Do you get a guilty feeling if you pull your kids out of school?

[yetti78]

Hello

 

I'm sorry for the confusion, the vacation itself is 29 nights, the cruise is 28. On the Grand Princess transatlantic from Venice to Galveston. I've always wanted to see Venice.

[elaineof6]

I'm sorry for the confusion, the vacation itself is 29 nights, the cruise is 28. On the Grand Princess transatlantic from Venice to Galveston. I've always wanted to see Venice.

 

Really.

 

Something like that, traveling through international waters, would have to be a matter of public record. Link, please? Which cruise line? Dates?

[yetti78]

I'm sorry elaineof6, I didn't realize I had to prove everything to you. I did say it was on the Grand Princess, I figured it would be obvious which cruiseline it is.

 

Here is a link from Travelocity that I hope works:

http://travel.travelocity.com/ecruise/CruiseDetailsItinerary.do;jsessionid=6E99BC1F70AA2AA79E81E85D09318AC5.p0217?action_code=MoreInfo&pagerIndex=&resultsIndex=1&lead_price=4130&price=&currency=USD&cruiseId=4223&deckId=

 

If it doesn't just go to Travelocity and search for 14+ night cruises in October. The cruise starts october 29th.

[yetti78]

And also elaineof6, I really don't appreciate the sarcasm. I was coming here for support and all I've really gotten is grief. And now you make me prove that the cruise even exists.

 

The Grand Princess needs to get from Europe to the Caribbean for the winter. I think this is common of all the lines when they switch from their summer to winter schedules.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I guess yetti isn't "sblahars" because yetti is traveling in October. If Sblahars' wife is on the standard school year schedule, she probably wouldn't have that particular time off.

[yetti78]

oooooohhhhh....thats what this is about. I've been so confused. No, I'm not sblahars. Still, elaineof6 had no right giving me the third degree over this.

[cruisinqt]

Cruisin' Chick, you were thinking exactly the same thing I was. When someone gets unwanted replies or feels like they're being unfairly attacked, sometimes they change their name and then get back on the same thread. I was thinking Sblahars had changed his/her name to Yetti and had come back to make mischief. Evidently, that's not the case.:rolleyes:

 

Sblahars, you say that "everyone" is trying to convince you that they can't take a vacation in the summer because of their jobs and you just don't believe it. Well, you conveniently overlook many of the people who have said that they just can't afford a summer cruise. The only way many of us can afford to cruise is if it's in the fall. For me, it's literally impossible to cruise in the summer due to our finances. Summer cruises are almost double the normal price.:(

 

Sblahars, just because my kids go on vacation during the school year doesn't mean that I am "teaching them that vacation is more important than school." That's absolutely ludicrous thinking! I make sure that my kids understand that the only reason we cruise during the school year is because it's the only way we can afford it. We emphasize the importance of school and learning to them every day. As college graduates, we constantly emphasize the need for a good education. But we also realize that there's a great big world out there and that the classroom is not the only place you can learn. The only way our kids will learn about other countries is if we take cruises to those countries during the fall. It's the only way we can afford it at this point.

 

When I took my kids to one of the schools in Belize, it really opened their eyes. The entire school consisted of 2 rooms. One small one for the teachers to use and one large one for all of the kids to use. Seeing other countries and realizing how poorly many people live was a huge lesson in the realities of life for my kids. My kids now appreciate their schools and everything they have to offer. Going on these cruises have been a huge eye-opener for my kids and I wouldn't change a thing. It has made my kids better persons with much more appreciation for what they have. They no longer take their schools and teachers for granted. Missing just 5 meager days out of the school year was well worth the lessons they learned and I'll stand by that.

[islandchicklet]

ok, here I go again. I guess I get my feathers ruffled at the thought of being accused of being "a terrible parent" for a personal decision that our family makes. I homeschooled 2 years in a row because my children begged me to. They were in a private school (10,000.00 a year each) but wanted to me to teach again.:rolleyes: They will go back to that private college prep school this August. On the island public school isn't an option for our family. As stated earlier, I went to LSU and majored in elementary education - all the way up to my student teaching gig - and realized it wasn't for me so I switched majors. Some people are not cut out to teach, especially the ones who are so easily stressed!!! So I have all this education but I choose to stay home with my children because I feel for me and my family it is best. I am also fortunate enough to be able to do this financially.

