Pulling kids out of school for a WDW trip

[NJlauren]

Personally in kindergarten I think it’s fine. However I will say this weekend my dad tried to pressure me into taking my kids out next year and it was a hard no from me (for more then a day or 2). I remember them pulling me out for 4 days in 9th grade and I never felt I fully caught up that year.

But 9th grade v. 1st grade is a huge difference.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Perhaps the OP felt guilty or concerned so that’s why she posted. The rest of us were telling her how we feel & why we don’t feel guilty. What’s grandiose about any of it?

Pretty much everything about the post I answered.

 

[SaintsManiac]

If someone doesn't feel guilty, there isn't a need for a grandiose ruse is there? And why suggest such if someone isn't thinking it?

I didn't feel the least bit guilty. No need for a grandiose ruse from me. I pulled mine out the Friday before break to save a lot of money. See. No need for a grandiose ruse. No need to soothe a guilty conscience. Why do people feel the need for pretenses such as Family is most important or my personal favorite, we're going for the "educational experience".

I do chuckle over people creating these letters about how their kids will learn so much at Disney and they'll keep a journal and blah blah blah.

I offered no excuses when I pulled my kid out. I just said "she'll be out. We appreciate any work you're willing to give her and we'll make sure it gets done."

The only reason I won't do it anymore is because of MY stress. My kid could not have cared less LOL

 

[siren0119]

Why do people feel the need for pretenses such as Family is most important or my personal favorite, we're going for the "educational experience".

Meh, I find it's better not to assume intentions. It's not pretense for my family to prioritize a really special experience in the name of family time. I work a lot and have to travel for work, and my husband and I work opposite shifts. Time with our kids is in short supply. Carving out a week/10 days where we can just BE together is 100% motivation for booking a vacation at a time when we can afford it and when we're both able to get the time off.

And while we're taking a break from Disney to avoid Star Wars, we're planning at least one international trip that will absolutely have an educational element to it - it'll be a once in a lifetime trip for all of us, so why not make it a learning experience too?

 

[jrmasm]

If someone doesn't feel guilty, there isn't a need for a grandiose ruse is there? And why suggest such if someone isn't thinking it?

I didn't feel the least bit guilty. No need for a grandiose ruse from me. I pulled mine out the Friday before break to save a lot of money. See. No need for a grandiose ruse. No need to soothe a guilty conscience. Why do people feel the need for pretenses such as Family is most important or my personal favorite, we're going for the "educational experience".

Because the school only excuses educational trips.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I do chuckle over people creating these letters about how their kids will learn so much at Disney and they'll keep a journal and blah blah blah.

I offered no excuses when I pulled my kid out. I just said "she'll be out. We appreciate any work you're willing to give her and we'll make sure it gets done."

The only reason I won't do it anymore is because of MY stress. My kid could not have cared less LOL

Same. At my kids school, we had to get the principal's permission to pull out of school for a vacation. I walked right in and told the truth. He checked the grades, asked if there were any tests they'd miss (there were none) didn't otherwise blink an eye and approved it. The reason I stopped doing it is Disney backed up when you had to get there a week, and cut back on what you get for free dining and the dining plan in general. There was no reason then to head down that Friday any more.

Some of those letters are crack ups. I'm teaching my daughter about space, the ocean, the old west, China, and Native American Culture.

Uh huh yeah by riding Space Mountain, going to Frontierland, and getting the little mermaid's Pocahantis' and Mulan's autographs.

 

[Colleen27]

I’m a nationally accredited Early Childhood Specialist with a Masters degree. I have a state of the art classroom with educational materials not found in a typical home, certainly not found in a hotel room. I can promise you that the educational experiences I provide my students on a daily basis cannot compare to their parents doing an experiment/project with them in between going on rides, swimming in the pool and viewing fireworks.

No one is suggesting the experiences are comparable, only that the key skills being learned can be taught by parents willing to put in the effort to help their kids keep up.

Wow. There is no way I would live in that district. Sounds awful.

That was something we actually looked at when choosing a school district, because I couldn't deal with not traveling due to school policies, and something we asked about when choosing our kids' current (private) schools.

