Would you pull a first grader out of school??

[Mike Bartenhagen]

I wouldn't worry about taking them out of school. When I was younger my parents took me out of school many times for vacations and I was still able to graduate from college and get a job that allows me to make enough money to take my kids out of school in October for a week to go to WDW so it didn't effect me to much.

Mike

 

[tjmw2727]

I have taken both my girls out anywhere from 2 to 7 days for the past few years. One is going into 2nd so it wasn't an issue until this year and the other is going into 4th. This will be the last year the 4th grader will miss school and its just 2 1/2 days over Columbus day weekend. We got lucky and planned for 1 day before an extended weekend due to teacher conference and 1 1/2 days after so it will be broken up over two different weeks. We end up with a week and only miss 2 1/2 days of school.

I may continue to take a day here and there with my younger dd until 3rd or 4th if her grades and conduct stay high. Older dd has had a few alone trips so I won't be favoring

I did Presidents week last year (our school vacation week) and IMHO it wasn't to bad. I can deal with that for a few years and may combine a cruise with a few park days to get away from the crowds. We also did a week late in August one year and found it to be wonderful. Most of the southern states were back in school and it was warm up north so no reason to go to FL. If you can take the heat (we love it) the crowds were not to bad.

TJ

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

I was a first grade teacher for ten years (sah mom now)and I would have no problem pulling my children out of school for a special trip or vacation. My children aren't in elementary school yet but I plan to continue going to Disney in the off-season even when they start "real" school.

Hey, my philosophy is. . . life is an education in itself!

 

[Eeyoreloverforever]

We also took her out of preschool two years in a row and took her out of grade primary last year. This year we are going right after Christmas break, so she will actually not be in school for like a month. I think Christmas break is about two weeks and we are going for 12 days after that. It is my families life and I chose when we do things, not the school system. Learing is very important in our family, but so is fun. She can learned what she missed when we get back by putting in a little extra time each evening or on a weekend. We are planning on going to Disney every year forever and our kids will always miss school because of it because we won't go during busy times of year or when it is too hot.

 

[FOV]

We take our kids out of school but we try to make our trips as educational as possible. We also try to build our trips around some kind of school vacation so we miss fewer days.

I agree with all the others that quality family time is at least as important as hours logged inside a classroom. Most teachers will give you homework and ask you to keep a journal.

It is easy to tie in lessons the kids are learning in school with WDW (or any other destination.) My son will be going into 1st grade and will be learning about money so I will just make sure he keeps track of his spending (we can have a separate journal for this purpose), counts his change etc.... DD will be in 4th grade so I will tie in whatever she is learning (geography is a big deal in 4th grade in our district) to our plans. We'll get an Epcot passport etc....

We are lucky to have a school system that supports us!

 

[KLAIT]

I was really worried about doing this last year....I talked to the teacher and she told me this...

"It is my job to teach your child the basics, it is your job to show him the world.....there are valuable learning experiences in time spent with family and experiencing different things together."

 

[long4disney]

Please don't worry and take your first grader out of school! We have taken my DS who is now in 5th grade out of school every year for a week for our annual Disney vacation usually in December. A piece of advice, the last week of school the kids are in before winter break is the best time to take them out. My son usually has a Holiday party on the last Friday this year it is December 17th. So he is actually missing only 4 days and the teacher's don't mind him missing that week since he has the entire winter break to make up all the missing homework. It is really hard when they are at this grade level to try and make up a week's worth of homework while you are on vacation and have it ready to turn in when you get back. Plus this is a really great week to go to Disney, it is still value season and the crowds are really light. It doesn't start to get crowded until the days after the kids get out of school!

All my son's teachers have never had a problem with him missing school to spend quality time with his family. My DH works so many hours each week and most of the time my DS only sees his dad for about 30 minutes before he has to go to bed. He always tells his teachers how much fun he had spending every second of the day and night with his dad, and his mom and baby sister too!!! We have the greatest memories from all our Disney vacations and like his teacher's have said, school is very important but the experiences you have when you are with your family and can relax and have some fun will never be a mistake!

Enjoy!!!

 

[Kendra17]

We are pulling our 2nd and 7th graders out of school for a week in October. There are many reasons to do this--prices, crowds, weather, to name a few. I don't think it's always the option, but I don't think it's a bad option, either. . .especially if the kids are good students, which mine are.

I really truly believe that one can learn a lot at DisneyWorld. . .there is so much to see and do. . .I think of it as a week-long field trip. However, my 12 year old will have to make up the work at school, too, and I'll be sure to help her stay on top of everything. My son willl also have work to make up, but his will be easier and less time-consuming.

I think some places are worth missing school. Disneyworld is one of them. My husband won't go in the summer, and we have other plans over winter break that preclude a Disney trip.

 

[kelscross]

My children aren't in school yet (preschool only) but I don't think it would be a problem. One week isn't really that long and if you go in October then that's close to the beginning of the school year so they won't be super, super involved yet. Besides it's first grade I think it will be okay.

 

[Mike Bartenhagen]

I had another thought. I am sure that many of us here work and will be taking a week off of work. I will spend a few late nights before we leave getting things done and also have to catch up when we get back. It may be a good lesson to teach our kids that it doesn't hurt to leave for a week. I have a few friends that still need to learn this. They won't take a week off of work to go on vacation.

