Cruises with Grandparents - worth it no matter what

[cruisnpat]

When our children were little we always to a vacation somewhere with our tent and later had a camper. Our children still talk about the times we went to different places and camped. Some times wakeing up to snow on the ground/tent but those were the good memories that our children havr of our vacations. Wasn't into cruising at that time.

[mom23guys]

dec2007w3boys,

Agree to disagree. In my house growing up, if I stayed home from school sick, I wasn't allowed out until after I'd been back to school. So if I was sick Friday, I was in all weekend. Husband's family was the same way. My Dad started college when I started elementary school- he finished law school when I was a high school freshman-All while working a full time job. Yet I traveled extensively when growing up. I've been to 48 of our states and a number of countries.

As I said, education is a priority in our families, so is travel.

[HurricaneSally]

This past November, we took a cruise with my mom. This year, my dad will be going with us. We take the kids out of school for these cruises, and I thought it was worth it to give them an opportunity to see different parts of the world and different cultures.

 

Well, this morning, my grandmother, who I traveled with when I was younger, passed away unexpectantly after a sudden illness. As I remember many things about her, one of the things I remember the most are the trips we took and the time I was with her for more then just a few hour visit. Just spending a week talking about her life growing up, her family, her experiences are something that I will never be able to do again. I was able to compare notes with my cousins, and we all found we had these memories of Grandma.

 

For anyone debating taking a trip during the school year, think of the memories you are instilling in your kids. I know my kids are still talking about their Carnival cruise with their grandma. And next year at this time, they'll have two weeks of memories with each grandparent. Hopefully, 23-30 years later when they are my age, those memories will still make them smile.

 

I have no doubt that they will gain more from these cruises with their Grandparents then they would in a few days to a week at school. I think cruising is a great way to bring families together. I am glad I discovered it.

 

They will have the same memories if you take them during school break, so what is you're real point?

[dec2007w3boys]

They will have the same memories if you take them during school break, so what is you're real point?

Some people can not take them during summer, Christmas or spring breaks for either scheduling or financial reasons. My mother, who works for a fertilizer and lp gas company, would fit both reasons. I will go when I can go and enjoy every minute of it with no regrets later. Again though, we are fortunate in that our school allows 5 excused days for vacation and promotes students completing projects about their trips. This year we will either miss two or three days depending on our flight to FLL. So I am not breaking any school policies. Sure, if you can go during school breaks go; but if it is either go during off seasons because that is when you can afford it and/or schedule it, or not go at all, well... that is the point I am making. :)

[cathyoo]

dec2007w3boys,

Agree to disagree. In my house growing up, if I stayed home from school sick, I wasn't allowed out until after I'd been back to school. So if I was sick Friday, I was in all weekend. As I said, education is a priority in our families, so is travel.

 

They were my rules also. Our school did not have excused absences for travel. I was not about to teach my children that it was alright to break rules because it was cheaper or more convenient for me. If I din't want to follow the rules I should not send my children to that school. Some folks on these type of threads here has such little respect for their children's educational facility that I wonder why they don't find another way to educate their children. (Please note I said some)

 

Cruising is a wonderful vacation however you don't need to be on a ship to have a family vacation. That was what I wanted my children to learn: family is a priority but education is also. Sometimes we can't have everything we want so learning to adapt is a an important lesson.

[soozles]

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

My grandparents used to take me and my sister on vacation all the time, but we would go when we had a break from school. Usually, we would go during our February break, drive from NY to Florida and go to Disney for a couple days, and then drive back. We once got caught in a blizzard, and found a hotel that had a room available for the night. The next morning, my grandparents didn't want to wake up me or my sister just yet, so they left us in the room sleeping and went to load up the car. My sister wakes up, sees that our grandparents aren't there, freaks out, calls my parents back in NY that they have to come nad get us because our grandparents don't love us anymore and tried to get rid of us. My mom figured they went to load the car and was trying to calm her down, but she was basically hysterical. Then my grandparents walked in.

[HurricaneSally]

They were my rules also. Our school did not have excused absences for travel. I was not about to teach my children that it was alright to break rules because it was cheaper or more convenient for me. If I din't want to follow the rules I should not send my children to that school. Some folks on these type of threads here has such little respect for their children's educational facility that I wonder why they don't find another way to educate their children. (Please note I said some)

 

Cruising is a wonderful vacation however you don't need to be on a ship to have a family vacation. That was what I wanted my children to learn: family is a priority but education is also. Sometimes we can't have everything we want so learning to adapt is a an important lesson.

