Take son out of school? What would you do?

[mommytutu]

Originally posted by randy55
So sad to see that any parent would think school is so unimportant in your childs life that you think it is alright to take them out of school to go on a vacation.

What a lesson that is for your child, to skip school, work or family, when you want to go have some fun. It's a great Life lesson, just skip it, and do what you want to do, when you want to do it.

It's not that school is so unimportant, it's more like school is not our life. Our ds is in 1st grade and he WILL make up the work. Going during the summer is out of the question for us---must be nice to have your life when you can appearently vacation any time, all summer long...just take your pick at which weeks you want for vacation. Maybe we ought to all go work for your boss.

 

[chyam]

Originally posted by randy55
So sad to see that any parent would think school is so unimportant in your childs life that you think it is alright to take them out of school to go on a vacation.

What a lesson that is for your child, to skip school, work or family, when you want to go have some fun. It's a great Life lesson, just skip it, and do what you want to do, when you want to do it.

Life is not all about work or school, there are things to be learned outside of a classroom also............as one has said I hope this does not turn into a debate. But I feel that familiy life has gone down the tubes and it is important to try and stay intune with parents and children spending some quality time together, judging from my employer family is not important anymore and most of us are not on a school vacation schedule, many of us can only take time when our boss says we can. Children learn alot from traveling and they also learn that family should be first. Missing a week of school is not going to make or break a childs education but it will enrich their lives knowing that their parents want and need to spend time with them, just they can't always do it on someone elses schedule.

 

[ValDisney]

I am single mom too. ( k and 3rd grade). I am pulling them out for 4 days. 2 reasons. we have the cruise and I want to leave early so I don't have to worry about weather, cancelled flights etc. I also want to take them to Universal.
I have been taking my oldest out for a few days (as do many people) and always get an assignment, w/o any problem.
I know your son is older, I used to teach HS.(math)
I had many children miss school bc of vacations, I never gave them a problem as long as the work was made up.
Anyway, you are the parent and nobody should be critical or sarcastic of your decision.
People ask for an opinion, there is no need for put downs.
Some people feel very strongly about his issue but it looks like this is the only time and you will never get it back.
Have a great time with your son.. those memories last forever.
Valerie

 

[Winnie Pooh Fan]

Originally posted by randy55
So sad to see that any parent would think school is so unimportant in your childs life that you think it is alright to take them out of school to go on a vacation.

What a lesson that is for your child, to skip school, work or family, when you want to go have some fun. It's a great Life lesson, just skip it, and do what you want to do, when you want to do it.

Wait just a moment and reconsider what has been said here. The OP did not say that school was unimportant. In fact she has noted that she will work with the school to ensure that the work is complete.

I would agree with you if the OP said skip school, don't worry about the work, school's not important. But that is not what is being said here!

The problem becomes when school systems and teachers become so closed minded that individual cases are not taken into consideration. There is absolutley no reason that work cannot be given outside of the school, it is done all the time when children are ill.

Give the teachers some notice and request the work. They do have lessons plans and do know approximately what work will be assigned.

Good luck I hope it works for you. Childhood is precious!!!

 

[ValDisney]

Hi Winnie,
I'll also be at the POFQ in dec Only for a couple of days after the cruise.. dec30 - jan 1.


Valerie

 

[jokan]

Originally posted by randy55
So sad to see that any parent would think school is so unimportant in your childs life that you think it is alright to take them out of school to go on a vacation.

What a lesson that is for your child, to skip school, work or family, when you want to go have some fun. It's a great Life lesson, just skip it, and do what you want to do, when you want to do it.

So people who take their kids out of school are shurking their responsibilities as a parent? I was taken out of school as a child for vacations, hunting, fishing, true quality time with my family. [sarcasm]No wonder Im so screwed up. I LOVE MY FAMILY. Oh please help me Dr.Phil.[/sarcasm]

 

[Brian Noble]

I definitely appreciate the importance of family. However, there are lots of ways to have "family bonding time" that don't involve a week long trip to Disney World when school is in session.

Many folks seem to be suggesting that, because I schedule our family vacations to coincide with schools' vacations that I am somehow putting family second. Frankly, I find that offensive.

For our family, going to a distant theme park when school is in session to save money/experience lower crowds/see the Halloween decorations just isn't an option. Especially amongst the DIS crowd, that's an unpopular position. But, it is a valid one that may not actually imply poor parenting skills on my part. I don't expect other families to make the same choices I make, nor do I suggest that it is the right/only possible decision for those families. However, if you choose to take your kids out of school, you have to accept the fact that there may be some consequences to doing so. At the grade school level, these might be exceedingly minor consequences. As the kids get older, things get more complicated.

