Would you take your child out 2 extra days to save $150?

[monica9]

Flights are $150 cheaper if we go a certain day of the week. If we do that, our child will miss another 2 days of school.

That being said, she is only going to be in 2nd grade, is above her grade level academically (I'm not trying to brag, its just a fact that might help one's vote) and we are going the first month of school so everything is review anyway.

DH doesn't want to, I say we should. Prices keep going up. I've heard the best time to get flights is 6-8 weeks beforehand but can't take that chance since we will be locked in once our ADR's are set at 180 days. $150 doesn't sound like much but it all adds up. That could pay for our Aloha Show.

I would have put this on the budget board but I'm sure they would be bias to one side.

 

[Dawnlight]

Yes- I wouldn't hesitate to take a 2nd grader out for two days even if there were no savings.

 

[mom2rtk]

I can't answer that without knowing how many days you plan for her to be out already. If she's already missing a full week and this is on top of that, then no, I would not. If it's less than a full week already, then I probably would.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Flights are $150 cheaper if we go a certain day of the week. If we do that, our child will miss another 2 days of school.

That being said, she is only going to be in 2nd grade, is above her grade level academically (I'm not trying to brag, its just a fact that might help one's vote) and we are going the first month of school so everything is review anyway.

DH doesn't want to, I say we should. Prices keep going up. I've heard the best time to get flights is 6-8 weeks beforehand but can't take that chance since we will be locked in once our ADR's are set at 180 days. $150 doesn't sound like much but it all adds up. That could pay for our Aloha Show.

I would have put this on the budget board but I'm sure they would be bias to one side.

I wouldn't do it only because it's the first month of school. Academics would not be the problem, the social part is the problem. My parents kept me from the first couple days of school in second grade and while not an academic problem it was a social one. The other children already knew the routine. Seating was already assigned so I ended up near the class bully. It made for a horrible year. Just something to consider.

 

[lilbuddy88]

I take my kids out and end up spending more so saving would be a plus. But I travel everywhere with my kids and it is a priority in our life. If it is going to cause and argument though I might reconsider. How many days total would your kid miss?

 

[Mousemommy1]

$150 total? Or on each flight?

For $150, no.

But one year, it was $1000 cheaper for us to fly out the Thursday before vacation week versus that Saturday, so yes, we sure did take the kids out 2 days early.

 

[nat8199]

My kids our missing 5 days during the first month of school. They will be in JK and K. I wouldn't have them miss any more days than that for any reason.

 

[Sleepy425]

Would you still save based on needing extra hotel days, food, etc? Or will you be staying with family so the extra expenses would be minimal?

 

[Lovetherodent]

Well, I probably wouldn't, at least not for Disney. If you're talking about the one trip where you're taking Grandpa to Europe to see Normandy? Sure. Disney? No.

 

[amandals2007]

social aspect? they are second grade so thats around 8? what will they miss missing two extra days? my parents took me out for 10 days from 2nd grade until 9th grade and i dont remember missing anything socially, but I DO REMEMBER the fun memories i made with my family and i still passed school and graduated 7th in my HS class, and those memories are priceless to me. two more days at disney with your child is worth it and they will thank you, trust me coming from a 26 year old female who still cherises my memories to this day.

 

[Splashboat]

I would check with the school board policy and make sure it is allowed. If it is, I would make the decision with my spouse and not ask anyone else their opinion.

 

[IBLarsen]

We have always taken our kids out for vacation. Our next week trip, to use miles we had to do tues to tues, which means my kids will miss 2 days of school following their spring break. I didn't even think twice about it. My kids don't struggle in school however, and I think family vacation time is important. 2 days in 2nd grade isn't going to be a big deal in my opinion. My thinking has always been that we would have to be careful once they reach middle school and will actually be behind by missing school.

 

[SadieDawn90]

I say, yes. My daughter is only 3, but I think that once she starts "real" school, we will still be going in the off season. Ask the teacher for her work. Incorporate studies into the trip. If she's already ahead, 2 days will not make her fall behind.

 

[monica9]

It's going to be 5 days now Sat to Sat but if we change it will be a wed to Wed but getting in late so not go in Thur so 7 days.

Social Aspect. There are only 40 kids in her grade and she sees them even in the summer all the time so I don't think she will have a probelm with that.

 

[msmama]

I have no issues at all with taking kids out of school for disney vacations.

That said, how many days are you already missing? How close to the beginning of school? I'd be hesitant to take my son out until he had developed a good routine (and thought he'd get back to it more easily).

I've heard that the transition from first to second grade can be a tough one, too (my son is only in first, so I don't know) as that's when school starts to get really serious.

If it were a different time of year, I'd say definitely save the money and take her out 2 more days. It's just at the beginning that would have me troubled.

 

[monica9]

She's going to be almost 4 weeks into a routine so I can't see that it would take longer than that to get comfortable with her teacher. She already knows all the kids.

I guess we might just wait it out until the 8 week mark and see where the prices are. $150 isn't that big of a deal. Just don't want to pay any more than that. What a waste just to go on different days of the week!

 

[3Gsandme]

I can't answer that without knowing how many days you plan for her to be out already. If she's already missing a full week and this is on top of that, then no, I would not. If it's less than a full week already, then I probably would.

This is where I am. Everyone has their own ideas about whether or not missing school for vacation is okay. IN our family, we do it so I won't debate the merits of that. I'm not comfortable with the kids missing MORE than five school days for vacation. That's my limit. If your trip won't raise your child's days missed to more than five, I'd go for it. If it does, I wouldn't.

 

[NuJoy]

For eight years, we've been taking our daughter out of school every September for six consecutive school days, starting with when she was in kindergarten. Her classmates and teachers have just come to know she misses a week+ at the beginning of every year. She's at the very top of her class.

 

[tmbacon]

We almost never pulled the boys out of school in their earlier grade school days. But once they hit 4th and 2nd grade we pulled them for vacations, usually not for more than 2-3 days. When we leave next week for WDW they'll miss 3 days of school unintentionally; our school system had some planned teacher-work days next week, but now they are going to be make-up days for snow days earlier in the season. Oh, well.

I know you're looking for different points of view, so to me 7 days seems like a long stretch to be out of school...but you know your child and family situation best and how to manage through it.

 

[cakebaker]

During the first month of school and only saving $150 in total? If you're out an entire week and you're adding and an additional 2 days on to that, no, I wouldn't do it.

Most schools have a max on how many days they can miss. To start the year out in the hole like that would worry me all year. Plus, at that age, I don't think being out of the classroom and out of the routine so early in the year is a good thing.