Taking kids out of school.....

[Ave43]

How many here have taken their kids out of school to go on vacation? For our trip, our kids would be out for four days (the fifth day is a teacher work day, so they'd be out anyway).

 

I don't have a problem with them missing four days, and can make up any assignments when they get back. How much can they miss in four days anyway? The rates are much more affordable in Feb / March, and we can't afford to go during the summer months as the prices go way up. Hubby doesn't really feel it's right to take them out, but if we don't go when it's cheaper, we can't go at all. I told him we aren't the first to take their kids out for a few days for vacation. It's not like it will be for 2 weeks or a month!

 

Ave

[ladyd11933]

I think it would depend on how old your kids are, mine are in high school and for they would have a hard time catching up if they missed four days. I wish I could though it would be cheaper to cruise.

[Slimpickins]

How many here have taken their kids out of school to go on vacation? For our trip, our kids would be out for four days (the fifth day is a teacher work day, so they'd be out anyway).

 

I don't have a problem with them missing four days, and can make up any assignments when they get back. How much can they miss in four days anyway? The rates are much more affordable in Feb / March, and we can't afford to go during the summer months as the prices go way up. Hubby doesn't really feel it's right to take them out, but if we don't go when it's cheaper, we can't go at all. I told him we aren't the first to take their kids out for a few days for vacation. It's not like it will be for 2 weeks or a month!

 

Ave

 

We took are kids out of school last year for the last 3 days of school. Grades were 10th, 4th, and 1st

[Baystate]

We have when the kids were in the second and fourth grades, and then again when they were in the sixth and eighth grades. Now that I have one in high school I wouldn't though. She would have way too much to make up.

[Ave43]

Our kids will be in 3rd and 6th grade

[bellybutton]

I think it would depend on how old your kids are, mine are in high school and for they would have a hard time catching up if they missed four days. I wish I could though it would be cheaper to cruise.

 

 

Yep they miss TO Much in middle and high! Elem I would take them out of.

[chachi]

As I sixth grade elementary teacher, I cannot tell you how frustrating it is for a student to miss a week of school. It is a lot of work for us to collect and write notes on everything they have missed. Not to mention what a pain it is to go back and check everything when it comes in. We are also the ones who get stuck teaching them the math that they missed and can't learn on their own. This means I either have to stay after school to work with the student, or work with him while the other students are doing something independent. I especially hate when parents ask for the work in advance. Do they really think we have the copies all ready a week and advance? My plans for the week change too based on student performance. Fortunately my school has decided that parents can no longer ask for work in advance.

[Name Of The Game]

My mom took me out a week at a time on several occasions and I'm pretty literate. :D

[chachi]

As I sixth grade elementary teacher, I cannot tell you how frustrating it is for a student to miss a week of school. It is a lot of work for us to collect and write notes on everything they have missed. Not to mention what a pain it is to go back and check everything when it comes in. We are also the ones who get stuck teaching them the math that they missed and can't learn on their own. This means I either have to stay after school to work with the student, or work with him while the other students are doing something independent. I especially hate when parents ask for the work in advance. Do they really think we have the copies all ready a week and advance? My plans for the week change too based on student performance. Fortunately my school has decided that parents can no longer ask for work in advance.

 

Edited to add when the students do come back they almost always fail their next science and social studies tests, because they miss all of the hands on activities that we do and the lectures which helps to explain the text. I can tell them what sections of the book to read, but it is not the same.

[Ave43]

chachi - I appreciate what you had to say! And know that you teachers work harder than ever and we, as parents truly appreciate your efforts. I would rather not have to make more work for my kids teachers, but it would be almost impossible for us to go at any other time. What to do??????

 

Thanks again :)

 

Ave

[bfkkbc]

How many here have taken their kids out of school to go on vacation? For our trip, our kids would be out for four days (the fifth day is a teacher work day, so they'd be out anyway).

 

I don't have a problem with them missing four days, and can make up any assignments when they get back. How much can they miss in four days anyway? The rates are much more affordable in Feb / March, and we can't afford to go during the summer months as the prices go way up. Hubby doesn't really feel it's right to take them out, but if we don't go when it's cheaper, we can't go at all. I told him we aren't the first to take their kids out for a few days for vacation. It's not like it will be for 2 weeks or a month!

 

Ave

Only you as a parent know what and how much your kids can afford to miss. Our school district allows so many days missed during to the school year as excused for family reasons. Just make sure they have their assignments before they leave and they can get them done before they return. No biggie. Go have fun. It will be a memory for our kids!!:D

[LSEA]

As I sixth grade elementary teacher, I cannot tell you how frustrating it is for a student to miss a week of school. It is a lot of work for us to collect and write notes on everything they have missed. Not to mention what a pain it is to go back and check everything when it comes in. We are also the ones who get stuck teaching them the math that they missed and can't learn on their own. This means I either have to stay after school to work with the student, or work with him while the other students are doing something independent. I especially hate when parents ask for the work in advance. Do they really think we have the copies all ready a week and advance? My plans for the week change too based on student performance. Fortunately my school has decided that parents can no longer ask for work in advance.

 

 

We just left Michigan after 15 years there. Our school in Michigan had no problem with us taking the kids out for travel. I guess my answer to the OP would be only you know if it is OK. You know your kids and how difficult it might, or might not be for them to miss a few days. Have you talked to their teachers / administrators?