I think you should do what’s best for your family. When I was growing up, we went to school. Vacations were planned around the school year.

I think it’s a small percentage of people who regularly pull their kids for vacations, as I don’t remember classmates being in that situation either.

It wasn’t until my interest in learning all things Disney started (2 years ago, age 31, first visit), that I realized people do this. My kid started kindergarten this year and I want to go to Flower and garden but not during Easter. So I’ve thought about her missing school but it probably won’t happen for various reasons.

A lot of people go to Disney. But there are millions more who don’t. I only feel like going to Disney, and multiple times in a year, is a way of life and “normal” when I read this DIS.

I think it is partly a regional/socio-economic thing, so there tend to be pockets where it is normal (very upscale areas where multiple trips per year are common, areas where the economy is dominated by weather-sensitive work that precludes taking time off in the summer) and areas where it just isn't done. My mom was a degreed professional, as were most of my friends' parents growing up. They were mostly able to take time off around their kids' schedules, so there was no need to miss school for vacation. A few were union blue collar workers. They traveled during shutdown, which lines up with Christmas and summer breaks. Where I live now? Construction, agriculture and marine services are three of the largest local industries. A LOT of families have the choice between traveling during the school year or doing so without one member of the family. Hunting is also a very, very common hobby around me and obviously those trips have to be planned within hunting seasons. So taking kids out of school to travel is pretty common, even for families that would never want to go to WDW.

If someone doesn't feel guilty, there isn't a need for a grandiose ruse is there? And why suggest such if someone isn't thinking it?

I didn't feel the least bit guilty. No need for a grandiose ruse from me. I pulled mine out the Friday before break to save a lot of money. See. No need for a grandiose ruse. No need to soothe a guilty conscience. Why do people feel the need for pretenses such as Family is most important or my personal favorite, we're going for the "educational experience".

It isn't a ruse to explain the circumstances, and it is only natural that people get a bit defensive when their choices are attacked even without feeling guilty about them. And the educational excuse is, in my experience, often just a matter of jumping through a hoop created by the school system to get the trip excused. When my kids were in public school, that was a question we had to answer on the pre-arranged absence form every. single. time we took them out of school, no matter what the trip was. And the administration really didn't care that there was educational value, but they needed that form filled out in full to get the absence approved.

 

[Colleen27]

Because the school only excuses educational trips.

And will excuse any trip, no matter how flimsy the educational element, as long as the parents play the game of providing that justification. That's exactly it here.

My understanding, from a couple of teachers my kids had over the years, is that they don't really care whether or not the trip is educational but they want the parents' reasoning in writing just in case it escalates to a truancy situation. Then they can pull out the forms and say "we approved these trips, based on these statements from the parents".

 

[sam_gordon]

Meh, I find it's better not to assume intentions. It's not pretense for my family to prioritize a really special experience in the name of family time. I work a lot and have to travel for work, and my husband and I work opposite shifts. Time with our kids is in short supply. Carving out a week/10 days where we can just BE together is 100% motivation for booking a vacation at a time when we can afford it and when we're both able to get the time off.

And while we're taking a break from Disney to avoid Star Wars, we're planning at least one international trip that will absolutely have an educational element to it - it'll be a once in a lifetime trip for all of us, so why not make it a learning experience too?

I think the point is why does this "family time" (which I agree is important) have to happen at Disney? Couldn't you have the same benefit during a "staycation"?

I get the "jumping through the educational experience" hoop. When we realized our kids were going to miss school when the year got extended, I talked to the principal, told him what happened, and HE said to ask for the educational excuse. It used to happen a lot on here IIRC, but parents would come online and justify on the Dis how a trip to Disney was "so educational" and the kids would learn "so much". When I would ask if they took kids to the grocery store for the educational possibilities there (budgeting, nutrition, math (portion size & cost/unit)), of course the answer was "no".

Just own up to it and accept the consequences. Whether that means people judging you on the internet (oh no!) or not being able to turn in grades, it's still your choice.

