To those taking their kids out of school....

[MagicalMomAZ]

I've never done this & feel very naughty for doing it so I've been researching DD's school calendar & going over rules. I feel better knowing excused absences are ok unless it excceds 18 days!

Her school reconvenes on Jan 7 .... we leave on Jan 9. Would you put your kid into school for 2 days? Not sure if I should keep her out the full week & already have the homework from the teacher BEFORE Winter Break begins....

My thing is I wonder how much the teacher could prepare. Will she know where they are the week after Winter break? I think she'll be stressed out on the 7th-how will she find time to get the school work together KWIM?

I am hosting DD's classroom Holiday Party on 12/21 - their last day before break ... just tryng to get my ducks in a row.

 

[BecBennett]

She'll be fine!! Seriously I don't see why so many people are so concerned with their kids missing a few days of school. They don't miss that much work and it's not impossible to catch up on.
When I was in school my parents took me out of school for over 3 weeks for our Disneyland trip, far enough we're from Oz, but I've never considered a few days off to be a problem. Think abut the life experience she'll get from Disneyland over the book work experience she'd do at school. I know which I'd prefer to do.

 

[boiseflyfisher]

IMO, send her to school for the two days. The teacher may not have her lesson plans ready yet for the week after the holiday break, so you may not be able to get her make up work before Christmas.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I agree, I would send her for the 2 days. My DD is 16, and this will be the first year we aren't taking her out of school for a week( really can't miss algebra 2 and accelerated english), which is why we are going to Universal where at least we will have FOTL over new years !

 

[abby]

Send her those two days and stop worrying, I am taking dd a 2nd grader out 4 days next week for our trip. they survive.

 

[mo3bys]

I know in California they have a work study program when children are out 5 days or more. They will give them a homework packet and they get credit for actually being in school. It doesn't count as an absence then. Your school may have a similar program. Here you just have to ask for it a week in advance

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

Thank you - the whole mystery was would there BE work if I asked for it before break & sending her those 2 days makes sure she gets the correct work. You're all right about that.

mo3bys- It would be awesome if our district did that but I read the code of conduct (1st time I think!!) forwards & backwards last night & they're simply excused or unexcused. Oh well.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Talk to your DD's teacher and hear what she suggests.

 

[NVDisMom]

We take our girls out every year. We always try to speak with the teacher before hand regarding the missed days. Only one teacher has given me a hard time. That teacher was incredibly abusive in the classroom, did not see parents as partners and basically a horrible teacher over all. I didn't really care what she thought. For that teacher I requesting the work formally through the front office. Everyone else I went directly through the teacher and we usually get it about a week before.

I'll be honest though, more often than not it is busy work that really doesn't pertain to much of anything going on in the classroom. The family will sit down one evening and make a game out of helping the girls get it all done. This may be the first year we don't do that with our DD10. Her work is much more involved and actually pertinent. Not simply crosswords and math pages. A lot of it depends on your childs age.

 

[lg3]

Yes, I would have her go those two days.

 

[NVDisMom]

Forgot to add that I would send her the two days you won't be gone. Minimizing absences helps keep the accountants happy. (They are the only ones that really care whether your child is there or not anyway)

 

[JadeDarkstar]

seriouesly i hate schools. I will take my son where I want when I want and the schools can go fly a kite..this is why im going to home school him..hell he learns more with me then some teacher

 

[jenksdj]

It sounds like you need to talk to DD's teacher. Then at least it's on her radar, and she can get the homework together when she has time to do it. Our DD's (grade 2) teacher just told her to have some fun family time. Read if you have time, and write a journal if you have time. Nothing specific, which was nice. Who wants to do homework when you arrive back at the hotel 2 hours past regular bedtime, and have to get up at the crack of dawn the next day to hit EE?! If your DD is a good student, she will probably not miss much and will be able to catch up easily when she gets back.

If kids are required to do a journal, or just WANT to do one (which is a GREAT keepsake of their trip, which will be read over and over again in the years to come), check out this website: enchantedlearning.com Do a word search of "vacation memory book" and look at the great ideas. They give the kids questions to answer about each day of their trip, so it helps the kids focus. I found this on the enchanted learning website AFTER our trip, but I am keeping it handy for our next trip!

