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

[nchulka]

So sorry for everyone who has a difficult school to work with! I took my kids 1st & 3rd out for a 2 1/2 week trip in Sept. They missed 12 school days. The school was awesome. Said had a great time, we talked about Disney, she told me all about her own trip there. The teachers were just as great. The kids made up some of the work, obviously they weren't expected to do every paper from the whole time, and wrote journals about the trip. The teachers gave the journals back, so I now have them to keep My kids both came back to straight A's, and do very well!

Go ahead and do it!

I remember when I was on a trip, missing school, with my own family when I was in 8th grade. My parents were talking about how silly it is that some people value perfect attendance over family time. He said someday when other people are sitting around talking about great memories of family trips together he feels sorry for the guy that all he can say is what a great memory he has of getting a perfect attendance award!

 

[mjkacmom]

I wouldn't worry about it. We have taken our kids out of school almost every year since they started, DD14 is in 9th grade and DS9 is in 4th grade. We didn't pull them out this year because DD14 specifically requested that we not pull her out during her first year in High School, so we scheduled our vacation for the end of June (right after the kids get out). However, we are considering pulling them out for 3 days (actually 2 1/2) in November to go to Disney during Jersey week.
.

We pulled them out last year for Jersey Week, and although ds14 freaks out about missing school (4.3 GPA), she was okay last year. I think teachers know that SO many kids are going to be out, that it's a light academic week. This would be the only time I'd pull her from HS.

 

[Currahee506PIR]

We're pulling our DDs out of 2nd grade and Kindergarten for the week we're going down. Since its a suprise for them, we're going to send a note in to their teachers the week before we leave.

 

[elainesj]

I've pulled them for 1-2 weeks a year fairly regularly through their school lives. I remember when DD was in Kindergarten I thought nothing of pulling her for the day (she was in half day school then) to go for a picnic in the park or whatever.

School is school and is important, but so is family time.

This year she is in Gr 4 and my son is in Gr 3. I pulled them for 6 school days for our trip. Gave their teachers plenty of notice, etc. Their teachers did not give them work. I made them journal while we were there and that was their "work" that they brought to school to show their teachers.

Were their grades affected? Yeah. My DD is an A student who got a C+ on her last report card...and I am pretty sure that must be related to the trip. But honestly, I don't really think it's a huge deal (and making memories together as a family was worth it). My concern is that they know how to learn and that they are learning. Missing a unit will affect their test results for that particular test, but in the long run, it will have little effect on their learning.

DS has been struggling in school...but really, pulling him for a week is not going to make much of a difference at the end of the day. His struggles are not related to missing schoolwork...they are related to issues he is currently in therapy for. And as long as we continue to work on those root causes and he gives his best effort..that is way more important to me than grades.

The one con about pulling them from school for the trip is that I am bending over backwards to avoid sick days now. DS is a bit sick now and I'm still sending him to school although I think he will recover much faster if I kept him home.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm their mom...and how much school they miss is my decision to make.

 

[C&G'sMama]

In 1974 When I was 10 and my brother was 14 our folks pulled us out of school for I think 2 weeks to go to California. We saw the Redwoods, Carmel, Hearst Castle and of course, Disneyland.

A couple of the teachers had a hard time with it. At the time, my brother felt it was too much school to miss after he got back. He's going to be 50 this year and me 47. Our father died 3 years after that trip. We both did well in college, have great jobs and wonderful families. Point is I'm so glad my parent took us, and I don't feel our lives were ruined and or that we are bad citizens and somehow the school district has managed to survive to this day even with us missing those days of school.

 

[scootch]

As long as they do not have difficulty making the work up or are a struggling student, go for it. I take my kids out, they are in 2nd and 5th and both still end up with straight A's. I will continue to take them out as long as they don't fuss about the makeup. Life is too short, and I truly treasure our "girls only" disney trips. They are memories to last a lifetime.

