How do you feel about pulling kids out of school?

[tommysmom]

Having a son who is 3.5, I haven't yet crossed this situation so I do not know how I may handle it. I can comment on how I was raised . I was raised where education was first and foremost. That was our "job". Parents had their obligations and we had ours (Family of 4 kids).

We did have ALOT of family vacations, they just were planned during vacation time. Summers, Christmas breaks, easter breaks, etc. Always planned so that we would never miss any school. I think that this emphasized, for us, how important education and responsibility is to people and therfore, treated it as such. An ethic that followed me into my adult work life.

I understand that it is more convenient to go off seasons, etc. But not taking kids out of school does not necessarily mean you can't have family vacations and great ones at that.. I do agree it is a PARENT's final say but I like to look at what kind of example I am setting. FAMILY is important, I just don't think that it should be a choice between the two.

Vivian

 

[Kallison]

It's your child, if you want to pull them out of K to go to Disney go for it. They are only young once. I pulled my kids out every other year, the last time being when DS was in 5th last year. He was off for only 3 days, but he had quite a workload to catch up on. This year he told us he absolutely does not want to miss and we respect that. I'm glad I did 3 trips during the school year when the weather was great. This summer we are going to attempt an August trip. I hope it goes well, because once they hit middle school it is way too hard to miss around here.

 

[ilovefh]

I understand that it is more convenient to go off seasons, etc

You have to be careful with this statement because some families dont have the option to go during school vacations or during summers. Some parents cannot get off work at these times.

 

[Pam Lau]

I am a teacher and before I had kids I questioned taking them out of school for vacations although I never told a parent not to. But now that I am a parent myself, I totally understand the need to take family vacations even when it means taking the kids out of school. I have a 6th grade daughter and a 4th grade son and they have definitely missed more school for vacations (5 -10 days a year) than they have missed for illness (Probably less than 10 days total since kindergarten). I leave it up to the teacher to decide whether or not to give them their work before or after the trip and it is always done promptly. It has never been a problem with their grades. The other problem we have is missing athletic games. That can result in lessened playing time when they return. So we try to go between seasons.

 

[travelitis]

In early grades I didn't have any reservation about taking a child out of school as long as he was doing very well. Now my kids are in 5th and 3rd grade. If they miss for vacation they get all zeros, and no make-up work is allowed. As much as I want to go during off season, it isn't my best option. My mother was a high school teacher, so I never missed for vacations or doctor's appointments. She was supportive of family vacations.

I would be very hesitant to schedule 2 weeks of vacation in one school year, even split. We took our then 1st and 3rd graders out for a week in Sept. Later that year the 3rd grader got sick and missed several more days. You just can't count on a kid staying well, and the absences can add up fast.

This may ruffle some feathers, but here I go. I really doubt that everyone who claims they can't get vacation when kids are out of school really can't. There's summer, Christmas, Spring Break, etc. I think in many (not all) cases it's really that they could vacation over one of the breaks but don't want to. There's nothing wrong with that, but if that's the case, admit it. I suspect most of the people who take their kids out of school could get other time off. When I pulled my kids out I just wanted to go to WDW during low season.

 

[BounceyOne]

TRAVELITIS, one reason many people can't get vacation at school vacation times is because they don't have seniority. Everyone I know chooses vacation time in the order they were hired. If you are the last man hired you choose last. This does not always allow you to have prime vacation time.
It becomes especially hard when both husband and wife work.

 

[travelitis]

BOUNCYEONE, please read my post again! You will find I said that many, not all, could get vacation time over a school break, even if it isn't their first choice. Some people really can't, and some people can but claim they can't. My dh knows what low seniority is like, and I know what it's like to work a job that's busiest over school holidays. I worked as a ticket counter at an airline for 3 years. Guess when you're needed the most? That's right! school vacations! I was posting from the perspective of someone who has been faced with that scenario you mention. Now my dh is back in the military, and I'm staying home, but we have very little of the boys' vacation as they fly to Denver to visit their dad for Spring Break, 6 week summer visit, and Christmas break. He can take every other Thanksgiving as well. That leaves us with 5 weeks in the summer. This is our year to have Thanksgiving, and my kids are missing 1 day of school for our trip. Now you take those 5 weeks and factor in that my dh has 2 weekends a month that he can't always get as vacation time. It can take real effort to schedule a family trip that doesn't pull the kids out of school. Did you assume I'd never been faced with this dilemna?

 

[BounceyOne]

I apologize if I sounded like I wanted an argument, I only explained it that way because there are people that don't know why you can't vacation in the summer or over school holidays.

I in no way wanted to argue about it, just sharing some info with those who might not know.

 

[Pam Lau]

I'll own up to that one. We spend our entire summer at our cottage and choose to vacation during the winter. We prefer the weather and prices in the fall.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

OK, I will be honest too. We could go in the Summer. It would be easier to go in the Summer as I also teach part time. We however do not LIKE the Summer. We like cool temps, lower rates and low crowds. We will contine to go during school as long as it works for our family. I doubt we will contine after DS gets to middle school ,though I am hearing positive feed back on that too. To each his own to do what is best for his family.