In my opinion, the most important consequence is the long-term message I send to my kids about the importance of school. As a University professor, I'm big on school. Of course, it makes no difference to me if my own students come to lecture or not, so long as they can do the work. But, they have to be able to do the work, and the pedagogical research shows that actively participating in class is highly correlated with success.

In the original poster's case, it may not be a matter of convenience. It may truly be impossible to go to the World when schools are on vacation. If so, then s/he has a hard decision to make. If I were in his/her position, I'd exhaust every available option to go when school is out of session before considering going during school. Since we are able to go during "normal" vacation times, I don't know what I would do if there were no other option, but I suspect we'd put off Disney for another time.

As a foonote, please also recognize that asking teachers for assignments in advance is more work for them. True, teachers provide similar assistance during illness, but illness is unavoidable and unplanned. Not so a family vacation. So, when you do ask for the teacher's assistance, be prepared to be told no.

 

[disneyfanz04]

I have taken my daughter out of school plenty of times and she is as smart if not smarter then half the kids in her school, and you know what else...I am sure when she gets older she is gonna remember being taken on family vacations more then she will remember the four days of education that she missed. I say to each their own. Suprise your DS, talk to his teachers and principle without him knowing, get his make-up work (it will give him something to do on the plane, or car ride) And have the best time with your son...you or him may not be around in the summer, like you said live today like it may be your last.....have a great time!!!!!!

 

[Gaiusrex]

Originally posted by randy55
So sad to see that any parent would think school is so unimportant in your childs life that you think it is alright to take them out of school to go on a vacation.

What a lesson that is for your child, to skip school, work or family, when you want to go have some fun. It's a great Life lesson, just skip it, and do what you want to do, when you want to do it.

I don't think anyone has posted that school is unimportant. Children who are taken out of school learn the consequences of that action. They have to make up work; they have to work harder; they also get to enjoy the benefits of that hard work.

That is a life lesson. That is how the real world works.

I think it's sad when I see people forget family-time. People forget that there is more to life than school and work. Look at a story such as "Mickey's Christmas Carol" (or the lesser know Dickens story). You should treasure the time you have with the people you love. Life is too short: time is too fleeting. If my kids have to delay learning fractions by 1 or 2 weeks, I think that's OK. Will they learn fractions? Yes. Will they be loafers when they grow up because they missed 5 days out of 160? No.

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by randy55
So sad to see that any parent would think school is so unimportant in your childs life that you think it is alright to take them out of school to go on a vacation.

What a lesson that is for your child, to skip school, work or family, when you want to go have some fun. It's a great Life lesson, just skip it, and do what you want to do, when you want to do it.

I think that's a bit harsh. The OP here isn't just cavilierly taking the child out of school and saying, "Oh ... to heck with homework and learning; let's go to Disney World!" The son will still be expected to do the work, keep up in class, and maintain the responsibility of being a student. I think it's unfair to assume that, simply because a parent wants to schedule some time with their child and they do everything they can to make it work within the confines of the school system, they "think school is so unimportant." That's a mighty big leap.

Although I do agree with the posters here who have said that the boy should be told a bit in advance about the vacation, as opposed to being surprised. If he ends up having to make up a bunch of work BEFORE he goes, as opposed to after, he'll need the extra time, and he honestly may not WANT to go, based on things that may be happening at school or with his after-school activities. I think you can surprise kids when they're really little, but when they hit middle school, that can be a lot more difficult for the child.

 

[jjohnson]

I used to pull out my 3 every year but won't after last September to go to DL. After we returned my DS came home from school & announced "he's never going on vacation again during school" & was very "confused". It did take awhile for him to get back in the swing of things. He's 12 too & a good student.

I changed my way on thinking after that so now were going in the summer & put up with the crowds/heat. Oh well..he'll probably complain about that too

 

[Gaiusrex]

Originally posted by Brian Noble

Many folks seem to be suggesting that, because I schedule our family vacations to coincide with schools' vacations that I am somehow putting family second. Frankly, I find that offensive.

I don't think anyone was suggesting you were a bad parent because you don't take your kids out of school. I don't know why you'd take offense.

You have a luxury where your vacations would coincide with you children's vacations. Most people do not work in the school system.

 

[Winnie Pooh Fan]

Originally posted by Brian Noble


Many folks seem to be suggesting that, because I schedule our family vacations to coincide with schools' vacations that I am somehow putting family second. Frankly, I find that offensive.