 

I agree with you. When my kids were in school we couldn't afford to take cruises as a family. We were busy saving money for college so the kids wouldn't be saddled with debt when they graduated.

 

We would rent a house at the Jersey shore and spend the week there with extended family. School is more important than cruising and so is teaching your children responsibility.

[Muumuu]

We travel often with our 2 grandsons and they too are addicts. Our 11 year old earned his balck belt in Tae Kwon Do and for his gift from us he chose a cruise. He also included his younger brother on the cruise. We had a wonderful time.

[cathyoo]

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

My grandparents used to take me and my sister on vacation all the time, but we would go when we had a break from school. Usually, we would go during our February break, drive from NY to Florida and go to Disney for a couple days, and then drive back. We once got caught in a blizzard, and found a hotel that had a room available for the night. The next morning, my grandparents didn't want to wake up me or my sister just yet, so they left us in the room sleeping and went to load up the car. My sister wakes up, sees that our grandparents aren't there, freaks out, calls my parents back in NY that they have to come nad get us because our grandparents don't love us anymore and tried to get rid of us. My mom figured they went to load the car and was trying to calm her down, but she was basically hysterical. Then my grandparents walked in.

 

I love this story.. what a great memory

[shankiko]

4 generations will be travelling together on the Pride in May. DH and I, our DD, 2 GK's and my in laws. I am so looking forward to this cruise as I am so fortunate to have the most wonderful in laws in the world. Not many D'sIL can say that! DH and I have been on the Pride before but not the others so not only will we be making new memories but the GK's will have quiet, quality time with their GGP's. The kids will miss a week of school but think of what they will be seeing in every port and the time with family cannot be replaced! Make arrangements ahead of time with the school and ENJOY!!

Shankiko;)

[SheriNtexas]

So sorry to hear about your grandmother! I agree with your post 100%!! Family is SO important! Kids of today need to know and understand how things were in the past. I'll never forget finding out from my grandmother several years ago that she used to be a car hop on roller skates at a Sonic type drive in!! Last year she told me things about HER mother that I never even knew!:eek: My great grandmother died several years ago at aged 100, and she still has 2 sisters who are still alive, and they are older!:eek: Thanks to the OP for reminding us that time is fleeting, and time spent with family is NEVER wasted time!!

[dec2007w3boys]

So sorry to hear about your grandmother! I agree with your post 100%!! Family is SO important! Kids of today need to know and understand how things were in the past. I'll never forget finding out from my grandmother several years ago that she used to be a car hop on roller skates at a Sonic type drive in!! Last year she told me things about HER mother that I never even knew!:eek: My great grandmother died several years ago at aged 100, and she still has 2 sisters who are still alive, and they are older!:eek: Thanks to the OP for reminding us that time is fleeting, and time spent with family is NEVER wasted time!!

We had Grandma's viewing tonight at the funeral home and tomorrow morning is the funeral mass. We had a dvd of pictures running the entire day with picture after picture of Grandma with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren all over the country. My kids enjoyed seeing the pictures of them with her at the beach in 2002. My son born in 2003 couldn't find himself in that picture and was very concerned. ;)

[petro772]

They were my rules also. Our school did not have excused absences for travel. I was not about to teach my children that it was alright to break rules because it was cheaper or more convenient for me. If I din't want to follow the rules I should not send my children to that school. Some folks on these type of threads here has such little respect for their children's educational facility that I wonder why they don't find another way to educate their children. (Please note I said some)

 

Cruising is a wonderful vacation however you don't need to be on a ship to have a family vacation. That was what I wanted my children to learn: family is a priority but education is also. Sometimes we can't have everything we want so learning to adapt is a an important lesson.

 

I've never heard of excused absences from school. The biggest lesson to learn is that we can't have everything in life. Today's kids can't understand why. Good luck, future. ;)

[floatingaway2525]

We had Grandma's viewing tonight at the funeral home and tomorrow morning is the funeral mass. We had a dvd of pictures running the entire day with picture after picture of Grandma with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren all over the country. My kids enjoyed seeing the pictures of them with her at the beach in 2002. My son born in 2003 couldn't find himself in that picture and was very concerned. ;)

 

God Bless and prayers for your family. My family too had many many prictues of trips that are so precious now. Unfortunately they were played at my son's funeral, after he died at 19 yrs of age. We also took time off "school" when we had to. Thank God we did.