[Sweetdreams36]

My daughters and I are going on our first cruise in two weeks. Taking them out for 5 days. They are in 11 grade and in 8 grade

[Ave43]

School starts for my kids in Sept, so we haven't talked to anyone at their school. Fortunatly, my kids do well and don't have any particular "weakness" in any subject, so I think they'd be just fine. And next fall comes Jr high for my son. That's when it would be harder to take them out.

 

I appreciate everyone's words!

 

Ave

[deepnite10]

chachi - I appreciate what you had to say! And know that you teachers work harder than ever and we, as parents truly appreciate your efforts. I would rather not have to make more work for my kids teachers, but it would be almost impossible for us to go at any other time. What to do??????

 

Thanks again :)

 

Ave

 

we had a family cruise..and everyone took their kids out of school..but, as students..their grades did suffer..

don t think that for any reason..a student can miss that many day s and be able to make it up..

 

it was a long time befor we cruised again..with similar financial considerations cruising in peak season..

 

but, now the kids are out of school and we re cruising when and where we want..the only consideration is arranging a dog sitter for 3 of them..

 

if you can t cruise when you want..then wait..wait and cruise when you can..;)

[salty dingo]

Personally, I would try to save some money and make arrangements for someone you trust to look after the kids while you go on a well-deserved vacation without them.

 

Also, the days away from class can be a bit disruptive to the kids and teachers... imagine if every family wanted to save money and cruise with the kids during the school year... what a burden that would be on the teachers! And don't think the kids are going to want to study on a cruise ship, with all the temptations all about, and you'll probably not want to force them to do so.

[LBumb]

your kids will learn cultures and see places that they will remember forever. plus your families will become closer. my kids are eighteen and twenty one and have been on ten cruises.

[Sgt. Jeff]

I thought I would throw my 2 cents worth in. I am a police officer in a resort town(Myrtle Beach South Carolina) and it is almost impossible for me to take vacation during the summer months as that is the height of the season! Our kids started school on August 17th and we take vacation over Labor Day every year. The kids miss 4 days because they wouldn't be in school on Labor Day Monday anyway. I am always up front with the teachers during open house before school even starts! I really appreciate teachers and the hard work they d to educate our kids and I know that it is a very hard job. The gift that we bring each of them back helps too!!!!!!

[azrayne]

IMO the memories and the learning your kids get while they travel with you is more than any school can or will give your kids. They will remember the things they did and saw, more than those 4 days missed in class.

 

I have had teachers allow the kids to write papers about the difference in economies, government and social issues between places we've gone and home for some classes. Having your kids interview the guides and seeing things first hand provides more valuable information than reading about it in a book.

 

Hopefully, you have forward thinking schools and/or teachers who will work with you so that you can enjoy the trip and the kids learn something!

[TahoeBob]

Only you as a parent know what and how much your kids can afford to miss. Our school district allows so many days missed during to the school year as excused for family reasons. Just make sure they have their assignments before they leave and they can get them done before they return. No biggie. Go have fun. It will be a memory for our kids!!:D

A good friend of mine is a instructor at a small college and he on the first day of class he tells all the students that tests dates with the exception of the final are subject to change. One year he had two students (twins) tell him that they would be out of town for a family vacation. The week when they were gone he moved the midterm to a friday. Both missed the test and the best grade they could get was a "C".

 

Just why are you putting your kids in school anyway? I guess it is because you have to, and not because you think it is of any value!

[crookedhalo]

In 2006, after the sudden death of my mother, we took our son out of school so he could go on the cruise that my DH and I had planned for almost a year. The cruise had turned into a family cruise to scatter my mothers ashes in the caribbean:( The trip took place in the first two weeks of school and he was in 10th grade. IMO the first two weeks of school are basically spent waking up the kids brains from summer break. He got assignments from the teachers he could and actually did homework on the trip (it was a 9 nighter):eek: (aren't I a mean mom?:p). My biggest complaint about the whole thing is that I had to write a letter to his school principal asking for her permission to remove him from school for what equaled 5 learning days. I had no choice but to write this letter or they would have marked the days unexcused and made it hard on him (no make up work etc.). I thought that was ridiculous of the school district, but went along with it. We have taken other cruises with the kids during the school year, but most of them only cost the kids one day of school (timed them with school out days).

[supercrunch]

We pull our kids out for vacation once each school year, but our oldest is only entering 3rd grade and we make sure to always choose a week with teacher workdays so they only miss 3 days of school. I wouldn't want them to miss an entire week, and I plan on switching our vacations to school break times once our oldest starts junior high.

[tnf]

Every year we take a cruise nov. or dec our kids always miss 5-6 days and their grades have never suffered. Even in High School.

[sharonax3]

I have 3 children. The first two never missed a day of school 1st thru 8th grade. I would have loved to go on vacation, but we just didn't have the money.

 

My finances changed, and so the last child was taken out of school just about every year for a vacation. We went everywhere, Washington, New York, Boston, the Carribbean, etc.

I made sure that each vacation included eductional themes. I can not tell you what a difference there is between my kids! He is now a freshman in College, and wants to study abroad for a semester.( I am extremely jealous)

 

Of course all children are different, but taking vacations really enriches their lives. Just to see other countries and how other people live, has a huge impact on their outlook on life.

I say take the kids out of school for 4 days.

[Vitamin_Sea]

I have been tempted to take my daughter out of school to take advantage of low-low prices. But, I never have done it, just not fair to the child. School is more important.