 

[siren0119]

I think the point is why does this "family time" (which I agree is important) have to happen at Disney? Couldn't you have the same benefit during a "staycation"?

I get the "jumping through the educational experience" hoop. When we realized our kids were going to miss school when the year got extended, I talked to the principal, told him what happened, and HE said to ask for the educational excuse. It used to happen a lot on here IIRC, but parents would come online and justify on the Dis how a trip to Disney was "so educational" and the kids would learn "so much". When I would ask if they took kids to the grocery store for the educational possibilities there (budgeting, nutrition, math (portion size & cost/unit)), of course the answer was "no".

Just own up to it and accept the consequences. Whether that means people judging you on the internet (oh no!) or not being able to turn in grades, it's still your choice.

LOL it doesn't have to happen at Disney, we CHOSE for it to happen at Disney when we let our kids miss a week of school for it. It was 100% worth it to us. And in a year or two, if the vacation time and finances fall that way, we will CHOOSE to pull our kids out for a week to take them to Cambodia, Iceland, or wherever we decide our big international trip will be. It will depend on a lot of factors, and as we have done in the past we will be extremely transparent and communicative with the schools at that time to decide on the best plan for them.

I think some of the defensiveness that PP may be presenting comes from a sense that those who judge parents on the decision are assuming those parents don't weigh what's best for their kids (including knowing what, if any consequences there might be...what school performance is...whether the kids can handle the missed time...etc) before making that kind of decision.

I don't really care what people on the internet feel about my choices, they're my kids and I certainly know them and our situation better than any nameless person on a forum.

 

[Colleen27]

I think the point is why does this "family time" (which I agree is important) have to happen at Disney? Couldn't you have the same benefit during a "staycation"?

I don't think so, no. It doesn't have to be Disney - quite a few of our winter trips weren't, though there aren't a ton of attractive domestic destinations that time of year for someone who doesn't enjoy cold-weather outdoors activities - but I do believe there is something about spending time together away from home, with no friends stopping over or chores waiting to be done or everyday routines to fall into, that allows for a different quality of family time that I, personally, value highly enough to prioritize it over a week of school.

 

[DopeyDame]

DS has missed 4 days for Disney and 3 days for another trip with the grandparents already this year. And he's missing Friday to go skiing. I don't expect he'll miss any other school this year (we usually wouldn't have had two trips in the fall, but there were some scheduling quirks with the people with whom we were traveling that meant we couldn't push either trip to the spring), but if something comes up that makes him miss a day or two, I won't worry about it.

I'm OK with it. He's 9. Officially, he can get 0s for the work while he's gone. Realistically, they way the school does grading, it doesn't really have any impact. (He hasn't missed any of the big quarterly tests, and everything else is low-stakes assignments throughout the quarter) But if he got 0s and got a C instead of an A, I'd be OK with that too. Grades are a way to communicate between teacher and parent, and as long as I understand why he has a C, then I really couldn't care less.

I think for our district 10 unexcused absences is when we get into the "threatening letter sent home" category. If that happens, I will read the letter and then toss it in the recycle bin.

The school has to do what it has to do - teach students when they're there, grade in whichever way they chose, and remind parents of the parent's obligation to educate students.
We have to do what we have to do - raise our children in a way we see fit and prioritize education of the whole child, and not just the child's academics.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

We took our kids out for family vacations all the way up through their Sr yr. Not a big deal. They were good students and either had their homework before we left or got it after we returned.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I do chuckle over people creating these letters about how their kids will learn so much at Disney and they'll keep a journal and blah blah blah.

I mean, seriously? You are on vacation. It's a vacation. Don't make an excuse. I learn stuff on vacation all the time, but I go on vacation to get away from the house. Our last vacation was to Boston. We went there to see a Red Sox game and do whale watching and see Plimouth Plantation and lots of stuff. I learned quite a bit on the walking tour I was on, at and the aquarium, and at the plantation... but I went to Boston to get away from work and the house and other responsibilities. Learning stuff was a bonus.

I certainly wouldn't have taken time out of my day to do experiments in my Disney hotel room and stuff. I'm on vacation!