Mike

 

[mamalle]

we are planning dd 5th bday there in feb and she will miss that week of preschool. I dont think its a big deal when they are younger as long as they are doing well in school and havent missed too many days. I think a week is all I would do at the most. Im more for ng them out before a teacher planning day, etc and having a long weekend. dh is a firefighter and Im a nurse so we always are flexible with time off.

 

[Mom2Princesses]

Count my 1st grader out for 6 days this October! I am a bit nervous about it, but she is a smart kid so I doubt it will affect her grades much. I already told her to expect "school" on the ship everyday LOL! My preschooler will also be out, but I think we can handle that!

 

[logan1_2000]

I think this thread is full of well thought out replies. We pulled DS out of Kindergarten for 4 days for a cruise on the Wonder with extended family for his grandmother's 60th birthday--his teacher was excited for him. By the way, the same grandmother died less than two years later just a few months after a diagnosis. So that trade-off of family time compared to school made sense then, and even more so just two years later. We took him out of 1st grade for a week for a cruise on the Magic for my DW's 40th, and his teacher was not only excited, she recommended good beaches and snorkeling locations! This fall DS will miss 4 days of 3rd grade classes for an extended family WDW trip with his other grandmother and aunt, uncle and cousins who live far away. Still a no-brainer, so long as we avoid standardized test weeks, though I did have to factor that in for the next Magic cruise and pushed that from February (when I will really need the caribbean warmth) to Spring Break (when it is already gorgeous and warm where I live, sigh) to avoid missing too much school. My mother, who taught for 27 years, pulled me out of a week of 8th grade to go to FLA from the snows of New England, and it was fine.

The reduced crowds at WDW when it is not a peak week definitely factor into our decision-making so that the family time is enjoyable, not a long line trauma event. So go, and enjoy.

 

[Kendra17]

Good point, Mike! Actually, my husband was one of those people. . .his dad is, also. This is the FIRST time EVER, I think, that my husband is taking a over a week off. . .we've taken extra-long weekends and such, but I don't recall the last time he took a whole week off. I've gone to Disneyworld several times, he's never been there and never thought he WANTED to go. His Dad really did a number on him--work, work, work, no time for fun or frivolity! Anyways, he's quietly, but admittedly excited about this trip--which is so much fun for me and the kids to see.

 

[mouskamom]

We did it almost every other year with my daughter from kindergarden all through highschool - and we took her out for 2 weeks most times!!! She always did well on grades most teachers were OK with it - she finished near the top of her class so I guess it didn't hurt her any!!!! Carrying on the tradition we are taking my 6year old nieces (twins ) for a week this year - and my daughter just told me she is talking to her college professors about coming with us - old habits die hard I guess. I think the family time and memories are priceless!!

 

[elosoloco]

Originally posted by debster812
Not only would I. I did. DS was pulled from school in Kindergarten for 10 days, and in Grade 1 for a week. With the full blessings of his school and his teachers.

Ultimately every family has to make the choices that are right for them. Added to our family dynamic is my husband's work. He works in a Union shop, and as such they choose vacations by seniority. Would we like to not have to pull DS from school? YES. But, it will probably be another 5 or 6 years before DH is high enough on the food chain at work to get the 'good weeks' So, we do the best we can with the time we get.

Amen. We have been taking my DD out of school for our Disney trips since she was in 1st grade, she is entering 7th grade this year. We have always approached her teachers ahead of time and up to date have not had any problems. Because of my work I also have a hard time scheduling vacations during the summer or easter and winter breaks. She has always been given the work that will be covvered during that week, and DW and I make sure its completed by the time she gets back to school.
It is a personal choice each family has to make. In my opinion the the experiance she will get on the trip are much more valuable than sittting in a class room for those days.

 

[zurgswife]

We are taking our 4 kids 1st grade, 5th , 6th and 8th out next year from Dec 4 to 12th.....we have done it before but with the oldest headed to High school the following year...I'm not sure we will continue....

Our high school is block scheduling which means just a few days missed would be a couple weeks of school else were....

 

[Memaw2Wm]

I'm taking my grandkids (2nd & 4th grades) out of school for three days in October. We're going to "do" MNSSHP and celebrate my 51st b'day.

 

[KathyPem]

WE are going in Sept and I am pulling my second grader out. She makes good grades and has no trouble in school. I have no qualms abou ther being out. She will miss about 7-8 days as we are driving. She went in June last year with her Grandma dn then I went with my two 2 year olds in Sept. She was able to ride 5 rides and only character she met was when Snow White gave her a hug duuring the parade and that made her week. I want to be able to take her when there aren't lines so she can see Disney in its' glory.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I am taking my kids out for one day in September and 3 days in December both times to do Disneyland. In October our WDW trip occurs when my kids are out for 3 weeks (year round schooling). I am getting a lot of grief from people who say why take them out when you are going in October to WDW? I know it seems a little over the top but in September its a surprise weekend trip for DD's 8th birthday(love those frequent flyer miles) and in December we are having early Christmas with family from Chicago and St. Louis and its Grandpa's 80th birthday. My take is this: you only live once and sometimes family comes first. I have never taken my kids out of school before and these two trips came up and we want to take them. I will probably never do this again but with Grandma's cancer and Grandpa's age I really want to do this Christmas thing. We are the only ones who have school aged kids so nobody else going has this hassle. To make me an even more horrible parent, DD really struggles in school and probably shouldn't miss but then again she tries her best and is as entitled as her brainiac brother (IMHO). To each their own. BTW, I have been studying this thread alot lately in light of our upcoming Disney Bonanza and I am relieve to see nobody getting flamed. Past threads of this nature have gotten really heated!