 

So I just don't see where anyone can tell someone that they are terrible because they choose to make decisions that affect their family. There are drug abusing, alcohol abusing, government program abusing, child abusing people all over this great country that send their kids to school every flippin day so they don't have to be around them - I guess in sblahars eyes they are the good parents. Thanks, but NO thanks. I will always do what is best for my family and right now it is taking a 7 day cruise with or without sblahars "approval".

[sblahars]

if you can't afford to go in the summer than you shouldn't go at all if you have to take your kids out of school.

[2Cruise4Ever]

islandchicklet ~ Cheers!!!!! I couldn't have put it better myself. Education IS very important. However, I feel that spending time with the family is MORE important. I, too, received my degree in elementary education. And, if I had a nickel for every time I had to deal with drug/alcohol/physical/emotional/neglect-abusing parents, I'd be richer than Trump! My goodness....with all that IS wrong with some parents these days.....taking kids out of school for a learning experience of a lifetime shouldn't be an issue to ANYBODY!

[elaineof6]

Nobody has to "prove" anything to anyone here. However, credibility was in question.

 

Meh.

[yetti78]

"Something like that, traveling through international waters, would have to be a matter of public record. Link, please? Which cruise line? Dates?"

 

...that isn't asking me to prove something, I don't know what is. In the other post I said it was on the Grand Princess...I guess you didn't see that part because you still asked which cruise line. Everyone on here seems to want to argue so much that you don't even bother to read what others write before jumping all over it.

 

and then saying "...would have to be a matter of public record..." Like I'm dumb and didn't realize that when I was "prentending" to be someone else....

 

 

...gosh...talk about unwelcoming on these boards....

[Soxfan05]

if you can't afford to go in the summer than you shouldn't go at all if you have to take your kids out of school.

 

You are very emphatic in your opinion. Good for you. Someday, when you're a parent, you will see how different life is from when you are just a "couple" and how your choices and priorities become about what is best for your OWN family rather than about "doing things the way your parents did" or "always being right".

 

I am a teacher. I work in a remedial program on a per diem basis. I've only recently gone back to work as I was home with my children until they were in their 3rd year of elementary school. Now I work hours that are flexible so I can still cook them a hot breakfast every morning, volunteer at their school and pick them up at dismissal. I enjoy my work but feel bad for the kids I deal with. Nine out of ten have a homelife which has caused their behavioral and emotional issues that force them out of a traditional school setting. I see kids from all socioeconomic and racial backgrounds. The one thing they have in common is they all want attention from their parents. Most of them have resorted to negative behavior to get it. Family time is important. Sometimes a family needs to leave their surroundings to really reconnect. I know for our family, we all seem to relax, unwind and open up more.

 

Because of the test driven nature of the curriculum frameworks, children are being expected to perform at levels not developmentally appropriate for the average chronological age of a student in a given grade. (for instance, my 9 year olds are currently doing algebra- it's not called that mind you but it is algebra- they are solving equations for a variable and have to formulate the equation out of a word problem-very abstract concept for some) Elementary teachers who were once able to be creative and teach cross curriculum are no longer allowed to do that. In MA, there is no longer "grouping" allowed so kids of various abilities are lumped together so for some, the lessons go slow while others are struggling to keep up. Science and history are not taught. The focus is on math and reading. Unless your child is the perfect round peg for that round hole who enjoys written work and lecture, elementary school is not the joyous place that sets the seed for eager learners. As I see it, that's my job. I need to pick up the slack. We don't do that just in travel but that is a big part of it. This year, my boys will go to the rainforest. They've seen it in books but now they'll live it. That experience to me is priceless. In the future, they will benefit more from that experience than they ever would from the 5 days of school they'll miss. It's part of being a "well rounded" person.