I think your children will thank you all their lives....:)

[chipmaster]

Spending time with family is magical and we all should make every effort. I know that vacation will be one you treasure forever and sorry to hear of your loss.

 

We to will be doing a cruise with 3 generations this year, and I know it will be a once in a lifetime event as my parents and inlaws are pushing their 70's and 80's

 

But, my 2cents... I think too many take school too lightly and vacations as too important and explain away reasons to take our kids out; good grades, high achievers, worldly experience, poor public schools. I know I will get flames for this but prioritizing school shows your kids its important and critical. To explain away as ok to miss to have fun is the first step down the slipper slope of a sliding scale of setting exceptions to rules. Where it will stop you never know. I find that between the two weeks during Christmas, week of spring and the long summer their is more then enough time to plan and to find time for these long vacations. Sure they cost a bit more, but compromising values isn't worth the few % on cost of tickets and fees for me. No flames just my 2 cents of how we choose to balance the two. Its a free world for all to chose where they will draw the line

 

Happy cruising

[floatingaway2525]

[quote name='chipmaster']Spending time with family is magical and we all should make every effort. I know that vacation will be one you treasure forever and sorry to hear of your loss.

We to will be doing a cruise with 3 generations this year, and I know it will be a once in a lifetime event as my parents and inlaws are pushing their 70's and 80's

But, my 2cents... I think too many take school too lightly and vacations as too important and explain away reasons to take our kids out; good grades, high achievers, worldly experience, poor public schools. I know I will get flames for this but prioritizing school shows your kids its important and critical. To explain away as ok to miss to have fun is the first step down the slipper slope of a sliding scale of setting exceptions to rules. Where it will stop you never know. I find that between the two weeks during Christmas, week of spring and the long summer their is more then enough time to plan and to find time for these long vacations. Sure they cost a bit more, but compromising values isn't worth the few % on cost of tickets and fees for me. No flames just my 2 cents of how we choose to balance the two. Its a free world for all to chose where they will draw the line

Happy cruising[/quote]

Good for you and I agree, personal judgment is always key, and nothing is more important that the message you send to your children. We always did plan vacations around the school schedule, except for the last year my Dad was failing and we knew there was not much time left to do it. Little did we know how little time my son had left with us...
Just our personal experience, FWIW :)

[skylock]

[quote name='chipmaster']Spending time with family is magical and we all should make every effort. I know that vacation will be one you treasure forever and sorry to hear of your loss.

We to will be doing a cruise with 3 generations this year, and I know it will be a once in a lifetime event as my parents and inlaws are pushing their 70's and 80's

But, my 2cents... I think too many take school too lightly and vacations as too important and explain away reasons to take our kids out; good grades, high achievers, worldly experience, poor public schools. I know I will get flames for this but prioritizing school shows your kids its important and critical. To explain away as ok to miss to have fun is the first step down the slipper slope of a sliding scale of setting exceptions to rules. Where it will stop you never know. I find that between the two weeks during Christmas, week of spring and the long summer their is more then enough time to plan and to find time for these long vacations. Sure they cost a bit more, but compromising values isn't worth the few % on cost of tickets and fees for me. No flames just my 2 cents of how we choose to balance the two. [COLOR=red]Its a free world for all to chose where they will draw the line[/COLOR]

Happy cruising[/quote]

That is not entirely true, but I do make the decision on where to draw the line and that line is family first. Above all else. And I mean everything. Work, school, friends. If the only time all can get together is during school time I have no problem pulling them out. Education is important, but not more important than family. Maybe you thoughts on this is because you do not enjoy the family others of us have. I know not one of my friends do. I have friends that have siblings living in the same town that they only see once in a great while at Walmart. They think we are the weird ones. And get this. I don't even like my mom, but she is welcome to go anywhere I go, because she is my mother, and because of the grandkids.

Even if we wanted to only do school times, we couldn't. The kids are in 6 different schools. Rarely do vacation times coincide. Plus my sister is a teacher so that adds 7 school schedules we have to work around. Not to mention work schedules. And Army reserve schedule. Or the ship schedule or whatever it is we are planning. Of all the schedules we have to work around, school is the least important. I am not saying it is not important, but education does not happen only in the classroom. And sense of family is found nowhere in the classroom.

All my kids are grown with the last one graduating college in May. All have gone on full scholarships and all are or will be productive citizens with a strong sense of family unity and very respected in the community. And I pulled them out of school everytime I found something I wanted us to do.

