Do you take your High Schoolers out of school to cruise?

[Nuttycruisegirl]

My son attends school in a district that will work with you to allow kids to take vacations and make up work. We are doing a Thurs-Mon cruise so he will only miss three days. I would be hesitant to take him out the full week. The bigger problem he will run into is he will miss three Football practices and one game, which oddly enough is what seems to be more of a problem to the school than the academic work!

[Warm Breezes]

The bigger problem he will run into is he will miss three Football practices and one game, which oddly enough is what seems to be more of a problem to the school than the academic work!

 

I ran into the same problem with basketball. My DS was penalized last year when we took a cruise over Thanksgiving Break. He missed 2 days of school which was not a problem. He missed 2 basketball practices and their first game and was penalized by not being allowed to play in the game after he got back or allowed to be a starter until his fourth game back (the coach called our house to inform us that if we weren't going on the cruise he would have been a starter - like I was going to cancel our cruise so he could be a starter in a middle school game.) This was 8th grade - we had planned the cruise a year in advance - they made final cuts for the basketball team two weeks before our cruise. There is no way I can talk him into doing a cruise over Christmas this year (which is the only time we have time off together) because he would be missing basketball practices and a game as a freshman. We are going to have to wait until next year and see if I can squeeze in a week that works with everyones schedules. The older they get the harder it becomes.

[merela]

not at high school level. I would do it if your child is in kindergarten or 1st grade (maybe even 2nd grade). Now that my child will be in 4th grade, she wouldn't be able to catch up if she misses 1 week of school. I can imagine if your child is in high school, the material they miss will be hard to catch up, even if they are very bright.

[cruisinwithboys]

I had all AP classes, which are set up just like college classes. There really isn't that much you learn in class, it's basically a time to go over what you may not have understood. Almost all the learning is by doing the reading on your own time. My Mother in law is an AP teacher and I know they tend to be much easier and much more willing to help the students in the higher classes than students who barely put in any effort the rest of the school year. I'm sure if you told the teacher you were going out of town, no need to specify why, they would be more than happy to get them caught up before you even leave. They could probably finish everything on Christmas break before the cruise. Besides if it's just a few days right after a long break there really isn't that much planned. The teachers have just as hard, if not harder, time getting back into the swing of things after a long break, so I'm sure there wouldn't be much of a strenious lesson plan. I hope this helps to ease your mind! They are your kids and you are the only one who knows whether or not they will be ok missing a few days of school.

[TigerLady]

Thank goodness no we are not a divorced family (just scheduling the three of us - DH, DD and me - is tough enough). I have several direct reports who go through the "ex" gauntlet for every day off. For some folks the same need to play games that was a major cause of the divorce lives on after the bonds of marriage have broken!

 

 

 

Been there, doing that. My EX is having a "hissy fit" because my new husband and I are taking the boys in October. Only the youngest is still in school, which is a pprivate school. Their take on it is, it's a learning experience. Write a report on the places you visited and talk about the differences there and here. Perhaps the OP could talk to the school and maybe work something like ths out. He doesn't lose credit for work, and it's an excused absence.. Just trying to be helpful...:)

[soccerATAmom]

I don't take my children (sophomore and 4th grader with 8th grade classes) out of school for vacations. To this point it just hasn't come up. Had considered it a few years ago so they could compete at National Taekwondo Tournament - even spoke with superintendent who would have not counted it as an absence at all if they wrote a report to present on their experience (would have counted as an educational field trip). Ended up we didn't go. In our district in KY kids can miss 5 days with a parent excuse and an unlimited number with a Dr. excuse. After three unexcused absenses it becomes a truancy issue and goes to the court. My son (4th gr) has never missed a day of school and would do anything to not miss. My daughter had never missed a day until this past year and she ended up sick and having to miss a few days through the spring for testing and treatment. She wishes this had not happened as it was difficult to get caught up (not having the foesight with illness that you do with vacation), plus she had to take finals due to missing.

 

We are cruising on July 14 and the issue has come up with SOCCER. Dead period ends on July 12 so practice will begin in July 14. The coach is extremely upset about this as she said that dead period is the time to schedule vacations. I tried...Thankfully we are from a small community to it is not like she has to compete for a spot on the team, just playing time - which should not end up being a factor by the time games start - she knows she will just have to work harder and continue her conditioning while on the boat.

 

I also think that having a child with medical issues puts things in a whole new light as well. Your kids - your decission. No one can tell it what you should or shouldn't do.