town on Thursday, October 4. Heading to a patient seminar at the Cleveland Clinic (sarcoidosis), then heading to Pittsburgh to spend time with our Morgantown, WV grandkids and kkids. Will be spending Saturday at the Carnegie Science Center - amazing place!


Jan

 

[MPS516]

Anja,

We moved to the main dining instead of late. We were talking to some friends who are on the Dec 2012 EBPC who raise some good points about our time difference and not getting out of the dining room till after 10 each night. We usually prefer late seating however with so many sea days decided this will be a better option, we can always fill the evenings on Route 66

 

[CrusinLattas]

Anja,

We moved to the main dining instead of late. We were talking to some friends who are on the Dec 2012 EBPC who raise some good points about our time difference and not getting out of the dining room till after 10 each night. We usually prefer late seating however with so many sea days decided this will be a better option, we can always fill the evenings on Route 66

We love second seating - can't beat Dine and Play and kids that are awake during the show!

 

[tojam]

Welcome TC, Jaime and Family!!!

We don't live too far from you - in mid-Michigan near Lansing. We'll be driving through your town on Thursday, October 4. Heading to a patient seminar at the Cleveland Clinic (sarcoidosis), then heading to Pittsburgh to spend time with our Morgantown, WV grandkids and kkids. Will be spending Saturday at the Carnegie Science Center - amazing place!


Jan

Sorry to hear you will be passing through due to your trip to Cleveland. You will be in our thoughts and prayers. We just moved to Temperance about two months ago. We bought a home, gutted it and took six months to rehab it. It is on an acre. We were in Toledo and missed living in the country. My brother and wife are HUGE Mountaineers fans. My sister-in-law graduated from there. We are going to be super busy with guests and I am working or we would have you stop, take a potty break and maybe a drink, etc. Maybe next time. Best of luck at your seminar!