 

[nfceagles]

When I was growing up I frequently missed school for decent lengths of time, not to go on cruises or to WDW, but to move on order of the US military. I graduated from high school and college with excellent grades and have had a successful career requiring a lot of dedication and hard work. I couldn't name one elementary school teacher I ever had, but I sure remember road trips with my family stopping along the way at every national park imaginable. Those are my fondest childhood memories and the ones that make up who I am. My father died unexpectedly when I was 15 and I'm so glad he gave me all those experiences before he did. Public school systems who think they own my child can shove my tax dollars where the sun don't shine. I'd homeschool if I ran into issues like some of those mentioned above.

 

[eyor44]

My father died unexpectedly when I was 15 and I'm so glad he gave me all those experiences before he did.

This is why we do it. You just never know what is going to happen in life. Yes, school is important, very important, but there has to be a balance. We pulled DS out twice in Elementary and just told the school that we were going out of town and he had to go with us. Teachers didn't have a problem. He was fine and did school work each evening in the hotel room.

 

[livibug]

I am a teacher and I have a different spring break than my 7 year old. We are taking her out for a week in March. I have no problems in doing that. I don't have a problem with my students doing that either. I teach first grade. I do hope the parents will ask for some (not alot) of work to keep up on for the week but I tell my parents...they are only young once. Have a good time!


Don't even feel bad about it. Enjoy.

 

[neodisneyfan]

Here is my two cents worth. Your kids are only little once. You do not get a do over on that front. So I say take them out of school as often or as little as you like. But always remember this: When they are grown adults with husbands/wives, children and careers of their own I bet they wont be saying "I had terrible parents. They took me out of school to go to Disney and I had to do more homework when I got back". Instead they will be sharing those special memories of when they were there with you when they are at Disney with their own children that they took out of school to see the Mouse. If you havent already guessed I take mine out almost every year for Disney or the beach!

 

[livibug]

Also, my mom died 8 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter and then back in September, I held my dad's hand as he passed away. Life is short.

My kids know where I stand with school with being a teacher. They know how important it is but I want to show them how important family is and how important this vacation is for us right now still grieving papa's death. Plus my sister is also going with us and she needs this just a much as the kids right now.

 

[hammie59]

I'm pulling my second grader out in the middle of May, which is about 3 weeks before school lets out. He'll be missing a total of 9 school days It's literally the ONLY time frame we could go to Disney. I had to move the trip 3 times, each time having to call Disney. I thought they were gonna finally tell me "Lady just give it up"...lol. Anyhow, I know my son and he'll be fine. I'm just hoping the school will be.

 

[princessmom29]

Here is my two cents worth. Your kids are only little once. You do not get a do over on that front. So I say take them out of school as often or as little as you like. But always remember this: When they are grown adults with husbands/wives, children and careers of their own I bet they wont be saying "I had terrible parents. They took me out of school to go to Disney and I had to do more homework when I got back". Instead they will be sharing those special memories of when they were there with you when they are at Disney with their own children that they took out of school to see the Mouse. If you havent already guessed I take mine out almost every year for Disney or the beach!

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.

 

[ldvcshop]

What a better way to build family memories and bond with your child. We never hesitated to take our children with us on trips. For each venture we always found wonderful ways to enhance their learning and have fun doing it as well. WDW is full of awesome learning venues. Our approach to schooling is that the learning doesn't start and end with what the school gives students. We see real application learning to be just as valuable and made sure to take jaunts to NASA (we saw 2 shuttle launches, titan IV launches) and museums, everglades, etc., along with all the wonderful shows and exhibits that Disney has to offer, EPCOT, AK, MGM, even MK (presidents hall, etc.). We also always talked to our children about what they were viewing and seeing adding more history, science, etc. Once, we took a trip to DC and Pennsylvania and setup a whole host of special visits and tours which they would never have been able to do in school. We took a trip with the school on one of those canned 4 day trips to DC , but we extended that by another 8 days to really get into the history and significance of the events of the Revolutionary War, Williamsburg, Philadelphia, Yorktown. We spent extra days, absorbing and reading, even before each visit the kids read a packet I prepared about what we were going to see.

