Pulling 7 year old out of school. What do you do?

[spacemountainmom]

I have pulled my kids out - several times in fact. The absolute worst experience I have had was with my son's third grade teacher. It was the first time we pulled the kids to go to Disney and I guess she was going to make us pay for it. He missed four days of school for the trip. My son missed recess for about two weeks making stuff up and I spent tons of time working with him to get caught up. However, I told him that, "if you want to play, you will have to pay" and he wasn't happy, but we dealt with it. My dd was in 7th at the time and it was no big deal for her to get caught up.

We went again the next year when ds was in 4th and dd in 8th. They were supposed to miss 5 days of school, but we lucked out and school was cancelled for 2 days while we were gone. All teachers involved were great and both kids were caught up very quickly.

We went again with ds in 5th and dd in 9th and took them out for 4 days. I was a bit concerned with dd being in high school. No worries....she talked to her teachers and had most work done before we ever left for WDW. The worst class to make up was gym. Middle school teachers gave credit for all the swimming and walking at Disney. High school did not. DD put in time in the weight room and satisfied the requirements. DS was caught up very quickly.

We really debated going this year since dd is taking AP classes. We decided it was probably our last chance to go since next year dd's schedule will be even harder. DD is in 10th and ds is in 6th and we pulled them for 4 days. Once again, dd had most of her work completed before we ever left home. DS was caught up in a week.

My kids both work hard and are excellent students. DD is ranked in the top 7 percent of her class and has been to WDW twice in high school. DS is an A student in his first year of middle school.

I think we had 4 great trips and made many, many fabulous family memories during our time at Disney. I am all about school (you can ask my kids!) but I think the family time is worth a heck of a lot more than the 15 days of school they've missed in the last 4 years.

I won't lie.....we go in January because of the weather, the low crowds and the lower price. It's not the only time we can go, it's the only time we WANT to go and it has worked for us.

 

[MMgranny]

Will they remember the trip or the days of school they missed? I say take them out of school and let them learn A LOT at WDW. Everything can be a teaching moment.

 

[MNTwinsMom]

As a teacher AND parent, I know childhood is short, family time is precious and you need to enjoy it!

I completely agree with this! My parents pulled me out of COLLEGE for our first family vacation to WDW and that trip is some of my fondest memories with my family.

We pulled our 7-year-old twins out in '09 for a December vacation to WDW. Both of their teachers were okay with it. One of the teachers had just pulled his own kids the year before and said he considered it a giant field trip, then asked if I'd prepurchased the photopass CD yet?

I know this is a controversial subject on the boards, but I really feel you have to do what is right for your family. The memories you will make will long outlive any drama that results from your kids missing school!

 

[crisi]

Frankly, I'm not buying the family time argument. Sorry guys. Is family time more precious during the school year than it is during breaks? Are Disney memories made during the school year that much brighter? For a FEW families, this is a good reason - they CAN'T take a vacation over breaks. When Dad is deployed overseas and his leave is during the school year, go during the school year. (Obviously, there are other family situations as well, thats one example.) At that point, yes, family time is more important.

And quality family time doesn't need to happen on vacation. Quality family time can happen year round as part of your day to day lives. It SHOULD and I really hope it DOES.

But for MOST of us, we go over the school year because its more convenient. Its cheaper, its cooler, its less crowded. That's fine - as I said, I pulled mine and we all have different values, but don't kid yourself that this is because "family time is SO important." Its because "we value Disney when its cooler/cheaper/less crowded during the school year more than we value school + Disney when its hot/expensive/crowded and we are willing to pull our kids for a few days to get a Disney experience we like better." Its a rather empty justification.

 

[LaurenLC]

For those that pull your kids out of school for vacation, at what age/grade do you or will you stop, if ever?

 

[spacemountainmom]

I am not trying to make excuses about quality family time. We could go to Disney during the summer, but who the heck would want to??? I can stay home and be hot and miserable during the summer.

We go in January because we WANT to. We try to pick a time when the kids will have at least one day off of school to minimize how much they will miss. We could have happy family memories at Disney during the summer, but would rather go in the winter when it is miserable at home and it is warm and wonderful in Florida. I really don't have to justify my reasons, but stated that I FEEL that the memories created during our trips far outweighed the kids missing a little school. If my kids had serious issues with school and were doing poorly, I would feel differently.