 

Bottom line is that a good parent will weigh their options and choose what is best suited for their own family. What works for one family doesn't neccessarily work for another. This isn't a competition about who has the best "parenting" style or who makes the best decisions. You aren't even a parent yet so yours is the idealized version of what your life will be like and the decisions you will make. I hope you learn to be more flexible and less judgemental before then. If not, you are in for a long, lonely road of parenting.

 

You can argue all you like about work schedules etc but the truth is, I know best what works for my family as do other posters on this thread. You assume you know it all and that everyone has the same options that you do. If for one minute, you allow yourself to understand the diverse nature of people's lives and careers, you would see that your "one size fits all" plan just doesn't work.

 

I'll leave you with this: Parenting isn't a competitive sport and those who make it one, usually end up losing at their own game.

[moakes]

Parenting isn't a competitive sport and those who make it one, usually end up losing at their own game.

 

Exactly!

[familycruzer]

 

But I honestly think that people are taking their kids out of school because it is what is best for THEM...not their kids.

 

 

 

I work in retail and I am not allowed to take vacations around the holidays when my kids have a break from school. I had to beg and plead to upper management to allow me this one trip over Thanksgiving because it will be our last for a long time. That is life, I work to provide extras for my kids that I did not have growing up. Of course to some people here my job is not a real one.

 

 

There is no reason you can't have the same quality family experience on something other than a cruise ship.

 

 

We pick cruises because I dont know any other vacation that you can take where all the food, drink, and entertainment is included in one price plus you get to visit a few counties that you cant just drop in on.

 

My kids have used facts that they have learned on each cruise to do reports and projects at school from first hand knowledge. In my opinion that type of education is priceless.

[MrsPete]

Some people are not cut out to teach, especially the ones who are so easily stressed!!!

 

ALL teachers are stressed at some point. I've been teaching for 14 years, and I really like my job; however I've had a really difficult end of school and I've certainly been stressed for the last two weeks! Don't equate feeling stress occasionally with being a bad teacher.

 

But I honestly think that people are taking their kids out of school because it is what is best for THEM...not their kids.

 

I agree with this -- to some extent. Kids have 185 days out of school each year, and there's no reason why they can't cruise during those 185 days AND still attend school the other 180; the kids wouldn't have to miss anything, so obviously that's BEST for the kids.

 

It's the parents' schedules (and finances) that mess things up. You can make an argument, however, that making life run smoothly for the parents is also good for the child, and that's why my agreement with this statement is tenative. In the past, it was easier: mom stayed home, so the family only had to work around dad's work schedule. Today's families -- for better or worse -- have more on their plates, and it isn't quite so cut-and-dry as it used to be. We have to live in the world we have, and wishing it were different isn't productive.

 

It is however, a wonderful tool for exposing kids to a variety of cultures, geographic locations and climates in one short week. I am thrilled my kids will visit the rainforest

 

I'm sure that SOME kids are exposed to great stuff like the rainforest (good for their families!); however, we all know that the majority of the kids spend more time sunning on beautiful beaches rather than viewing ancient Myan ruins. The "culture" that most kids see is the tourist-oriented marketplace rather than the culture of the country. Riding a jet ski in Cozumel isn't really all that different from riding a jet ski in Myrtle Beach. I can accept the idea of a cruise for uninterrupted family-time, but I don't buy the idea that most kids are coming back from a six-hour port visit with any real knowledge of another country's real life.

 

If you think it's worthwhile to take your child on a cruise, do it. But don't rationalize it as an educational decision. A few families genuinely make it educational -- the vast majority do not.

 

sblahars ~ having done extensive research on family vacations in the summer, I have found the only thing cheaper than a cruise is 4 days at the beach in a dump of a hotel. The reason that people choose to cruise is because it's the best bang for the buck.

 

Seriously? My family travels to all sorts of places, and a cruise is one of our more expensive vacations! At Thanksgiving, we always spend a long-weekend at a state park cabin or villa (they're amazingly nice in SC); since we drive and cook in the cabin, it runs $500 for five days. We're going to Williamsburg this summer; it's going to run about $600 for six days, but we don't have to pay for the hotel. We're going to Seaworld this summer, and we found a great deal on the internet; the four days will cost less than $1000 (again, we're close enough to drive). We're taking the kids to the state capital next fall -- the weekend before school starts, an end-of-summer celebration -- to visit the museums; we have a pay-for-one-night, get-one-free coupon for Marriott, so that'll probably cost about $400 for the weekend. We often go camping, which costs next to nothing.