We always told the school, took their homework and actually did the work when we were away. Our kids are straight A AP students, now.

Up until they were in 7th grade we went without much hesitation. The rigor of schooling before 7th was easily taught by us, albeit, Honors Algebra II became DH's domain at 7th.

Now, we don't take off since it is hard to miss an AP lecture. However, many HS students still take vacation during non-vacation time.

I am glad that we did as much as we did with our children in those early days. The shared memories and bond that we have with them during those trips can never be replaced and the time can surely not be recaptured to do later. Both are smart, well-traveled, well-adjusted, considerate, and have a much bigger picture of the world which allows them to be better critical thinkers.

 

[Missingthejob]

We pull our kids from school for at least two vacations a year. Unless you are under the impression that learning only happens within the confines of a school while directed by a teacher.....there's no reason not to.

 

[C&G'sMama]

. 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.

And it's okay you feel that way, however, many of us, myself included, don't. I see school as part of life but not the be all end all. We like going when the crowds are lower and it's cheaper and my conscience has no problem with it. In the long run, in my opinion, missing school for some days during the year, just doesn't matter. Why do I have to follow a school calendar? I don't feel I'm teaching my kids to be irresponsible or that I devalue education. I just don't, but that's me.

At the same time, my kids are taught to work hard and they do school work while on vacation. So for us it works.

 

[DCbride]

Until Middle School or High School age, you should have no guilt about taking a child out of school for a week. I have had DD19 miss 2 Disney trips that I planned during her spring break because her lacrosse coach would not let her miss practice that week. So, even though I planned according to academic schedule, the sports schedule became a problem.

 

[DisneyFamily123]

I will be taking DS5 out of school during elementary school. Here's how I look at it. A lot of is learning occurs at home with us anyway. The school day is not academic the whole time anyway -- there's special programs, assemblies, etc. that are social, not academic. Here the schools close the minute it starts snowing, or when it might snow.

I'll be upfront about it, and if the school has a problem.... I'll explain and ask them if they want me to withdraw him from school to homeschool for 2 weeks, then re-enroll him.

 

[dahwolf]

I really appreciate all the feed back, We are sticking with our trip date and pulling our 7 year old for the 6 days!

My inlaws will be coming those 6 days too, pending their health.......

My mother in law is battling a stage 3 breast cancer as we speak, and my father in law is in the process of treatment for Thyroid Cancer. My wife lost her brother to an auto accident when she was 13 and We stand on the side of life is to short. As we have learned in the past 3 months, no one knows what tomorrow will bring.

While we value the education that is taught in school, it all amounts to very little when you don't have your health and family.

As a whole, the family time is a lot better when prices for the vacation are a lot less and We are not all standing in long lines and large crowds.

I did check with our school, which is a private school and they have no problems what so ever.

Thank you again, for being such a great and supportive DVC family!

 

[princessmom29]

And it's okay you feel that way, however, many of us, myself included, don't. I see school as part of life but not the be all end all. We like going when the crowds are lower and it's cheaper and my conscience has no problem with it. In the long run, in my opinion, missing school for some days during the year, just doesn't matter. Why do I have to follow a school calendar? I don't feel I'm teaching my kids to be irresponsible or that I devalue education. I just don't, but that's me.

At the same time, my kids are taught to work hard and they do school work while on vacation. So for us it works.

I am not saying I disagree, just let's be honest about the motivation. The timing is really about going when the crowds are small and the prices are low, and not about priceless memories that cannot be made any other time. We choose to pull from school too, just not for an entire week. I will freely admit it is about prefering to go at Thanksgiving rather than Christmas break and not becuase we will be losing out on some magical family time. We would still get to spend time together and make memories at Christmas, but we prefer to go at Thanksgiving because it is less crowded and the weather is nice, so DD misses 2 days of school to do it.