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

[Crystal824]

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.

I was thinking the exact same thing. With that being said, this is our last year where we can go to Disney and not worry about school. DD starts kindergarten in the fall so this year we are going for a 10 day trip....taking 2 days off during one week and a full 5 the next. I fully anticipate this is the last 10 day trip for a while unless we go in the summer, which we usually don't do.

 

[maurene]

No, I wouldn't. 2 (maybe 3) days is the max. I'm willing to pull my kids out of school for a family vacation - unless its a once in a liftetime thing.

 

[allysetraskos]

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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.

ook my child oit

 

[allysetraskos]

i took my son out for 5 days... i feel like anything younger then highshool level its not a huge deal as long as your on board with the teacher as far as gettig a lesson or assignment in advanve. what would be the diffrlerence if she came downwith a cold and missed 2 days,nothing... if anything pratice her work on the fkight or the forst day you arrive

 

[jb405]

Mine are missing 10 school days.....

 

[artemis4]

Yes, but we homeschool. Kids, do your history on the plane!

Seriously, I probably would do it for a second grader in the situation you describe. It's one of those things that has no one right answer, but is highly dependent on situation, school, and child.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Really depends on your situation.

We can't take the kids out anymore because my oldest has specifically asked not to miss days for vacation anymore because the work piles up too much (middle school). Which has put a real wrench in my vacation planning!

So I say enjoy the (relative) freedom of the younger grades while you can!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

No, *I* would not.

 

[mm1971]

Yup. We had no issues pulling our kids out at the younger grades and neither have suffered socially or academically. DS has been on the honor roll consistently since grade 7 and DD is doing fine. Our school system has number grades prior to grade 7, but it was never a problem. Saving $150 is more $$ you have for other things.

 

[Disfan1968]

I am a teacher and I would say this... whether or not I consider it inappropriate depends on a couple factors:

1. Does the child struggle in school? (In your case, OP, you say, no... so no worries if that's true)
2. Total length of vacation/disconnection with school. For instance, I have an average student currently leaving for a two week vacation. Then, upon returning, the school goes on it's week-long break. It amounts to three consecutive weeks without instruction. That's iffy.

In general, I don't disapprove of this. I understand families can save a lot of money vacationing in the "off season."

I will note that from my perspective the OP's mind seems quite made up already and that this post was really not looking for the pros and cons, more just hoping for affirmation of her own point of view to use in her discourse with her husband. Just the way I read the thread. Just my opinion. *shrug*

 

[amandals2007]

I am a teacher and I would say this... whether or not I consider it inappropriate depends on a couple factors:

1. Does the child struggle in school? (In your case, OP, you say, no... so no worries if that's true)
2. Total length of vacation/disconnection with school. For instance, I have a average student currently leaving for a two week vacation. Then, upon returning, the school goes on it's week-long break. It amounts to three consecutive weeks without instruction. That's iffy.

In general, I don't disapprove of this. I understand families can save a lot of money vacationing in the "off season."

I will note that from my perspective the OP's mind seems quite made up already and that this post was really not looking for the pros and cons, more just hoping for affirmation of her own point of view to use in her discourse with her husband. Just the way I read the thread. Just my opinion. *shrug*

agree with you on the affirmation and your points on the issue of different factors

 

[Lovetherodent]

For me, it would really would be a length of time issue. Seven days is a lot. I've taken kids out for a day or two when they were competing for gymnastics and the travel became required (the farther you go up the food chain, the fewer meets you can attend and the farther away they get), when we took a trip overseas (once, they missed a day), and to visit colleges or go to scholarship interviews. Because I think school is important, I was willing to pay more and adjust travel plans to minimize school absences. People who value that vacation time more will make the opposite choice. It's not right or wrong. It's just different.

