are cruises educational for kids

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

I don't usually post on controversial threads but this one is near and dear to me. We have done now 17 cruises and I believe 10 of those have been with our children. They are now aged 17 and 13.

 

For JustaKnucklehead some of us don't have the luxury in our jobs to have vacation time when the school board decides that school should be out. We live in Canada and have been hoping for year round schooling to become commonplace to allow for school vacation time throughout the year. To date there is only one school in our region offering year round schooling and even that doesn't work for us because one child could be enrolled in that school but the other could not.

 

We have always pulled our children out of school for the purpose of cruising and have to sign a waiver for the board stating that we understand that this "could" have an adverse affect on their grades. PLEASE give me a break....What about all those days that I send my child to school and they have a dance, or movie afternoon or skits or plays or like what happened to my youngest this past school year .....for the entire month of June nothing was learned ...because final grades were already submitted so play day, movie days...yes days...several of them took place for that month. This in my opinion is ridiculous. So, for those who think that taking a child out of school for four days is too many...it's not.

 

My children are both honour roll students and make us proud on each trip we take. People always come up to us and tell us how well behaved, mannerly and well dressed our boys are. They love cruising and all that it entails.

 

They appreciate what we have been able to give them and furthermore, I happen to have cancer and don't know how many days I have left in this life so time spent with my boys now may mean more than any school education.

 

This last year of high school for our oldest son, they were going to try to give him zero for assignments that would be missed by him being out of school and his teachers refused to give him zero because all his assignments for the two weeks he would miss were completed and handed in before he left so he was actually ahead of the class. His teachers know the kind of student he is and they supported us in our travel/family need to be together.

 

He is now in University so he will not be coming with us this November when we have our family cruise but there again, I don't believe he couldn't keep up especially since everything learned there to date he has already learned in 9th grade of high school. So you see, there is room to miss some "in class" time because so much of that so called valuable in class time is wasted or repeated.

 

What they have learned cruising has never been wasted or repeated. Please don't flame me...I just want to give a different perspective.

 

I do believe some children cannot miss school and so they shouldn't but many others are able to do so with absolutely no problems.

 

I would also like to say that it's always a few children on cruises who give a bad name to all children. Someone said about teenagers and drinking to intoxication. That could happen....but it happens frequently to adults cruising.

 

I think some people just don't want children on cruises at all....then don't go during the summer, spring break, Christmas break etc because others here feel that's the only time children should be allowed to go. You might also want to choose an adult only cruise line or at least a stuffier cruise line than our favourite...Royal Caribbean.

[TravelTalker]

Cruises can be educational, particularly if you make an effort to show your children different cultures.

 

Oh, and I have a well-behaved child anecdote. My children have cruised annually since kindergarten, (they're now teens) and have been complemented on their table manners by at least one other table on every cruise. It's usually a nice older couple who seem to be surprised by their behavior. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's has this experience, I'm proud of my children and of the people who know that a compliment goes further than criticism.

 

I've seen many children and teens opening doors for people, pulling out chairs, getting towels, using manners, not running and not using profanity.

 

There are quite a few people on this board who've witnessed well-behaved children on cruises. Unfortunately, it's the badly behaved ones that get more press.

[groovy gran]

at our schools in portsmouth uk children are allowed 10 days per year to take holidays in school time.The reason a lot of parents in the uk take there children out of school to go on holiday is simply the price.

We took our grandchildren to spain this year in the school holidays.

If we had gone 3 weeks earlier we would have saved £1000.

so many parents have no choice as it is no holiday at all or take your children out of school.All the big travel companys put there prices up for the school holidays.

I dont no if this is the case in the us.:cool:

[jpurdy]

There is traditional school, and the school of life. We are one of the only countries that do not have school year round. We do not need our kids to tend the fields anymore! It's time we advocate change. And until the cruise lines stop hiking the prices during summer and vacation time, it will continue to be a problem. Yes, they are a business and they are just taking advantage of what is obvious to them. But it sure would help decrease prices if school were year round wouldn't it! It is cause to celebrate if a family chooses to simply BE together at any time, especially once kids are older. You know, those teenage years! 8 weeks after our family cruise several years ago (in August), my mother suddenly died and for my kids, it was their last memory of her having fun with them. How I treasure that time and the truth is, none of us knows how much longer we have. Time together as a family is precious. A week away from school is but a moment in time. Take your kids. Love them, enjoy them.

