Taking kids out of school for FREE DINING???

[anne0866]

Our son is in first grade. we took him out of kindergarten in 2006 or Free Dining and this past December for the week right before Xmas. We are planning on Free Dining again this year and will be taking him out for a week. He is repeating 1st grade next year due to immaturity from being a preemie. Call me crazy.. but I feel that vacation time is extremely important. For us it is truly " family time" Mommy and Daddy are not busy with work, telephone calls, house chores, computers etc. These trips create memories that will last a lifetime. And it doesn't matter whether it is Disney or something else. It is true uninterrupted quality time. Spending all day every day and every meal together. For me this time is priceless. My parents took me out of school for trips and such when I was a child. My father is gone now and those trips and great times are what I remember and what fills my heart.

 

[PalmTrees2008]

We're missing four days for dining savings (we actually upgraded to deluxe but still saved a LOT...at least $800). Those first couple of weeks are the easiest to make up. Most of my friends that go in March and December end up missing school anyway....why not go now when you save $ on dining?

 

[Bugsmom73]

I would if we were going.

 

[cara loves the poly]

Not for free dining, but we do take our kids out.

 

[tiger4me2]

Anytime this subject comes up, I bring up the same story because I think it has such a valid point.

I am a 4th grade teacher and a few years back I had a little girl who missed A LOT of school. She missed almost two full weeks for a Florida vacation the year she was in my room. (In addition to several other absences.)

The following year when she was in 5th grade, her mom passed away suddenly. The Florida vacation her family had taken while she was in 4th grade was their last family vacation together.

Ever since then, I never bat an eye when a kid is taken out of school.

Awww that is so sad. I am glad you were understanding. You never know what is going on in some cases so I think people not you, have to be more understanding when people pull their kids out.

When my son was in boot camp his grandmother was dying of cancer just didn't know how much time she had. But if she would have passed while he was in boot camp he wouldn't have been able to come home. He spent a whole month with her before going & he was back before she passed away.


And before anyone say anything this is how the military works when you are in boot camp. Only parents or sisters or brothers that they can get leave.

 

[mpls_mm]

I am taking them for free dining, I would have taken them out anyway free dining or not. They are only 4 and 8, but I don't care about the age. They will only be little once. Ex-hubby is not so healthy and I don't know how long we will have, we aren't promised tomorrow. I grew up in foster care and have very few pleasant memories of my childhood and certainly no vacations, you better believe that I am making memories for my children and I would fight anyone tooth and nail that disagreed with me at school. I go to school full time myself, I have been for 5 years in addition to running my own business, so no one can tell me that 5 days off will set them back forever. I do it myself. My business will get by with my trusty employees, my school will wait and everything will be right where we left it when we get back.

 

[christa112]

I am taking my kids out of school in from 9/19-9/27. My kids are in elemetary school right now and I don't foresee it being a problem at their age. I am also lucky that they are very healty kids and don't miss much school. One of son's has missed 2 days and 1 has missed 1 day due to being sick. So I don't have to really worry about them missing weeks during the winter due to cold and flu. We have been in Sept two time before and have loved it both times. I am unsure if we will do it again, but only time will tell. I like to take one vacation at a time.

 

[emalone]

Thanks everyone for your input. I just pray that their teachers for next year will be understanding. I hope everyone will enjoy free dining for 2008.

 

[emalone]

Looks like most of you would take your children out of school for free dining. We plan on this year, but if it is too hot, then we may not be doing Disney for a while. If gas keeps going higher, none of us will be able to afford a road trip to Disney. 525 miles for us.

 

[Bethy Lou]

We are taking them out too, and I agree with a PP that at the beginning of the year they miss a lot. As for it being hot, we brought water bottles and kool aid singles and water mister fans and were not too uncomfortable.

 

[HM]

I'm taking my DD13 and her best friend, but we're only doing four nights. They will only miss 2 1/2 days of school. More than that would be too much at their ages, imo.