I have also made the choice to not pull my child out of school for a trip. My dad wanted to take me and the kids on a trip to the East Coast. The trip was to take place two weeks after my dd started kindergarten. He wanted to be gone for two weeks. I did not think it was appropriate for dd to miss two weeks of school a mere two weeks after she started school. My dad was ticked off and me and still nags me about it to this day. If she were a little older, I might have said yes. As she was in Kindergarten, I chose to say no. I still feel I made the right choice.

In the end, it is no one's business but mine whether or not I take my kids out of school. The OP wanted to know what others have done and I shared my experience.

Just imagine how awful it would be if everyone waited until the summer months to take a Disney trip.

 

[MayzDisney4]

We pulled my 7 year old out last January (and pulled her out when she was 5 for a trip too) pulling her out again this May.

Our principal told us that families don't spend enough time together anymore, taking a family vacation is the best thing for a kid! You will never get that time back, but they can always work harder to make up school work and as long as the parent is willing to help catch them up its not an issue..

 

[MayzDisney4]

For those that pull your kids out of school for vacation, at what age/grade do you or will you stop, if ever?

As long as our child is getting good grades and we aren't pulling them out at exam times, we will do it as long as we want to. My husband and I both know as they get older, school will be tougher and it will be more work for DH and I to help catch them up on what they missed. I don't agree with making it the teachers job to catch them up. They can work with us or maybe a friend who can help explain stuff to them. Heck I will even pay for a tutor to get my Disney vacation!

 

[C&G'sMama]

This is an interesting discussion on family time during school vs. holidays. I'm very up front that we go when we do because of crowds, weather etc. But a side benefit is family time and yes you can get family time during breaks.

A lot of people feel you should not take your kids out during school and are a bit self-righteous about it. I don't believe we should live and die by the school calendar. We go when we feel it's best for us and if that's during the school year, so be it. I think that's where the family time "thing" comes in. That yeah for a bunch of reasons whether it be money, crowds, whatever, this is the best time for my family to go.

This year we're going May 29 through June 5th and the kids will be missing 7 days. We drive so we'll leave on Friday after school, they have Memorial Day off and then we'll get back into town on Tuesday June 7th and they'll be back at school on the 8th. They get out on the 24th of June.

Again we are 2nd and 5th grade. If we are not home schooling for older grades, a very distinct possibility, then we will evaluate on a year to year basis around exams and such.

 

[DopeyDame]

Are Disney memories made during the school year that much brighter?

YES! Precisely because...

its more convenient. Its cheaper, its cooler, its less crowded. .... and we are willing to pull our kids for a few days to get a Disney experience we like better."

I'm a firm believer that I, as the parent, get to decide when and where my kids go places. If the school wants to mark them as "unexcused" (whatever that really means to a 7 year old ) then that's just fine - that's what they get to decide.
We'll continue taking our vacations when it works best for our family - some years that will be during the summer and some years - for any number of different reasons, including cost and crowds - that will be during the school year.
I missed a week of school to go to spain two weeks before my first AP exam. I had spent the whole year learning the material - one week wasn't going to make a big difference either way. I got a five on the exam. If you have a good teacher and a good student, missing some time isn't the end of the world. (And frankly, if you have a bad teacher or a bad student, maybe the family time away from school is exactly what's needed.)

 

[neodisneyfan]

I get this sentiment, I really do, and those family memories are priceless. But, why do they HAVE to be made when school is in session? I realize for some families there is no choice, the MUST vacation during school time for one reason or another, but if you are simply choosing to go during a lighter crowd time, or when it is cheaper you could achieve the same priceless family memories without pulling the kids from school. I don't see the "time is precious" or "memories or priceless" as a justification for pulling kids form school just to visit when crowds and prices are low. If you don't have a choice then you go when you can, but making memories is not a justification for pulling kids out just because. I would much prefer to be honest about it. We choose to pull DD out for 2 days at Thanksgiving rather than go at Christmas becuase it is cheaper and less crowded, not becuase we are making magical family memories that we cannot make any other time. We CAN go at another time,but choose not to because we prefer not to deal with the crowds at Christmas. I think, if most are honest, that is really what it boils down to, with the exception of a few that simply cannot vacation on school breaks.

I took my kids last August to Disney during summer break and did not take them out of school this year for vacation. Lets face it. Its hot and crowded and families lose their patients much faster when it is miserable. I tried the August Disney trip, we went to Destin beach in June and July and we just find that for the weather the time of year to go to Disney is when it may not be so hot and crowded. If its cheaper than its just icing on the cake. By the way we are going to Destin this fourth of July week instead of taking them out of school but may be planning a Disney trip in the fall so we can do both if I dont do at least one vacation during school it wont happen. Both my kids have heavy baseball schedules and unfortunately these things happen in the summer. I say do what makes you happy! Life is short.