[shan&steve]

1.These boys are not genuis and need every credit they can get. However, they are not academically challenged. (B-C students)

2. I have tried to make this an educational experience as well, and have received no help from the teachers due to it being an unexcused absence.

 

Then maybe what you are doing is not a good idea. JMHO:rolleyes:

[groovy gran]

There is traditional school, and the school of life. We are one of the only countries that do not have school year round. We do not need our kids to tend the fields anymore! It's time we advocate change. And until the cruise lines stop hiking the prices during summer and vacation time, it will continue to be a problem. Yes, they are a business and they are just taking advantage of what is obvious to them. But it sure would help decrease prices if school were year round wouldn't it! It is cause to celebrate if a family chooses to simply BE together at any time, especially once kids are older. You know, those teenage years! 8 weeks after our family cruise several years ago (in August), my mother suddenly died and for my kids, it was their last memory of her having fun with them. How I treasure that time and the truth is, none of us knows how much longer we have. Time together as a family is precious. A week away from school is but a moment in time. Take your kids. Love them, enjoy them.

 

well said

[jpurdy]

Guess it hit a nerve with me too. No one knows what life has dealt any of us. For the judgers who at first say 'don't take your kids out of school' then hear that someone is terminal, then reconsider and say 'oh, then it's ok'. Why? There are any number of reasons why a family needs to regroup away from life at home. It could be a recovery from addiction, or just returning from military service, or maybe that family had a terrible medical scare and it turned out to be ok, and...well you get the picture. For those of you who think it's terrible to take the kids out of school, I would like to see you put all your energy into opening the eyes of our leaders to the education system in our country, deteriorating schools, low paid teachers and oh yea, remember 'no child left behind'??? Yea right.

[hoogie]

My dad died young, 58 yrs old. My wife’s dad died young at 54 yrs old. My wife's friend father died at 44, other friend's father at 42.

 

I'm in my mid 40's and you just never know when your time is up.

 

I remember that my dad couldn't wait to be able to retire and travel but he never got to. There's probably a good chance too that if he lived to be older and got his chance to travel then my brother, sister and myself probably wouldn't have gone with mom and dad at that point since we would have been older/married and had our own things to do. So either way I missed out.

 

In respect to the above, I never went anywhere other than maybe Florida until I was 30 or so. I was uneasy at the prospect of travel, nervous to fly and always thought that passports were for special people, not people like me.

 

Looking back I can clearly see that my lack of travel experience definitely molded my career decisions at a young age. I immediately excluded any job that had travel involved, since it wasn't a familiar thing for me to do. I now feel strongly that travel in general expands your personal limits, gives you the ability and the courage to think outside your home town and takes away the fear of the unknown. This is one of the tremendous benefits that my children are receiving.

 

I look at my kids who are 10 and 11; they have 2 cruises and visits to 11 countries under their belts. When they are older and have an opportunity to go somewhere I'm hoping that they'll be comfortable enough to do it and not turn it down like I would have.

 

We don't focus specifically on education on our vacations but we do work hard to keep current with whatever school work they've missed. You can be sure that even lying on a beach and seeing how hermit crabs live and scurry around provides educational value, not everyone is going to be an accountant.

 

We feel fortunate that we have the time and the health to be able to take vacations. We also place requirements on them - good manners, well behaved, good grades or no vacations.

 

Certainly there are tradeoffs, but if my kids have to miss a week of school so that I can provide them with a lifetime of memories then so be it. One day I'll be gone and they'll always have the memories of all the things we did together instead of being in my position and wishing that I could have gone on a cruise with my dad or met my father in law.

 

Hoog

[wisefamily4]

[quote name=

Educational experiences, such as cruising should be done when school is out of session. God knows, there is plenty of time available, since school is only 180 days a year.[/quote]

 

I would be very worried if my children couldn't miss a week of school and still keep up with class. While most of our vacations are during school breaks, we sometimes pull the kids out for up to a week during the school year.

The teachers know well in advance - The kids either take tests before or after and complete the homework for full credit.

Of course, there are requirements (by grade) for how many days a child must attend school - even with the occasional vacation, Angels day game, or sick day - the kids never come close to going over.

 

Next someone's going to say the kids shouldn't pray or pledge allegiance to the flag in school either....

 

This is just one more (of many) reasons why we have the kids in a good private school.

[TravelTalker]

Next someone's going to say the kids shouldn't pray or pledge their allegiance to the flag in school either....

.

 

What do you mean "next"? Not only has it been said, it's been legislated...

[ilionite65]

I think this whole thread is rather stupid!

