Teachers are okay with it....

[MustangMom]

My DH & I were very concerend on what our 2 DS (9 yr and 6yr) teachers would say. My DH was sure they would say no. He is also struggling with what lesson it would teach the kids. I told him it would be what ever lesson we stressed with them. To be honest we both have excellent attendance at work and the thought of doing this was not sitting real easy with us.

We are planning on going the week of Jan 4th..the first week back to school after winter break. And with the 7 for 4 deal we just can't pass it up. We arranged to meet with each teacher & just explained that with our work schedules (DH helps with road construction and I am a nursing supervisor) that this was the only time we could both have off for a family vacation. The teachers were wonderful and said they wished more families could do what we had planned. Only assignment that both have is to keep a daily journal. They even gave us a journal all done up for them to fill out

It may help because they are both good kids and do very well in school and have not missed any days of school ever. Also both my DH and I went to the same school and know the teachers (they were our techers) it is also a small school system. What ever the reason we sure have something to be thankful for.

 

[tigger813]

We took our 2 DDs to Disney in early October. DD#1 is in third grade. Her principal had stressed that Disney is not educational. I laughed at that!
Ashleigh kept a journal and we focused on Epcot. We took pictures of her in each country in WS and then she made a poster of the pictures of her. We also printed out all of the flags for each country and attached them. She also learned the capital of each country and presented the project to her class. The teacher gave her an effort award for the project and making up all of her work over the long weekend after we got back.

We will be going again in Dec. 2010 and will take her out for a week. The week we take will be during conference time so she will not miss a full week. Last year we took her that same conference week which ended up also including a snow day.

I was a teacher and envied people who took their children during the holidays as that is my favorite time of year. Now that I have changed careers we go when we want. After elementary school we will not take her out during school time for more than 2 days in a row.

When we go in Dec 2010 we will focus on the holidays around the world. We were planning on doing that last year but being our first time during the holidays and with a 3 year old and my parents we weren't able to fit everything in. We do have several of the storytellers on video but will be able to work the schedule better to see all the storytellers and have her do a report on that.

 

[mjkacmom]

Sadly, our days of doing this are over. Dd12 is now in middle school, and she would have a stroke if we took her out of school! She has all vector classes, and spends 2 - 3 hours a night on homework. She's also in 2 school choirs, one meets daily, the other 3 days a week, and she's freak about missing them, too, afraid of falling behind.

We took them out of school 1 day (Great Wolf Lodge - $300 instead of $650 weekend rate), and she almost had a heart attack! I wish we took them out on a yearly basis, looking back.

 

[wahoo776]

My DH is military so his Rest and Relaxation leave fell during the school year.
I asked for a conference with each teacher and explained what we where planning on doing. Our district has a policy specifically for this do to the constant comings and goings of moms and dads. The kids get 10 days with approved leave form, excused

But what floored us was the number of teachers who when we told what we where going during dh RnR said they wished more parents did this type of thing, alot of the kids come back to school from the RnR leave and have done nothing! I am always amazed when people are amazed that we take family vacations! Our trip in March for Springbreak is one of 3 I have planned for the year, two to WDW and one to visit family the long way-Road Trip!!! We consider family vacations a top priority and we have to take advantage of the time we do have together, due to dh being home so infrequently!

Good for you all and have fun, more people need to consider there kids and family top priority-Life is to short!

As for the principal that said she did not see how WDW was educational, well she probably has never been there!
There is nothing like a 9yo trying to figure out how far he can make his spending money stretch! - or how many hours before he gets to use his covetated(?) FP to TSM!!!!
Now thats real education!!!

 

[rparmfamily]

Our kids have missed school the last few years for vacations...they are missing 3 days next week because we are going to the Big Island. Basically we are told to have fun!

 

[gr8leg8]

Just this morning...

At the doorway to my daughter's classroom
(I still get a kiss goodbye ),
I reminded dd to deliver her homework folder to her teacher's inbox.
They are due on Fridays, but tomorrow we are driving down to Disneyland

Instead of putting it in the box,
she dances over to her teacher and
starts her story with
"Because we are leaving at the crack of dawn..."

before she could continue
her very wonderful first grade teacher says
"Going to Disney again?"
Big nod from dd
"Tell Minnie I said 'Hi' again"

I know it won't always be this easy,
so I'm just enjoying it while it lasts.