 

[princessmom29]

I took my kids last August to Disney during summer break and did not take them out of school this year for vacation. Lets face it. Its hot and crowded and families lose their patients much faster when it is miserable. I tried the August Disney trip, we went to Destin beach in June and July and we just find that for the weather the time of year to go to Disney is when it may not be so hot and crowded. If its cheaper than its just icing on the cake. By the way we are going to Destin this fourth of July week instead of taking them out of school but may be planning a Disney trip in the fall so we can do both if I dont do at least one vacation during school it wont happen. Both my kids have heavy baseball schedules and unfortunately these things happen in the summer. I say do what makes you happy! Life is short.

We won't go during summer either b/c I just cannot handle the heat. I heat stroke very easily, and always have, but Christmas Break, Thanksgiving, and Spring Break are options where heat is not a factor. I just don't by the "the quaities of my memories are sooo much better" argument, becuase I have done trips at these times and had a ball. If you cannot have any of family time just becuase it is hot, there is more wrong that a WDW vacation can fix. It boils down to the fact that we go when we want to go, period, and for the vast majority of people that is the case. I don't feel that there is a "justification" needed for pulling a child from school to go, and saying "we are maknig memories", or "family time is more important" is really just making excuses to justify your choice rather than owning up to the fact that yes, we are choosing to pull our kids from school, and we either don't care what the consequences are, or we are willing to live with them. I don't see why all the excuses and justifications are necessary. If you want to pull your kids out then do it, but don't make excuses for it.

 

[SunnyP4Disney]

I have and will continue to pull ds out of school for vacations. Hubby is active duty military and sometimes the only time he has been home and been able to get leave is during the school year. DS is a straight A student and the teachers have never had an issue with it. They actually have more of an issue if I keep him home when his asthma is acting up. They want a doctors note.

 

[crisi]

YES! Precisely because...



I'm a firm believer that I, as the parent, get to decide when and where my kids go places. If the school wants to mark them as "unexcused" (whatever that really means to a 7 year old ) then that's just fine - that's what they get to decide.
We'll continue taking our vacations when it works best for our family - some years that will be during the summer and some years - for any number of different reasons, including cost and crowds - that will be during the school year.
I missed a week of school to go to spain two weeks before my first AP exam. I had spent the whole year learning the material - one week wasn't going to make a big difference either way. I got a five on the exam. If you have a good teacher and a good student, missing some time isn't the end of the world. (And frankly, if you have a bad teacher or a bad student, maybe the family time away from school is exactly what's needed.)

That's what I mean by "people have different values." But it isn't about "we need this in terms of family time" - its "we want this and find this to be more important to us than insisting our kids attend every day of school."

As I said in my first post, my kids are good students. They have good teachers. And what I managed to teach them through my example is that "school is less important than having fun, when your parents define the fun. And when you grow up, you get to define the fun." If our kids are as bright as we say they are, they can drive a truck right through the "family time" argument and right to the heart of the matter - their parents value a convenient vacation more than school.

I think some experiences are definitely worth more than a week in a classroom. To me, repeat trips to Disney no longer make that list. The opportunity to go to Spain would.

As Princessmom says, lets just be honest about our motivations - whether they are "this is when its convenient for me" or "I can't take the heat, but want to go to WDW" or "I resent school telling me, as a parent, when I have to have my kids there and this is my small revolutionary action." Not this whole "but the memories are so precious" and "family time is so important." Like people who go during the summer aren't making precious memories or getting family time.

 

[DopeyDame]

That's what I mean by "people have different values." But it isn't about "we need this in terms of family time" - its "we want this and find this to be more important to us than insisting our kids attend every day of school."

As I said in my first post, my kids are good students. They have good teachers. And what I managed to teach them through my example is that "school is less important than having fun, when your parents define the fun. And when you grow up, you get to define the fun." If our kids are as bright as we say they are, they can drive a truck right through the "family time" argument and right to the heart of the matter - their parents value a convenient vacation more than school.

I think some experiences are definitely worth more than a week in a classroom. To me, repeat trips to Disney no longer make that list. The opportunity to go to Spain would.

As Princessmom says, lets just be honest about our motivations - whether they are "this is when its convenient for me" or "I can't take the heat, but want to go to WDW" or "I resent school telling me, as a parent, when I have to have my kids there and this is my small revolutionary action." Not this whole "but the memories are so precious" and "family time is so important." Like people who go during the summer aren't making precious memories or getting family time.