 

[ctamama]

I am hosting DD's classroom Holiday Party on 12/21 - their last day before break ... just tryng to get my ducks in a row.

My experience has been that teachers who know and see that you are an involved parent will be much more understanding and do all they can to help YOU out too with catching the kids up on missed work...so hosting the holiday party....definitely brownie points!

We always take our kids out for a week every year for a family vacation. That family bonding time is priceless!! To all of us it is worth the price of a little missed school!

 

[ctamama]

Okay, totally off-topic........but I am SOOO overjoyed that I got that quote to work right!! I am technologically challenged, and I have been TRYING to figure out how you all did the quote listing the original poster in there!! YAY!!

 

[DorkyDisneyMom]

I took my daughter out for 4 days. Her Thanksgiving break was 11/21-11/25. I took her out 11/27. So she went to school for that one day. I also had spoken to the teacher before Thankgiving break and asked her if she would'nt mind sending the work that she was going to miss. She didn't mind. Her lesson plans were done so she sent the work home on 11/21. We had longer to do it. She also told my daughter NOT to bring it to Disneyland. She didn't want her to lose any of it. She's in second grade BTW.

 

[flyinshirer]

I am taking my 3 girls out of school next week for 3 days to go to DL. Their teachers know. When I did this in October, the teachers were awesome about giving them their work early in the week so that they could get it all done before we even left. They had all their work turned in and done before we left. Then there are no worries about getting it done on vacation. I really don't like to keep track of homework when we are on vacation unless we are flying. Then it gives them something to do. We are only 3 1/2 hours from DL so it's silly to take it all with.
Good luck! I'm sure your teacher will appriciate your concern and will be willing to help where ever they can. Just remember that it is your child not theirs! And besides.....if it is unexcused...what's going to happen? A few days on their record! What a great way to document your vacation. You'll never forget when you went!

 

[Tink208]

Forgot to add that I would send her the two days you won't be gone. Minimizing absences helps keep the accountants happy. (They are the only ones that really care whether your child is there or not anyway)

This is not always the case. My kids' teachers are very concerned about student absences and not just for financial reasons. (Though, yes, the district loses money for every day that a child is absent, whether it is an excused absence or not, unless they are out five days or more and do a pre-arranged independent study.) There is teaching that goes on in the classroom that cannot be replaced by worksheets, or other homework type assignments.

I am not saying those of you who take your kids out of school are wrong, but I do have to say I a bit unsure as to what "life experiences" are learned by going to Disneyland that would outweigh what they will learn in school.

(And, in the interest of full disclosure, no, I would not take my kids out of school to go on a vacation.)

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

I would probably send them for the two days. Here they have rules about how many days that can be missed, which isn't very many, and they can even flunk your child.

I have taken my son out of school for vacation. Not everyone can take vacations on the school's schedule. For some people their jobs dictate when they can take time off. For us we've done it to see DL in Oct. ect.. The most I took him out was for 2 days though.

We homeschool now, which means we don't have to worry about the schools schedule. Or anyone breathing down our necks for missed time. We can plan vacations during any time of the year, and make up our work just the same! Not to mention he learns so much more then he ever did in regular school!

 

[TripHHH]

I took my daughter out of school in October for a family trip to Disneyland for a week. She is in 2nd grade. Her teacher gave her a trip journal and told her to have a great time!

My daughter rarely misses school, but we purposely take her out of school one week a year for a family vacation. The memories from our trip are well-worth any catching up of schoolwork. We went on all the rides with little to no wait times. I love Disneyland, but standing in line for an hour to go on a ride is not my idea of a vacation. It is so nice to go to Disneyland when it's not crowded. It is much slower-paced and you get to really immerse yourself in it and enjoy every minute. Our trip truly was magical!

The most important thing in elementary school is that you read a lot with your child. If you do that on a daily basis, missing a week of school really isn't going hurt a single bit.