Currently, when one of my college students comes to tell me he or she is leaving to do something, I simply refer to the syllabus. If they can accept the consequences spelled out for missing classes (I don't accept late/make-up work), they go, and I smile and wave goodbye. But there's no negotiating on the late work policy. My feeling here is that my employer would never approve my request for a seven day vacation during the academic year. You're lucky just to be able to go!

 

[tink9702]

For a child that age who does well in school I would be okay with missing up to 7 days of school as long as it wasn't the first 3 or last 3 weeks of school.
It's a very personal decision based on family dynamics, school district etc. I'd also say that it shouldn't be done more than once a year IMHO. So if you have two vacations a year one should be when school is out.

We took DS out of Kindergarten for 6 days and I'll probably be taking him out of 3rd grade in a couple years when we go again. School is important, but family time is too. You can also make a point to practice school stuff on the plane down and back.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

When I pulled my kids out of school 5 days was my limit. I would pull him a Monday-Friday. For us it was easier since their spelling and math was weekly based with tests usually on Friday. Last time we did itDS was in 4th grade. Now the work is too much and piles up too fast so we go in the summer.

 

[anniemae]

For $150, I would not. I was reading an article somewhere about pulling kids out of school. I think it was from a teachers perspective, she was fine with parents pulling kids out, but she said that she asked parents to avoid pulling them out during "critical" times like state testing, important projects etc. It also listed during the first few weeks of school. She explained how important socially those weeks are, learning routines, forming friendships, learning the rules, talking about summer vaca, getting used to the teacher etc. I equated it to coming to school on a Monday morning and being the only kid who didn't attend the birthday party over the weekend.

I don't know, that was just one teachers point of view. I don't think it's bad at all to pull kids out for vacation as long as you communicate with the teacher and school. So many parents at our school pull kids out for Disney, but they usually wait until October to do it!

 

[anniemae]

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?

I was wondering that too. If you add 2 days, thats 2 more days of hotel & food.

 

[MainMom]

Once my oldest entered middle school I stopped pulling my kids out of school for vacation. They are straight A students, but do not like having to make up all of the work without instruction. Plus the oldest is now in 3 sports which corresponds to 3 quarters of school. 5 days was also my limit in the younger years, but I never pulled them out in September. We usually traveled early December or beginning of May.

 

[monica9]

I am a teacher and I would say this... whether or not I consider it inappropriate depends on a couple factors:

1. Does the child struggle in school? (In your case, OP, you say, no... so no worries if that's true)
2. Total length of vacation/disconnection with school. For instance, I have an average student currently leaving for a two week vacation. Then, upon returning, the school goes on it's week-long break. It amounts to three consecutive weeks without instruction. That's iffy.

In general, I don't disapprove of this. I understand families can save a lot of money vacationing in the "off season."

I will note that from my perspective the OP's mind seems quite made up already and that this post was really not looking for the pros and cons, more just hoping for affirmation of her own point of view to use in her discourse with her husband. Just the way I read the thread. Just my opinion. *shrug*

you are right. My mind is completely made up. The work she gets takes her about 5 minutes to do (two or three worksheets). I understand 2nd grade is a big change but that is why I think September is the BEST time of year to take her out if we do so. It's all review in our town.
It's not only my decision but my husbands as well so I wanted to see other people's points of view and it's good to see a teacher's point of view.
Last year she got all of her homework a couple days before we left and we planned on her doing it on the plane but she finished it before we left.
I feel this is the time more than ever to save money and go on vacation during the school year because we won't want to in a couple years once she starts getting an overload of homework.

 

[monica9]

I was wondering that too. If you add 2 days, thats 2 more days of hotel & food.

We aren't adding two more days. Instead of going on a Sat to a Sat (missing 5 days of school), we'd go on a Wed to Wed (missing wed,thurs,fri,mon,tue,wed and thur since our flight lands at 1030 and we are over an hour away from airport). That's 2 extra days off from school but same vacation length

 

[wiscbugs]

No, a day isn't a big deal. Anything over that disrupts the learning environment and classroom.