 

I don't think cruises are over-priced (our next cruise will be in October, and we're paying about $3000 for a balcony room, 7 days); however, other travel is certainly not out of the average family's price range!

 

Why does everyone say that "your feels will change on this when you have kids"?

 

Because it's true. You may or may not change your mind about this particular topic, but having theories on child-rearing and having actual children are not the same. Having children makes you realize that all those theories they tout in the parenting magazines are not realistic: you can't always sleep when the baby sleeps, a baby who drinks an occasional bottle won't turn out to have no immune system whatsoever, children can watch a moderate amount of TV without their brains turning to mush, children will not choose snow peas over chocolate just because you offer a balanced diet . . . the list could go on.

 

One of the things you discover as you move through your years as a parent is the value of compromise. You know that your baby needs to sleep, but you have to go pick up your first-grader from school. The baby is drug along in the car, despite the fact that it isn't the best thing for him. The first-grader needs quiet to practice his reading; instead, he has to read to you in the waiting room because it's time for his baby brother's shots and you couldn't get a day-time appointment. You have a conference coming up, and you leave the kids for a week, knowing that it's going to be a tough week for them and your wife -- but you know you have to do this task for the good of your career. Compromise. You can't always do what's best for every person in the family everyday. Sometimes you have to make choices.

 

Right now you have an idea of what it means to be a "good parent". Once you have children, you'll keep a lot of those idea, you'll reject some of those ideas, and you'll develop theories on some things you never even considered before.

 

Meanwhile, the rest of the students who have parents who believe that raising kids means teaching them responsibility and priorities can get on with their education without the distraction of your kids.

 

I think it's a mistake to judge someone's parenting skills based upon this ONE FACTOR. Responsibility is taught through hundreds of factors over a child's 18 years at home. You might disagree with someone's vacation ideas, but that's not the be-all and end-all of a person's approach to parenting.

[Host Walt]

OK, folks, let's discuss cruising with kids and addressing their education while sailing.

 

The question in this thread is not the fitness of our members to be parents, teachers or to render opinions; it is on dealing with the major event for all, parents and children, in the best way possible for all concerned.

 

Please limit the discussion to that. Thanks.

[sblahars]

I have been trying to formulate something like this, but couldn't quite say it the way I wanted (from a previous post, MrsPete) :

 

"I'm sure that SOME kids are exposed to great stuff like the rainforest (good for their families!); however, we all know that the majority of the kids spend more time sunning on beautiful beaches rather than viewing ancient Myan ruins. The "culture" that most kids see is the tourist-oriented marketplace rather than the culture of the country. Riding a jet ski in Cozumel isn't really all that different from riding a jet ski in Myrtle Beach. I can accept the idea of a cruise for uninterrupted family-time, but I don't buy the idea that most kids are coming back from a six-hour port visit with any real knowledge of another country's real life.

 

If you think it's worthwhile to take your child on a cruise, do it. But don't rationalize it as an educational decision. A few families genuinely make it educational -- the vast majority do not."

[sblahars]

I also want to ask:

 

Does everyone on here truly believe that a cruise is that educational?

 

I'm not being sarcastic, I just want to know if you are saying that to counter my arguments, or if you really believe that?

[moakes]

Of course not all aspects of a cruise or any sort of vacation are going to be educational in the strictest sense of the word. However, as I mentioned in an earlier post, there is a lot to learn by looking around. Some of it is real world knowledge - economics, culture, science, language. Some of it can also be found in a textbook. Some of it my kids will understand and grasp, some of it will fly right over their heads as they play on the beach. But whether it is the beach, museums, walking down the street, we (my Dw and I) DO try to instill some knowledge of what's around them, what is happening, etc...

 

I'm a firm believer that you learn much more from experience than from the written word.

 

I will tell you that we were on the Explorer in 2003 and when I sugeested we take another cruise this year my son (6 year old) wanted to go back on the Explorer. Not because of the waterslide (though he does love that). The reason he said was because of the Oceaneering exhibit - he thought all the exhibits were cool.

