School holidays vs taking child out of school?

[Ciorsdah]

OK - lets start by saying I really hope this doenst turn into a holidays vs travel education style "debate" as what happens on some other boards!!

I was chatting to my friends, basically none of them really "get" why I love WDW so much, but they all said that when they had kids (some have children) that they would love to go.

The topic of when to go popped up, of course I said that being childless I'm open to any time fo the year, but September/Oct/Nov seem to be great times for us personally. This brought with it "but children cant get out of school then, outwith Oct break, we'll be fined". The group was split between the "just take them out and pay the fine" mind set, and the "why not hold off a year, save really hard and have an amazing trip (and possibly a longer trip) in the summer when the kids are off.

One of the mums said that she felt like she would never get a chance to go, because its so expensive and to go in summer when flights are at a peak cost also would be prohibative for her. The thought of a fine terrified her!

I think, personally, that each parent should decide for themselves what works for their family. Fining parents for taking their children out of school seems a bit drastic, especially if the child has had perfect attendance up to that point.

What is the feeling around here about it? Would you take some time from school for the trip, or postpone a year until you had more saved up etc?

 

[Mannickb]

I am a teacher in Quebec City and most of the times, parents ask me what I think about their kids missing school before booking their trip. And I frequently answer them to go and enjoy their vacations. But if there are some tests or if the kid is already having troubles to learn, I just mention it to them so they will know their decision might have consequences. I'm going to DW with my 3 daughters the Wednesday before Spring Break so they will miss 3 days.

 

[Chilly]

It does depend on the child but my Mum always took me out of school for 2 weeks in June until I was about 14 and I can't say it did me any harm. This was before they got really strict about it though.

 

[totallytigger]

We have 3 "kids"---DD33. DS30. DD19. and we took them out of school frequently for vacations. Some were Disney related but others were not. My husband was in the military so vacation time couldn't always revolve around the local school calendar. DD is an RN. DS is a police officer and youngest DD is studying Physics in college now(using a large academic scholarship). We feel that traveling is a great life learning opportunity for children and great family time. I am headed to WDW this Dec with my DS, DDIL, and 2 DGD 4 & 6 with one week out of school and we are ultra excited!!!

 

[marypoppins81]

My eldest is going into year 2 and so far we always take out for at least a week per year. I cannot justify paying thousands more for the same holiday in August plus it would be too hot for us. We are booked for may 2014 coinciding with may half term meaning 8 days out of school.
In my opinion life experiences and family time are equally as important as time in a classroom.

 

[flortlebap]

For me it's not about not being able to afford to go in school holidays (we can't afford it at any time of year ) but it's the principle of paying 50% more just because school holidays are forced upon you! Last year we saved about 25% taking them out for a week. I would do it again until the important years of gcses etc.

 

[jen_uk]

I'm a teacher in a secondary school and in all honesty I don't think it's the end of the world if a child misses a week or two for a holiday. There are times of year that it's not great and I don't think they should take time off close to their exams, I've had students go on holiday just a week before their exams start which I think is madness! I don't blame parents taking their kids on holiday in term times, I wish I could go then as well but unfortunately I don't think I would get away with it!!

 

[2Tiggies]

My eldest is going into year 2 and so far we always take out for at least a week per year. I cannot justify paying thousands more for the same holiday in August plus it would be too hot for us. We are booked for may 2014 coinciding with may half term meaning 8 days out of school.
In my opinion life experiences and family time are equally as important as time in a classroom.

Having taken DD out of school every year, this is our strategy now that she is about to go into first year in secondary school. I don't want to jeopardize her education because she does well in school and it is important to her. But with that said, we WILL be taking 3-5 school days before schools close for the summer purely because of flight prices.

I personally don't think it hurts primary aged children to miss some school, yet this again can and does vary depending on the child and the family. Once they hit secondary school they are old enough to be able to sit and discuss their views and priorities with you and I would recommend doing so if possible. DD and I were able to do this and she had a very mature and sensible approach about it.

At the end of the day, it's up to the parents to decide what is in the best interests of their child/children.

I'm quite open with my priorities: Family will ALWAYS be first. Education comes second.

I feel that the local authorities actually play a huge role in creating this problem. If they would cut the ludicrously long summer holiday and add a week in October it would open up more options for parents. Perhaps even an additional week at easter and shorten the summer hols. Some schools are trying this out at present. I hope they see the sense and implement it in the near future and that other local authorities follow the trend

 

[jcieutat]

We have pulled my oldest daughter out of school the week after Thanksgiving the past 4 years. Thankfully her teachers were willing to gather all of her work for that week and give it to us before Thanksgiving so she could complete it during the Thanksgiving break. She is starting 4th grade this year and it is such a pivotal year that we are not going to pull her out of school. Luckily, they get a week off during Mardi Gras and that is when we are choosing to go. I refuse to go to Disney during extremely busy weeks or in the summer anymore because it is just miserable for us.

 

[cherjp]

Having just come back from our first ever July holiday at WDW, I would say never again to this time of year , much prefer Oct.

