Does Anyone Think Pulling My Kids Out For 8 Days Is To Long?

[imacruzinma]

From the kids point of view....my 10 and 13 year old boys would never want to be absent for 8 days of school. They know the amount of work required of them to make up even one missed day. Last year a flight conflict after Spring Break got us home one day late...they were not happy about it. My seventh grade son missed two consecutive days for the first time ever this year due to a nasty virus and it took him almost a week to meet with all his teachers and get up to date while completing his regular assignments and activities.

 

I work in a high school (not a teacher), am a parent of good students, and WAS an honor student and I don't know any conscientious middle/high school student who would opt to be out for that length of time.

 

I'm enjoying this thread because it is rather humorous to see elementary kids and high school kids lumped into the argument together....apples to oranges. Elementary teachers have maybe 20-25 kids (if you are lucky) to worry about and can certainly "accommodate" even if it causes them some extra work - our educational system is structured for personal attention at that age. Giving a 3rd grader a "vacation journal" and calling it extra work makes everyone feel better. Once you get into middle school and beyond where teachers have 90+ students it is selfish to expect the teacher to personalize assignments and exams, it is selfish to expect your kid to catch up on his/her own. Does each one of those 90+ kids have the right to request special timing? How would the teacher ever be able to do his/her regular preparation and give the students who do bother to come to school the best possible education?

[truecruiser]

From the kids point of view....my 10 and 13 year old boys would never want to be absent for 8 days of school. They know the amount of work required of them to make up even one missed day...

 

friends and neighbors who took their daughter out of middle school last year for a family event (parents renewed vows in hawaii), told me that they wld never do it again b/c the amount of work their daughter missed was incredible.

 

and to the above poster re: dr and dentist -- even if we have a note, the lateness is not excused. it is marked and reported. the only way to avoid this is to take them at the end of the day, if you have to take them during school hours due to time constraints w/ the dr's schedule.

[petro772]

Venture_Man

 

Are we a bit jealous? Just because you have difficulty learning and/or understanding the supposedly difficult subjects in High School, doen't mean others suffer from the same disability. There are those that can grasp the concepts and subject matter without having their hand held every second of the day. Perhaps that is why our district has never had a problem with the requests we have made.

 

Don't take it too hard though V_M. I'm sure you're very much appreciated by those around you. We all need our "special little person" to feel sorry for. :D

Huh? Don't we have something in the community guidelines about posts like this? Maybe Randy, etc. can straighten this out. ;)

[pholter]

Huh? Don't we have something in the community guidelines about posts like this? Maybe Randy, etc. can straighten this out. ;)

 

The post would need to be reported with an explanation as to why. The moderators would then check it out and probably "poof" the entire thread. :)

[briter]

and to the above poster re: dr and dentist -- even if we have a note, the lateness is not excused. it is marked and reported. the only way to avoid this is to take them at the end of the day, if you have to take them during school hours due to time constraints w/ the dr's schedule.

 

Ok, so the OP wants to take her kids out for 8 days just for fun and a lot of you think it's fine but I have to defend myself for taking my child out 1 day this year?:confused: He wasn't late he was out all day. Yes, I know to make appointments at the end of the day as I usually do but emergencies happen. You can't send them to school in pain and wait till the end of the day to take them in. I only brought this up to show that if my word as a parent that my child is in pain or is sick is not good enough for an excused absence then a cruise is not worthy of even an unexcused absence.

[GoinCruisin]

and to the above poster re: dr and dentist -- even if we have a note, the lateness is not excused. it is marked and reported. the only way to avoid this is to take them at the end of the day, if you have to take them during school hours due to time constraints w/ the dr's schedule.

 

Ok, so the OP wants to take her kids out for 8 days just for fun and a lot of you think it's fine but I have to defend myself for taking my child out 1 day this year?:confused: He wasn't late he was out all day. Yes, I know to make appointments at the end of the day as I usually do but emergencies happen. You can't send them to school in pain and wait till the end of the day to take them in. I only brought this up to show that if my word as a parent that my child is in pain or is sick is not good enough for an excused absence then a cruise is not worthy of even an unexcused absence.