Now you want to talk about that slippery slope. There are tons on kids that were never allowed to miss a day of school but had not turned out to be productive citizens. My neighbors children are a prime example. Decent parents, piss poor children, but as far as I know they never missed a day at school except for illness so that was rare. In fact, the mom sent me one of those email where you answer questions. Her response to last place you went on vacation was, never been on vacation. If the mom and dad need something done for them, it is MY son they have to call on because theirs can't be bothered. Explain that to me. Maybe it is because I taught family/neighbors matter. Something the schools obviously missed.

You want to talk about the world, my kids can tell you most of what you want to know, cause they have been there. I am thinking for our next land vacation going to the crash site of the plane that crashed in the Andes Mountains about 30 years ago. The place where the 16 survivors turned to canniblism to survive the 3 months till they were rescued. The day any school can meet my expectations on education I will let them call the shots, but until then, I will do it. Because I am the parent, and I am the one that makes decisions for my children. And we should not be punished for the failings of others or the pitiful state of public education. Teaching a child to read is not an education. Abraham Lincoln learned to read. Broadening their world and instilling the importance of family above all else is an education too many kids are missing today.

OK, off my soap box for now.

[cathyoo]

[quote name='floatingaway2525']Good for you and I agree, personal judgment is always key, and nothing is more important that the message you send to your children. We always did plan vacations around the school schedule, except for the last year my Dad was failing and we knew there was not much time left to do it. Little did we know how little time my son had left with us...
Just our personal experience, FWIW :)[/QUOTE]

My heart aches for you over the loss of your son.

[Theresa522]

[quote name='floatingaway2525']God Bless and prayers for your family. My family too had many many prictues of trips that are so precious now. Unfortunately they were played at my son's funeral, after he died at 19 yrs of age. We also took time off "school" when we had to. Thank God we did.
I think your children will thank you all their lives....:)[/quote]

I am soooo sorry to hear about your son. My thoughts and prayers are with you!!

[chipmaster]

[quote name='skylock']
... that line is family first. Above all else. And I mean everything.

... you do not enjoy the family others of us have.

... I don't even like my mom,

... school is the least important.

... I found something I wanted

OK, off my soap box for now.[/quote]

I can't resist! :D :D

You are right in that I probably wont enjoy your family, but I might like your mom :eek:

You are wrong, family first doesn't mean anything has to be compromised

You arent family first, you sem to be about me above everything else, how do I read "something I found I wanted" I know, I know I'm taking that one out of context, but IS what you wrote!

I like, respect and love my mom to no end, but I don't agree with 90% of her views, but appreciate why she has them as she grew up in a different era and her very different experience has shape her values. Don't tell her you don't "like" her tell people you "disagree" with her! She is family remember;)

School isn't "least important" I'd say it is the "MOST" important aspect of your childrens education. Like many have said our children's future is the parents #1 job, education is the most important part of it. Sure education is more then school, but I'll venture 99% of us view school a core part of it right up there with family. We seem to all agree family isn't negotiable for compromise, then why is school somehow different. I've heard that long list in many places, its all stories that are convenient for us to embrace.

I've taught my children it "is" their priority, no different them mine to my job, to be a good parent, or someone else's to their commitments. I teach them their priority can and should be met without compromise. For the same reason I might or might not skip mine is no more important value then for them to skip theirs. To simply say school "is least important" really is the wrong message. This is a common thread I see among those that post here who ALWAYS come back to defend with the "resume" of their children. That is NOT the point. That is like the preacher saying do as I say not as I do. Or don't mind what I do, because I'm a good mom, father, priest, or District Attorny/Governor. There are many options, you don't have to compromise. You can have your cake and eat it to. Those that have excuses are simply compromising and explaining their sliding scale.

I can't appreciate the experiences that molded anyone on this forum. In today's competitive enviroment unless you are born into money and/or business, a education is the ticket. Please no more about all those good students that don't amount to anything nor stories of the successfuly that took a different path. Education means different things to different people. But in the US its clear we are lagging and that lag and the excuses we make around it will be clear in two generations when the wealth generation ends up somewhere else. Once a society decides to bend values or standards to their convenience is when society starts crumbling. Like the fall of Rome won't happen overnight, perhaps not in our lifetimes but its the law of nature and behavior it will crumble.

I'll end with my simple recommendation / observation from personal experience, you DON'T have to compromise anything and why would anyone compromise their values or make excuses for something as petty as a damm vacation cruise anyways :confused:

Now I'm off my soapbox too on this subjet :D