 

[KADDY12]

MY DH WORKS FOR A LARGE MOVIE THEATER CHAIN AS A DISTRICT MANAGER. SO WHEN THE KIDS ARE ON SCHOOL BREAKS OR HOLIDAYS HE HAS TO BE THERE. THATS THERE BUSIEST TIME. I FEEL TIME TOGETHER IS IMPORTANT AS A FAMILY. AS A KID MY PARENTS COULDNT AFFORD BIG VACATIONS SO I WOULD GO FISHING. MY DAD COMMITED SUICDE 4 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK. HE LEFT BEHIND MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS 5 THEN AND 9 NOW AND I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD SON NOW TO WHO IS A COPY OF HIM. SO I DONT THINK TWICE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WONT BE TOGETHER.

WE ARE TAKING 2 WEEKS SEPT14TH TO SEPT 26 ON THE DISNEY CRUISE, AND WILDERNESS LODGE.

 

[SuperTink]

I will take my middle-schoolers out for 3 days but not more than that.

 

[MissyPooh5890]

We are doing it. Did it last year too. My daughters are 17, 15, and 10. They always make up their work, and they are all honor students. I let their teachers know a couple of weeks in advance. I have had no problems...knock on wood. Not trying to justify my actions, but my husband and I work hard all year, this is his only time to take off from work, our family time together is worth more to us than anything else. We will always cherish the memories we make at Disney. It is TRULY a MAGICAL place. School can wait a week. JMHO

This is exactly how I feel. My kids do very well in school and are conscientious about making up their work. I always let the school know in advance and our school district lets their students go on "Independent Studies" for that week if you give advance notice.
If they were really struggling in school, I probably wouldn't take them out, but I think that family time is just as important, if not more, than their academics. Just my opinion - I certainly respect others that differ.

 

[emalone]

MY DH WORKS FOR A LARGE MOVIE THEATER CHAIN AS A DISTRICT MANAGER. SO WHEN THE KIDS ARE ON SCHOOL BREAKS OR HOLIDAYS HE HAS TO BE THERE. THATS THERE BUSIEST TIME. I FEEL TIME TOGETHER IS IMPORTANT AS A FAMILY. AS A KID MY PARENTS COULDNT AFFORD BIG VACATIONS SO I WOULD GO FISHING. MY DAD COMMITED SUICDE 4 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK. HE LEFT BEHIND MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS 5 THEN AND 9 NOW AND I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD SON NOW TO WHO IS A COPY OF HIM. SO I DONT THINK TWICE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WONT BE TOGETHER.

WE ARE TAKING 2 WEEKS SEPT14TH TO SEPT 26 ON THE DISNEY CRUISE, AND WILDERNESS LODGE.

My dad also commited suicide 4 years ago this past october. So, I truly understand what you are saying. Our children will never be the same. When this happened my daughter was 8 and our twins were almost 7. I know this was their grandfather, but they saw him everyday. I don't think twice anymore either. 2 years after his death, we took my mother on a Disney cruise and to Disney world. Boy did we need that. It was one of the best trips we have ever had.

 

[marymal99]

I am taking my 11 year old son out of school for the 3rd year

It hasn't seemed to hurt him in any way and has brought our family closer together

 

[glitzybabes]

I am but only for one and a half days. I'm planning on checking my daughter out of school after 11:00am on Thursday the 11th, so techinally she will be present for that day so all she will miss is Friday. The following week she is out of school for Fall break.

 

[emalone]

I am but only for one and a half days. I'm planning on checking my daughter out of school after 11:00am on Thursday the 11th, so techinally she will be present for that day so all she will miss is Friday. The following week she is out of school for Fall break.

I think I would rather get a fall break than a winter break.

 

[Ashlander]

We are taking our kids out. 1st grade and Kindergarten (and 1 not in school). My ds will have the same teacher for 1st grade and I told her yesterday we were going in September and she thought it was great. I would rather not go when it is extremely hot and it saves us a lot of money to go in September.

 

[DznyDreams]

. . .That said I always wonder why it's better to miss during the first week? Yeah there are fewer things to learn but by the time you get back all the "lunch and playground" groups are made and there you are on the outside.

Well, that may be the case where you live, but I'm from a VERY tiny school district in rural east TX. My nephews' "school" friends go to church with them, and play together all summer long (sleepovers, baseball, etc.). The school is so small that when one 3rd grade class goes to the cafeteria or playground, they all go. So while it might apply to your situation, it doesn't to my SIL and her sons.