[2Cruise4Ever]

sblahars ~ yes, I do beleive it can be educational. Have you SEEN the Mayan ruins? Have you experienced the one-room school houses in St. Maarten? Have you gasped at the under-ground caverns of Bermuda? What about the child who wants to be an Oceanographer when he grows up? Should he be deprived of the wonderful aquarium in Nasau? NONE of that can be experienced simply by looking at pictures and reading text books. I firmly believe that taking our kids on a cruise to places such as these has the same philosophy behind it as school-sponsored field trips. My son went to the U.S. Flag museum in Baltimore last week. He can't stop talking about it. Not because it was something different to do outside of school. But, he constantly asks me, "Mom, did you know......?" He learned so much about our history that he wants to learn more. You can't tell me that keeping the kids' noses in books 5 days a week from September to June is the ONLY way an education is received. Talk about snore-fest :eek: If we apply your education philosphy, then all school field trips should be canceled until further notice. The TEACHERS pull the kids out of school then. Are they bad teachers for doing so? Definitely NOT. It's part of their curriculum. So, why can't we as parents make our vacation a part of the curriculum, too?

 

Here's the caviat ~ the PARENTS are responsible for making a cruise educational. Simply going from beach to beach without any real interaction with the local population or tours is NOT what I would call an education. The main point here is: everyone can have fun WHILE also learning something. That's what makes it memorable.

[redi2cruz]

I totally think a cruise is educational. We are pulling our 2 children (16 and 11) out of school next October to go to the Western Carribean and we are already studying Myan ruins and coral reef marine life so they will know what they are seeing when they get there. My 16 yo will have to miss 5 days of High School which will include Western Civ. and Biology. Do you think she might see some things in Mexico, Belize and Honduras as well as the ocean that might substitute for the high school antics, watching videos and pep assemblies that she might miss?

 

Yes, there will be some sitting on the beach, but there will be gliding over the tops of rainforests, animal and plant life that we have read about but never seen before, up close and personal with coral reefs and all kinds of tropical fish, Mayan Ruins, 3 different counties' cultures, cave formations and underground rivers, witnessing how those who have less than we do live and feeling blessed and wanting to help, trying new foods, stars at night at sea, ettiquette in formal situations, meeting new people from all over the world and carrying on a conversation with them....

 

I was a teacher for 14 years and I definitely feel that seeing something first hand is a far greater learning experience than just reading about it. And as her parent, I feel I am totally qualified to teach her just as much as her teachers do. In fact if 9th grade Geometry is any indication, I have been teaching her better all along.

 

I taught year round school so I didn't have summers off . We pulled our children out every year in May for several years. We always gave the teachers plenty of notice and the children did their schoolwork during travel time. I would say if the only criteria is raising responsible, well educated children, going on vacations during the school year did not hurt my children. I can say that because I have one in college. He is the most responsible young man you would ever want to meet. He is in a top university and has good grades. And he is close to his family because we spent time together. We were on speaking terms all through high school! His last year in high school, we took our final (whole) family vacation (for awhile at least) and he had to miss 4 days of school. Parent Teacher Conferences were soon after we returned. Not one teacher complained about him missing school. They were too busy telling me what a RESPONSIBLE young man he is and how they wished all their students were that concientious. I don't tell you this to brag (but I am a proud mama) but to point out that evidentally, our irresponsibility in this area has not scarred him for life!

 

My point (and I do have one) is to tell all of you that there is more than one way to skin a cat. By this I mean, we are very naive if we believe that our children will learn everything they need to know in the school system. WE are are children's first and best teachers. It is our RESPONSIBILITY to teach them. This doesn't necessarily mean that we should all be home schooling but we shouldn't just sit back and hope the school gets the job done. I don't know about your public schools, but ours are over crowded and underfunded. They only get one field trip per year. I figure I'm just helping them out by taking my child on one heck of a field trip as a suppliment.

 

Oh, and as for it being rude to ask a teacher to either send work ahead of time or save it for after the trip. NO BIG DEAL! I did it many times for my student and didn't mind a bit. And guess what, I just got done substituting for my 5th grader's teacher for a week while she and her family went on a cruise!