 

That poster was just explaining that all school districts are different... and that your childs absence would have been unexcused... I know here, there are a certain number of days you can miss, period... doesn't matter if you were in the hospital for all those days... nobody asked you to defend anything, the point was, it's different everywhere...

[StuartLittle]

Huh? Don't we have something in the community guidelines about posts like this? Maybe Randy, etc. can straighten this out. ;)

 

 

Perhaps. But I was simply responding to VM original comments.

 

Originally Posted by VentureMan_2000

Seems most are taking education for granted. I'm pretty sure that every State hs laws that guarentees children an education regardless what the parent want or think. How well it's enforced is another issue. There are always people like StewartLittle that squirm their little ways thru the system and try to pretend that it's the norm... like we are really suppose to believe that a child from this person actually has an IQ that is achievable of a High School education.

 

For any parent to take away the privilage of learning, be it public or private, should be a felony.

 

And spare everyone your thought on how a cruise is a learning experience... I take craps that smell better then that story.

[nrdsb4]

wow. i can't believe some of the replies on this thread, especially from the teachers. at this point it seems that most of the teachers who replied are just pissed off about the inconvenience it may cause them, as opposed to actually caring if the absence will have a detrimental impact on the student.

 

 

I can't speak for the teachers, but maybe it's a bit of both.

 

Would you like it if your workload was increased (with no extra compensation of any kind, and likely no thanks either) on a regular basis simply to accomodate others who don't want to work within the parameters or normal working hours established by your business? I wonder how many of us would actually happily give extra in terms of time or responsibilities at our jobs for no extra pay (or benefits of any kind) just because we were asked to. You know, because we should care more about our jobs than ourselves.

 

But we hold teachers to a higher standard. Forget about their off time, their family obligations, their extra educational requirements, just give give give to those of us who don't want to observe the established working hours/holidays, and not only that, you better NOT complain. After all, it's all about the kids, right? Of course there is extra work involved for the teachers when someone misses class. I was a teacher before becoming a nurse, so I can say that with some bit of confidence. It's an expected part of the job when children get sick, but that's not what we are talking about here.

 

I certainly understand why there is a critical shortage of qualified teachers in this country. It gets worse and worse every year, and we wonder why our brightest and best are reluctant to enter the profession and why so many talented ones leave the profession early, feeling inadequate to meet increasingly unreasonable expectations, unappreciated, burned out, and taken advantage of.:rolleyes:

[Glama]

I empathize with teachers, truly I do. My TWO sisters are teachers, I UNDERSTAND.

 

However, I am my childs PARENT, and I have a say in this, too. We don't cruise over break time because rates and air are double. We cruise with a large group of friends and family, whom we love, and it's a special time for our kids. We try to incorporate as much "learning" into it as possible, without being total fun suckers. And, I'm not going to apologize for it. I'll make sure my kids are caught up, that's all anyone needs to know.

 

How about all the major assignments that elementary school and middle school kids are given, where the parents have to run all over town to find ONE book that everyone is sold out of, or special material that if it isn't right, the teacher won't accept, or science fair projects which take weeks of work, tons of materials, etc... YES, the teachers work and sacrifice for our kids, but I can guarantee you that more than 5 days out of the year, the teachers are expecting the same type of thing from US, the parents. I will gladly accept that responsibility as a parent, but I would appreciate the same respect in return when I ask them to just keep the assignments in a seperate folder.

[StuartLittle]

I can't speak for the teachers, but maybe it's a bit of both.

 

Would you like it if your workload was increased (with no extra compensation of any kind, and likely no thanks either) on a regular basis simply to accomodate others who don't want to work within the parameters or normal working hours established by your business? I wonder how many of us would actually happily give extra in terms of time or responsibilities at our jobs for no extra pay (or benefits of any kind) just because we were asked to. You know, because we should care more about our jobs than ourselves.

 

 

 

I have already mentioned in this thread that unexpected deadlines do arise and must be addressed in my job. It's a fact of life.

 

I can't speak for others, but I have personally thanked each teacher for their extra effort when I have taken kids out. Then again, I also write letters of thanks and praise for the teachers each year, at least those that are deserving. You'd be amazed how much they appreciate it.