I have in the past taken our sons out of school for 1 week, though this usually ends up just 4 days due to the last minute holidays that usually seem to get added on by the council.
We are lucky enough to have plenty of notice from the council as to when the school hols are and when the exams are as well .
Now the problem I have is that my husband is a college lecturer so therefore we are back to square one. We are also lucky in Scotland that we do not get fined for going outwith the holidays , but it is a personal choice, my kids have never had a problem with their grades or exam results so as far as my opinion I am quite happy to take them out of school.

 

[Brave5]

My boys always miss a few days of school coming back from the US (I'm american so we go to visit family) because the cost of flights is significantly cheaper if I wait a few days after school starts.

This year I went to book 2 days off for the boys and was told to have a good summer but was also handed a letter the Head Teacher got in the mail that morning saying that all school days missed due to family holiday's is now to be classed as UNAUTHORIZED in Wales (or at least our part). The Head said it doesn't affect me but would the school.

The travel company's must be loving letters like this being sent out to parents - it would normally make me think twice about taking them out but they don't miss school for anything else.

We are NOT cancelling or amending our Disney holiday in Oct 2014 where the boys will miss 6 days of school because of this though

 

[queendisney]

luckily we don't have any restrictions as to when we can go as no children are involved, but our friend has three boys whom she takes out of school for a week and is fined by the school for doing so. she said the money she saves by booking and going earlier far out ways the fine and is therefore a no brainer for her.

 

[Sam1]

We're taking our son out of school for a week in October. He gets two weeks off as it is, so it'll just be added on to the end of his October school break. It's the first time we'll have done it for a holiday, but the weather in July and August would be too much for us. We couldn't justify the cost of a shorter holiday to coincide exactly with his holidays, so this way is the only chance we'd have of going.

 

[pampat]

When I was between 11 and 14 my parents took me out of school for the first week of the September term and I HATED it! I had to go back into secondary classes a week after all my school mates had chummed up, got to know the teachers, settled in to a new routine and had seating arrangements sorted. I was such a shy individual that it left me traumatised.

However, we did used to take my daughter out of school for the last 2 or 3 days of term in July which was no problem either for her or the school!

Pam

 

[orangetiggs]

I was taken out of school every year through all my schooling and didnt harm me next year my girls start infant school next year and ill be doingthe same to them, i will avoid exam when they get to that age but cutural differences all help i think

 

[Zeebs]

My children, my choice.

My children attend school regularly they are never late, unless it is a hospital appointment I can't change they never miss unless they are sick and they aren't sick very often.

They are 7 and 5 and they are doing well at school meeting targets and exceeding them.

I try to ensure that we go on holiday on either side of a half term so that we don't miss too many but haven't ruled out taking them out for 2 weeks if it was required.

My youngest has a chromosomal abnormality which means she is developmentally delayed and since we have found this information out I think it is even more important to spend time as a family. The boys love her and love showing her stuff and she gets so excited and is learning more and more things every day.

Yes I could take a holiday in school holiday time but even doing stuff in the UK is expensive, why should we have to compromise our choice of holiday.

I will continue to monitor how the kids are doing in school and if they suffer then I will reconsider but until then, once again my kids my choice.

Kirsten

 

[chmurf]

we take DS out of school (that will be the third time)

we do this during the holidays (october or february), and take him out a few days before the holidays, and sending him back to school a few days after school resumed.

This way we have the "off peak" prices even if we still go during the holidays.

we don't have any problem with that*but we don't have fines here if we don't send the kid to school, and we have a perfectly good excuse as we're french, and visiting a foreign country and being immersed in a foreign language is part of the education (of course, we do not tell that we're spending our holidays in theme parks )

 

[Zeebs]

When I was between 11 and 14 my parents took me out of school for the first week of the September term and I HATED it! I had to go back into secondary classes a week after all my school mates had chummed up, got to know the teachers, settled in to a new routine and had seating arrangements sorted. I was such a shy individual that it left me traumatised.

However, we did used to take my daughter out of school for the last 2 or 3 days of term in July which was no problem either for her or the school!

Pam

This is something I wouldn't do, joining a new class and teacher is quite stressful on the kids and I know mine wouldn't want to miss coming back to school at the same time as everyone else. It would certainly stress me out so I wouldn't do that to the kids, but other times during the year yes.

Kirsten

 

[2Tiggies]

When I was between 11 and 14 my parents took me out of school for the first week of the September term and I HATED it! I had to go back into secondary classes a week after all my school mates had chummed up, got to know the teachers, settled in to a new routine and had seating arrangements sorted. I was such a shy individual that it left me traumatised.

However, we did used to take my daughter out of school for the last 2 or 3 days of term in July which was no problem either for her or the school!

Pam

That's something I have always kept in mind with DD and avoided her missing anything within the first month of a new school year where they are still settling in. But I routinely pick the last week (and sometimes 2 in the past) prior to schools breaking up.

 

[scoobydooby]

I would never and have never taken the children out of school. It's there for a reason and they already get 13 weeks a year off! I made one exception before a Christmas trip because the last day was 'movie' day at both schools. Frankly I don't like that they do that and would not have taken them out if they has normal lessons. It does cost us more money and we have to visit at times I would not choose. It is what it is. They have three years of 100% attendance records they are very proud of and an excellent work ethic. That said I believe it is an issue for individual families to make a choice over and I am of the view that fining parents is ridiculous.