As a foonote, please also recognize that asking teachers for assignments in advance is more work for them. True, teachers provide similar assistance during illness, but illness is unavoidable and unplanned. Not so a family vacation. So, when you do ask for the teacher's assistance, be prepared to be told no.

I think you are taking what is being said out of context. No one has posted that taking a summer vacation is in anyway wrong. That is after all what most families do and for a week long vacation it is what we do.

However, that being said, I think it is offensive for others to make the OP out as a bad parent for making the choice to take her DS out of school. Being a good/bad parent has very little to do with whether or not one pulls their child out of school for a few days.

Also, this is not like the OP is asking the teacher to do this on a weekly/monthly/yearly basis. This is a one week thing where the teacher has a lesson plan set out and could easily make a copy for the parent. I think the OP should be prepared to be insistant but nice with the teacher.

 

[Winnie Pooh Fan]

Originally posted by ValDisney
Hi Winnie,
I'll also be at the POFQ in dec Only for a couple of days after the cruise.. dec30 - jan 1.


Valerie

Hi Valerie,

We can't wait for our trip to POFQ (and yes I will be pulling my DS (11) out for 1 day).

We've never been to WDW in the winter and can't wait!! We have also never been to POFQ and are very exited to give it a try.

Have a great vacation!!!

 

[Gaiusrex]

I do find it amusing that this thread comes up every few weeks, and we all get sucked right into it, and before long everyone is "offended" by what everyone else says.

None of us can really be offended. We keep saying the same things over and over

Next time this thread pops up, I'm just going to drop a book on my foot. I think I'd get equal satisfaction.

 

[Brian Noble]

Gaiusrex said:

I don't think anyone was suggesting you were a bad parent because you don't take your kids out of school.

Really? Here are some quotes that suggest precisely that.

family is important above all else [...] Family time is what is missing in this day and age.

Family > Work/School

You might recognize one of them, now that I look back.

 

[Gaiusrex]

Originally posted by Brian Noble


You might recognize one of them, now that I look back.

And I mentioned your parenting skills ... where?

 

[disneyfanz04]

It is really getting annoying reading these posts. I don't understand why someone cannot state their opinion without someione else getting their panties in a ruff. I thought this was what this site was for....for people to ask questions and for whoever wants to give an answer to be able to. I am almost afraid to answer anyones questions for the simple fact I might get my head chewewd off. Why can't someone state their answer without be jumped all over???????? Isn't that the beauty of the country we live in??? Is what our military fought so hard for not a factor???? I thought everyone was intitled to their own opinion no matter what it be???? Guess I was wrong!!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

I think I'll go get that book and drop it on my foot also!! But, here I go, jumping back in. When we make our vacation plans, we all sit down (all 3 of us...myself, dd, 11, and dh) and discuss it. My dd missed 4 days of school last Dec for a trip to WDW. She did not get her work ahead of time. She had it waiting for her when she returned. It took her about a week and a half to get through it and stay current with her regular homework. That being said...when we were making plans for a Thanksgiving trip this Nov the whole homework and missing school thing came up. I reminded her of the amount of work she had last year waiting for her. She thought about it and said she would work even harder to get it done faster. She hadn't realized how much would be waiting for her at the time. now she does. We have a very small window of opportunity during the summer as to when we can vacation. ANd even with that, the heat/humidity tend to make my dd sick. So, we weigh our options, make a decision and do the work involved. I still don't think that anyone can judge anyone else based on whether or not they take their kids out of school. If they feel their child is capeable of making up the work then fine. But it's their choice to make. I have to say that I get tired of the state/schools mandating how many days my child has to be in school. Why is it that private schools can go as few days as they wish? My nephew starts school 2 weeks later than dd, and gets out about a month earlier. And they don't give them a huge amount of grief when the family wants to take time off during the school year. Maybe it's time for private school.

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by disneyfanz04
Isn't that the beauty of the country we live in??? Is what our military fought so hard for not a factor???? I thought everyone was intitled to their own opinion no matter what it be???? Guess I was wrong!!!!

No, you weren't wrong. But, as you said, everyond is entitled to their own opinion, "no matter what it be". And that means everyone, even the people you might not agree with. And, nowhere in anything that the military is fighting so hard for, does it say that those opinions must be presented in a certain way. Some people are more passionate than others, some people like to yell. Some people don't. The beauty of the country we live in is that we have free speech. Nowhere does it say "free and polite" speech.