 

[NJlauren]

I don't think so, no. It doesn't have to be Disney - quite a few of our winter trips weren't, though there aren't a ton of attractive domestic destinations that time of year for someone who doesn't enjoy cold-weather outdoors activities - but I do believe there is something about spending time together away from home, with no friends stopping over or chores waiting to be done or everyday routines to fall into, that allows for a different quality of family time that I, personally, value highly enough to prioritize it over a week of school.

100% this, I took my daughter for one night to NYC and I felt like I spent more time with her in those 24 hours then the whole week prior. I wasn’t thinking about laundry or dishes or cleaning the playroom, I could actually focus on her.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Take all the trips you can that that age! Until middle school, my DD would jump at the chance to go anywhere. At that point, the increase in the number of teachers made catching up much more difficult, though she will miss 2 days for Disney this year (10th grade) along with 100ish of her classmates.

In 3rd grade, we did as the teacher asked and had her keep a journal of the trip. Her teacher told me she showed it to all of the other teachers because they had never actually had one returned before! For me, it was a keepsake from the trip. We definitely learned a lot that trip - I had her record countries of people we encountered, calculations for souvenirs, etc. That was also the trip when we were shopping in the Japan store, and I looked up to find her at the counter checking out all by herself. There is also something special about spending time together outside of your normal environment and outside of the rigamarole of daily life.

I have received that letter and phones calls several times, by they way. From the truancy officer! When they call, they were very understanding about it being a personal trip. Here, they send the letters and/or call on a schedule that doesn't take the student's level of work, normal attendance habits, or ability to make up the work into account. The first one scared me, but now I would roll my eyes.

 

[BLAZEY]

Your child is in kindergarten. I would have no issues taking a child out of school in kindergarten, as it's not even mandatory here to attend kindergarten. I also have pulled DD out in 1st and 2nd grade. Sometimes you can't go on vacation during school breaks if the parents can't get that time off of work. Our schools in Canada are funded differently than in the US, so missing a few days for vacation is not going to change how much money the school gets from the province to operate. This year it works out that DD will NOT have to miss any days of schools for our Disneyland trip as all the adults were able to get the time during our spring break and both DD9 and DN8 have breaks that match. we both live in the same city but in 2 different school districts with the border in the middle. I think after too many complaints from people the work for one district and have kids attend school in the other the 3 districts in town started to coordinate their time of to match.

 

[DopeyDame]

I think the point is why does this "family time" (which I agree is important) have to happen at Disney? Couldn't you have the same benefit during a "staycation"?

I get the "jumping through the educational experience" hoop. When we realized our kids were going to miss school when the year got extended, I talked to the principal, told him what happened, and HE said to ask for the educational excuse. It used to happen a lot on here IIRC, but parents would come online and justify on the Dis how a trip to Disney was "so educational" and the kids would learn "so much". When I would ask if they took kids to the grocery store for the educational possibilities there (budgeting, nutrition, math (portion size & cost/unit)), of course the answer was "no".

Just own up to it and accept the consequences. Whether that means people judging you on the internet (oh no!) or not being able to turn in grades, it's still your choice.

What? Of course I teach my kids things like that at the grocery store. Not every time, of course, but I absolutely teach them those basic life skills while at the grocery store. Just like I teach them basic life skills while traveling. Who doesn't do that?

 

[LSUmiss]

If someone doesn't feel guilty, there isn't a need for a grandiose ruse is there? And why suggest such if someone isn't thinking it?

I didn't feel the least bit guilty. No need for a grandiose ruse from me. I pulled mine out the Friday before break to save a lot of money. See. No need for a grandiose ruse. No need to soothe a guilty conscience. Why do people feel the need for pretenses such as Family is most important or my personal favorite, we're going for the "educational experience".

I think it’s just part of the discussion & said in response to opposing views. I also think it’s b/c many of us have had life circumstances that make us feel very passionate about the value of these family experiences.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

As long as your kid doesn't have any learning struggles or is good in school I don't see the problem when they're that young. But I also think you shouldn't expect teachers to take extra time with your kids since you chose to go on a vacation during the school year.