[TravelTalker]

So why did you post to it?

[cruise182]

I think this whole thread is rather stupid!

Then why read it? Or abetter question.....Why respond to it?:)

[Tra4]

Has it ever occurred to anyone that while in a perfect world, perfect families can take these perfect vacations in the perfect free time that schools offer. And they magically coincide with dad's busiest time with work, or mom's busiest time with work.

 

We take the most of our vacations now in August, however, I have pulled them out of school for a cruise when the only time my husband could vacation was in Oct. due to his work. Vacations are good for everyone, and as a family its important to reconnect as a family. Ours was to Hawaii, very educational, kept their reports to give to teachers, and missed 2 weeks of school. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, but it is also a once in a lifetime opportunity for your children. I don't believe parents intend to ruin their childrens lives by choosing vacation over school, rather quite the opposite. Travelling enriches lives.

[ilionite65]

First off, I read it to see what it was about, can't respond without reading! secondly I responded because that is my option! You prove my post!

[ckrobyn]

I think this whole thread is rather stupid!

 

UGH to the comment above.

 

Actually - I am really enjoying it.

 

Thanks to everyone for being so candid and honest about your family life :)

 

We love cruising ( hooked after the first one!)

We will always take our precious daughter with us ( she was 8 on the last cruise - will be 9 on this one)

We will continue to take her out of school to cruise ( as long as her grades remain steady and the time away will not adversely affect her schooling)

 

We are all entitled to do what we feel is best for our families and no-one has the right to pass judgement on that.

 

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it ;)

[hoogie]

Sometimes opinions are best kept to ourselves. Your post was the most pointless of all.

[PelicanBill]

Right! And in this magical world, children's time off from school is not during hurricane season, and even better, cruise lines and hotels and airlines do not charge double the price knowing for these popular family travel times.

 

We just talked to our first grader's teacher about her missing 4 days in October for our cruise. She will give us some work ahead, and some after to make up, and she is thrilled that our daughter will make a journal of the travels and learnings.

 

So she has 4 days unexcused absence. Last I checked, nobody will arrest us, college admissions won't be looking for it, but I suppose it will be part of her permanent record. :eek:

[ckrobyn]

Sometimes opinions are best kept to ourselves. Your post was the most pointless of all.

 

Yikes! I hope you weren't reffering to the above post? :eek: ( mine?)

[justaknucklehead]

I don't think taking them out of school in grade school is a big deal at all, but after 8th grade, I think it could be problematic. I'm not talking about a few days here and there. I'm talking about three or four weeks a year (and yes, some do, believe it or not). They also justify it by calling it "educational", but all in all, it just sounds like "fun" to me, lol.

[Tra4]

I don't think taking them out of school in grade school is a big deal at all, but after 8th grade, I think it could be problematic. I'm not talking about a few days here and there. I'm talking about three or four weeks a year (and yes, some do, believe it or not). They also justify it by calling it "educational", but all in all, it just sounds like "fun" to me, lol.

 

 

My son is in 8th grade and I agree. Mostly due to his sports, etc., makes it difficult to miss school. I did take them out in grade school, but high school is much harder to catch up and once in college almost impossible.

[cruise182]

I don't think taking them out of school in grade school is a big deal at all, but after 8th grade, I think it could be problematic. I'm not talking about a few days here and there. I'm talking about three or four weeks a year .

 

I agree!!:)

[hoogie]

Sorry CKRobyn, I was refering to this one, should have been more specific.

 

 

I think this whole thread is rather stupid!

 

 

Hoog

[MrsPete]

I was informed I can write a note saying they were sick, have them do nothing special while on the trip, and it is magically an excused absence and all work is able to be made up.

4. I will end up writing the note to help them academically, but sacrifice my integrity in the process.

Believe me, this detail frustrates teachers too. It is a foolish rule. It doesn't take a genius to know when kids are really sick and when they're not.

 

Regardless of the rule, I would not write the note. It sends the message to the kids that it's okay to lie when it's convenient.

[MrsPete]

With all do respect.......I have followed and participated in the numerous topics about school and cruising. From what I gather most of the parents that responded to these threads have their children doing extras such as journals and such AS WELL as "whatever went on in school that week"....not "IN PLACE OF"

If I were motivated to do so, I could find a dozen posts in which parents say, "The teacher just told us to write a journal /report / whatever." It seems to be very common. Others even say that their children received NO make-up work for a whole week's absence (that would concern me -- I'd want to know what my child was doing all week if he could be out five days and miss nothing).