 

My advice for you is to make the best decision for YOUR family. You know whether your kids can afford to miss school and be able to make it up. And you know how much the family time will mean to your children. If you don't keep them close to you in this crazy world, even your best example will go unnoticed as they head down the wrong path.

 

And as for all the NaySayers--It sounds like you were raised by great parents. I hope you have told them so. However, please do not believe that now that you are an adult, you know all there is to know. Life is a constant learning experience. And it is a very different world we are raising our children in than your parents raised you. I had opinions about my students and their parents when I first started teaching. They changed drastically as my children grew. I think I became a much better teacher when I became more tolerant and understanding of other people's parenting styles. All I am saying is--keep your words sweet, you may have to eat them someday!

[familycruzer]

I also want to ask:

 

Does everyone on here truly believe that a cruise is that educational?

 

I'm not being sarcastic, I just want to know if you are saying that to counter my arguments, or if you really believe that?

 

A cruise CAN be education IF the parents make it educational. I am sure there are some parents who pull their kids from school and totally forgot about learning for the week. I am not one of them though. My kids write reports, keep journals, and do power point shows (which I dont even know how to do) from all their cruises. They are also required to make up all missed work within the first week we are back home. No ifs and or buts.

In Mexico, we went to the Tulum ruins and learned about the history of that area. We got to see what the real Mexico looks like on the way there and not just the advertised hotel areas.

In Bermuda, we went to the Zoo/Aqaurium and the Under Water Exploration Institutes. Both were highly educational.

Next up is Ladadee and Aruba. They are already doing research on both areas before we even go.

My daughter has done projects comparing cruises with land vacations. She had to write a sensory report about a place her teacher has never been and she picked Jobsons Cove in Bermuda.

I could go on, but I dont think you really want to hear any more.

[sblahars]

I'm sure everyone has the best intentions of making their trip educational, I really do. But I also believe people tell themselves (and others) that so they feel better about taking their kids out of school.

 

However, I seriously don't think that the 1/2 hour talk you get about the Mayan Ruins, or the narration you get on the way to Dolphin Cove, or the 15 minute lecture on the Tribal House at Totem Bite is more valuable than a whole week of school? They ARE educational in that you learn something and see it...but just SEEING it and being there doesn't outweigh what you miss during the week of school. (I understand what is missed at school will be made up, but there is something of value of being in school when it is actually taught, rather than learning it while trying to catch up)

[cruisinqt]

I have noticed a strong trend in the cruising industry towards educational learning in the child care centers. Many of the kids centers are now gearing all of the activities towards learning and getting an education while still having fun.;) On our last cruise, the kids helped to build a volcano and make it explode. This is often done in schools since it teaches many basic aspects of science. They also taught the kids how to make their own native american "dream catchers" and my kids learned quite a bit about the history of native americans. The day before we docked in Cozumel, the kids were taught about the history of the Mayans and then they made their own mayan ruins out of paper mache. The kids teachers back home were quite surprised at how much the kids had learned while on their cruise.:)

 

Sblahars, the counselors in the kids area are required to have an education in a field related to children. The vast majority of the counselors are college educated teachers and most of the others have degrees in child pyschology or some other highly regarded field. These people are not teeny boppers looking to make an extra dollar or two. These are well educated professionals that set up an educational but fun curriculum for our children long before we ever arrive on board the ship.

 

Sblahars, to answer your question: "Does everyone on here truly believe that a cruise is that educational?" My answer is H**L YES! My kids learn quite a bit while on a cruise. The education they get in the kids center alone is very, very, good. We have cruised with our kids on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, and are about to take our first Princess cruise this December. On each and every cruise there has been an excellent but fun education taught to my kids while in the kids area. They have been taught science, history, marine biology, and just about every cruise line has now instituted a reading curriculum where the kids are encouraged to read or are read to every day. Do they play? Yes, but the games they play and the activities they do are geared towards learning.:)

 

SO IN A NUTSHELL,YES, KIDS DO LEARN QUITE A BIT AND GET AN EDUCATION WHILE CRUISING.