I'm truly not sure if you quoted me to agree or disagree, but other than repeat trips to Disney no longer making the list, I agree with everything you said.
Of course people can make precious memories during school vacations, and I'm happy to be honest about my motivations for any particular trip (and they vary from trip to trip).
So far (and my guy is still really little) repeat Disney vacations still make the list of reasons to miss school. For some they never will, for others they always will. That's cool.

 

[crisi]

Of course people can make precious memories during school vacations, and I'm happy to be honest about my motivations for any particular trip (and they vary from trip to trip).

They will. Our last trip to Disney during the school year was a "family reunion" trip. With my sister and her kids living in another state - those aren't the sorts of memories that are easily made at home. And with the health issues of her husband, Summer would not have been a good time. We did choose to MINIMIZE the out of school impact - choosing a week when the kids had a few days off rather than my sister's preference for a time when I'd have to pull my kids for a whole week. But we were only able to minimize it for everyone because hers weren't school aged yet.

To me, that's very different than the following trip - which we took over break. It was just our family - we weren't working around any one else's schedules but ours. We didn't have any "goals" other than going to Disney - there was no "get out of the cold" motivation (although every time I plan Florida to get out of the Minnesota cold, I get a cold snap in Florida and a winter thaw back home - Florida is not a good 'get out of the cold' destination.)

And, you know what, August wasn't bad. It wasn't that hot and humid (it was warmer that week back home - and Disney has lots of air conditioning). It wasn't crowded - since our "normal" week was over Food and Wine, late August might have been LESS crowded. And late in Summer, it wasn't that much more expensive.

 

[lady_bug_888]

I'm a teacher (currently a substitute/SAHM) and I would say go for it and who cares what people say! I have taught K + Gr. 1, 3, 6, 7, and 8 and I never had a problem with parents pulling their kids out for travel/vacations/family time. I operate under the philosophy that "everything starts and ends with family" (unknown author). That said, it can sometimes be impossible for a family to get any time together. I once went two straight years without a single day off on the same day as my DH. CRAZY!

My DS is 7 and I have pulled him out for several days this year so we can see family. We live in a town of about 200 people and the closest town is a 20 minutes drive away and that is a small town (less than 10 000). Both my and my DH's family live a substantial drive away (3 1/2 and 4 1/2 hours respectively on OPPOSITE ends of the province!) and I surely am not going to go to see one or the other family just for 2 nights when it costs me over $100 in gas.

Family time is precious and you need to take it when you can. Go and have fun and don't worry about it. There isn't anything critical that a 7 year old will miss...seriously!

 

[lakohls]

For the first time we are pulling our kids for 3 days this coming Nov - they already have 2 scheduled days off that week anyway. DDs will be in 5th & 3rd grade. 3rd grade teachers we know & they will be happy for the experience, don't yet know about 5th grade teachers, but she is an excellent student & we'll just plan to make up all the work.

Our oldest DS (13) has CP, and for him our Disney trip every 18 months or so is the highlight of his year - and we believe it helps teach the other kids about tolerance and accommodating everyone's needs. And Disney is one of the few places we can all go to enjoy the whole week.

And we are going to have a great time while we can!

 

[Macgyver91]

Our first 2 trips to Disney we took the kids out of school...then 2nd and 6th grade. I went to the schools and talked to the teachers. Most didn't have a problem and gave us their blessing. One or two were kind of ugly about it, but what I explained to them was that I could just say the kids were sick. We chose to be honest and see if there was anything that we could take with us to keep them up to date. Everyone in my family works for the school system and agreed with me that if your child is a good student and you aren't spending 2 or 3 weeks then it isn't that big of a deal. It is a good idea to use a school holiday, if possible, so that they aren't missing to much. We have chosen to take the kids in the summer now because DD is in 8th and her school schedule just gets more complicated...games, choir, tests, theatre rehearsals, etc.

Don't let all those crazy people make you feel bad for taking them out of school either. You can make anything a learning experience...even a Disney vacation. DS was so fasinated by the display of the Terra Cotta Warriors at Epcot that he came home and did a report for his classmates. They dedicated an entire day to what he learned and about the Chinese culture. We brought home chop sticks for all the kids and the maps from Epcot that were in Chinese. They couldn't read them but they LOVED them.

Remember what is right for your family is all that matters!

 

[holden]

Sept. is going to be all review anyway. I would not hesitate to pull a 2nd grader in Sept.