 

I know teaching is not an easy job, but it is their chosen profession. I would think it better to strive to do your best and enjoy the position rather than getting upset about what a thankless job it is/can be. If a teacher is in the latter group, perhaps another profession is more to their liking.

[nrdsb4]

I have already mentioned in this thread that unexpected deadlines do arise and must be addressed in my job. It's a fact of life.

 

I can't speak for others, but I have personally thanked each teacher for their extra effort when I have taken kids out. Then again, I also write letters of thanks and praise for the teachers each year, at least those that are deserving. You'd be amazed how much they appreciate it.

 

I know teaching is not an easy job, but it is their chosen profession. I would think it better to strive to do your best and enjoy the position rather than getting upset about what a thankless job it is/can be. If a teacher is in the latter group, perhaps another profession is more to their liking.

 

You make some good points, but many people just use some of these points to justify taking advantage of comitted, giving individuals.

 

I think it's great you thank your teachers, both personally and in writing. Do you realize how rare that is?

 

I only taught three years and quit because I knew it was not the right thing for me (though it had nothing to do with not wanting to give to others, I went on to become a nurse). Years later, I had a student track me down and call to thank me for impacting her life. She had decided to major in the subject I taught. You could have literally knocked me over with a feather. A simple thanks is not really a small thing. It's huge. Kudos to you for doing that - you've probably made many a teacher's day.

[Kurbanfan]

I'm really surprised this thread is still going. But I'm really surprised as to why people take it upon themselves to make their family life public.....

[heyitsmejudy]

I'm really surprised this thread is still going. But I'm really surprised as to why people take it upon themselves to make their family life public.....

 

Me too, Kurban... 'specially since the OP is prob. on a ship somewhere boozing it up with his underage kid having logged off shortly after posting his question. Seems a lot of people are justifying what they're certain was the right thing to do. It's reassuring to see that everyone's kids are a step away from working at NASA and can stand to miss a few days of school. For the love of God can we stick a fork in this thread?

[nrdsb4]

I'm really surprised this thread is still going. But I'm really surprised as to why people take it upon themselves to make their family life public.....

 

Ha ha, you're right. :D The OP did ask for opinions, though, didn't she?

 

At least most here are anonymous. I've almost keeled over from shock with what people will reveal about themselves on shows like Dr. Phil, Oprah, and the like.

[StuartLittle]

Ok, on to more important things..

 

Does anybody have the reciepe for the Not So Wonderful Melting Chocolate Cake? :D

[heyitsmejudy]

Ok, on to more important things..

 

Does anybody have the reciepe for the Not So Wonderful Melting Chocolate Cake? :D

 

Yeah... my kid brought home the recipe today from school:D :D :D :D

[dyslexic pirate]

I take my kids out of school for a week each school year.

 

Really need to be careful once they get into high school as they only allow a certain number of abscenses.

 

May is tricky for seniors. Maybe the OP can get away with it because it is a year in advance.

 

The year my oldest was a senior his grandmother was dying of cancer. I thought she would last through the summer. After consulting with her doctor he said we'd better make the trip to see her asap.

 

Kids all missed the last week of school. Gma died three days after they visited. They were able to make up the work but it was a scramble. We did it for an emergency don't know that I'd do it for a cruise....unless of course the school year is started with all involved parties understanding the early vacation dismissal.

 

Like I said we take the kids out in Jan/Feb. It's a lot easier on the school situation. We don't do it because of the cost of the cruise we do it because it is the only time of year we can getway from home/work.

 

Could you maybe just do the cruise in the winter months with plenty of time to recoup?

[heyitsmejudy]

or not.

[Kurbanfan]

or not.

 

LOL!

[ozgirl96]

As a teacher who posted in this thread already, I want to point out how many times I've done the "set aside" & "request early" assignments ...only to have the parents never pick up the assignments. Just last week, I had a student (high schooler) miss a week and a half for vacation. I was told her assignments for the next 8 days needed to be in the office. I gladly did so, and they sat there during her entire vacation. She returned on Monday shocked that she had so much work that was supposed to be done within the next 3 days so that she could take the test with the rest of the class. I felt no sympathy since I did my job, yet she didn't do hers. She was forced to take the test on time.

Besides that, I think we have to keep in mind that a lot of what goes on in the classroom involves discussion and interaction. High schools are getting away from "worksheet" learning. So, to miss a full week (or more) you can't just make it up with doing a few worksheets or checking with the teacher at the beginning of the hour.

Oh, and I have 135 students... if I had even a 1/3 of my students requesting work early or taking finals early, that's a lot of extra time. A lot of teachers plan their lessons based on the needs of the class and the pacing the class requires, so I can take a guess as to what we will be doing in the next 2 weeks...but I can't guarantee. To put together a packet of make up work several weeks before we get to the material will take extra time for any teacher ...and it may end up being work we don't even get to. I have had this happen to where I give students assignments that the rest of the class doesn't happen to do...for one reason or another.

[TennisLover]

Does Anyone Think Pulling My Kids Out For 8 Days Is To Long? Yes, I think taking kids out of school - especially high school and middle school -is too long.

 

Regardless of school requirements about attendance and the fact that the kids are capable of making up the work, it is a lot of pressure on kids to do the catch up work when they are in the higher grades. My mother used to take us out for a week to visit our grandparents in Florida; she brought all our work with us but once we got to middle school, we told her we couldn't handle it anymore.

 

Next year, I will only have my kids (will be in 10th and 7th grades) miss one day of school, post-cruise, because of airfares. Everyone will have to deal with this.

 

We pay the premium on cruises and airfare to take the kids on vacation over school breaks. Yet, we continually get assigned projects and, worse, group projects over school vacations, including summer. Don't the kids get a break? This February, it was a group project and no one would be my daughter's partner because she was going to be away on a cruise (9th grade).

 

If the schools can schedule superintendent's days and other random days off next to a vacation week, that would be nice. I also have a problem with days when the kids get subs because the teachers have to grade state tests. Those days are a complete waste of time for the kids.

 

I was just going to answer the OP's question, but all the comments from teachers here got me going... sorry!

[nrdsb4]

Ok, on to more important things..

 

Does anybody have the reciepe for the Not So Wonderful Melting Chocolate Cake? :D

 

 

Hee hee! Your parents must have taken you out of school for 8 days and look, it ruined your education!

 

Just kidding, lol.

 

May is a very difficult month for my high school junior. I could probably get her "excused" from classes, but the consequences in terms of stress, grades, etc., would not be worth it.

 

For the younger ages, it could probably be worked out. But the older they get, the busier May seems to get in terms of school work, subject tests, SAT's and ACT's, and AP exams. It would be the worst possible time to take my daughter out of high school. But I'm sure different regions have different time lines.

[Mikel1733]

As our kids were growing up we took them out of school twice for a cruise. The teachers said the kids would learn and experience things going outside the country and were very supportive. Both kids have now completed college and have successful jobs. Don't think the days off was a problem.

[fllady61]

Hey CC Good Afternoon, I'm interested in the 8 day carribbean cruise on the Carnival Miracle For May 1st,2008 i'm wondering do you think pulling my kids out of school for 8 days is too long? It's techinally 7 days out of school one is going to be a senior and ones going to be a junior it's going to be the seniors graduation gift and just thought it would be better because it's cheaper in may; as my daughter wants to bring 2 of her friends!!

 

Any opinions on the ship is greatly appericated also!

 

Thanks

 

 

If the schools where you are are like the one's here, the last month is almost useless anyway. The last year my daughter was in public school which she is now home schooled, the last month, they did such a little that it was almost stupid for her to go.

 

I personally don't think it is a big deal. Tell the teachers in advance, get their school work for the week they will be gone, have them do it all the night before you leave for your cruise, the when they get back, the school work is still up to date, and the kids will go right back to class and still be caught up.

 

I use to always get my DD lessons if I had to be gone for a week due to family leave, or if she was sick at home. Needless to say she did not care to do the work, but I told her it was do it then, or have to do twice as much when she got home.

[fllady61]

Ok, on to more important things..

 

Does anybody have the reciepe for the Not So Wonderful Melting Chocolate Cake? :D

 

 

Hey Stuart, it is called go to the grocery and get a box mix for th cake. It is called Chocolate Molten Lava Cake by DUNCAN HINES. not trying to be smart, but it is easier than searching sites for the cake mix because I can not find it on line. tried all sites. unless they name it something else.