Jordan's mom

 

[travelitis]

BouncyOne - apology accepted. I responded that way only because my name was in all caps. Hope I didn't offend you, too. I don't want to argue, just want to be understood.

We don't want to deal with taking the kids in the summer either which is why we're doing Thanksgiving. The school won't question them missing 1 day, but if they miss 4 consecutive days, they have to produce a doctor's note. I don't think Doc's autograph would satisfy that requirement. I would love to take them out in 2004 for Halloween at WDW, but a solid week of zeros is no good. We'll probably do Thanksgiving as the thought of taking them in the summer does not appeal!

 

[chrisn]

I suspect most of the people who take their kids out of school could get other time off. When I pulled my kids out I just wanted to go to WDW during low season. [/B][/QUOTE]


Speaking only for myself, we could definitely go just about anytime that we wanted during the year but we choose early February because we prefer the weather and crowd level. We have gone during president's week and late January early February and the difference is mind boggling! We really don't factor in costs but to us waiting in line in stiffling heat for 90 min compared to waiting in line in near perfect temps for 5-10 min is WAY worth the sacrifice of missed school. We definitely CHOOSE to go at this time.

 

[Planogirl]

We're able to go on vacation pretty much any time so we go during scheduled school breaks. Of course, in the summer it's usually cooler in Florida than here.

 

[welovespacemoutain]

We were going to go to Disney during Thanksgiving week - school was out all week and my son would not miss any days. BUT - after the tachers in the district went on strike for 10 days, 3 of those days got pulled. We switched to the next week (we able to change our airline tickets since they were frequent flyer miles). Why go at a busy time if he was going to miss school anyway? Now he will miss 5 days (he is in 1st grade and well ahead of his classmates). I have to fill out an educationial trip request to get the days approved. I find this so absurd that I have to justify where and when I take my child when he is clearly not at risk - particularly since my schedule had to be rearranged due to the school district! For their sake, they had better not turn down my request and make the days unexcused!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

welovespacemountain,

I have learned that "unexcused" means nothing. Our school district's "policy" list vacations as unexcused. I have never found out what differece it makes. We took DS out K, 1, 3 and will again next year in 5th.There has never been any notation of these days being unexcused on his report card and he was allowed to make up all work though that was not even an issue except for 3rd grade. I did get a letter in K after he missed some high number of days but this was the exception as DS ended up later in the year with surgery and an major illness. Still no real problems. The week after thanksgiving will be so much better! Don't worry and have a blast.


Jordan's mom

 

[Pam Lau]

The term "unexcused" does not seem to mean anything. At least at the grade school level. It just means that if the teacher does not want the child to make up the work they are justified in lowering the grade. Personally, I would never argue with a teacher about their right to lower my child's grade, I would simply inquire as to whether or not my child understands the material and let it go at that. After all the child missed with my understanding and knowledge. I take responsibility for the lower grade.
This year my children's school has adopted the policy of not given out any work until they return to school. Whatever they want, I just tell my kids to GET IT DONE! Mine are in 4th and 6th grade and will miss a total of at least 8 days for upcoming trips. I can live with that.

 

[welovespacemoutain]

I have not been in this district long enough to know how they actually enforce the rules, but supposedly if you have an unexcused absence, it is "unlawful" and after 3 such days you are notified in writing and warned about the penalties for violating the law. I do know that 2 kids in his class took week long trips earlier in the year, so I do not anticipate it being a problem, but it is still a joke to use the terms legal absence and unlawful absence. I personally don't care if he makes up any of the work (he was in full day kindergarten, everyone else in his class was in half day, so basically all of the work is busy work for him anyway - but that is a whole other issue!!)

As an aside, earlier in the year I brought my son in at 11 am after a dental appointment - the lady in the office basically asked me (in front of my son) why I was bringing him to school because it counted as a full day absence anyway. Ummm, maybe because school is supposed to be important and I didn't think a trip to the dentist warranted a full day off but thanks for mentioning to my son that you felt he was wasting his time coming for over half a day.

 

[hopskip]

Can I just say that this thread has been an incredible eye-opener! I took ds out of Montessori preschool last year for a week long trip to WDW (he was 3). He was "demoted" as a result of his absence! His teacher was actually irritated that he missed a week of class and sent him down to the toddler class upon our return (definitely a punishment- ds's toddler teachers said he was too far ahead of the toddler class and spent his day ALONE!). It caused major upheaval... and he was only 3!

Do teachers tend to decide what vacations will be "educational" for their students, and react accordingly (i.e.- give them work ahead of time, or not)? If you were taking your child abroad- would a teacher be more likely to be forgiving, than a trip to WDW? Dh & I value life experience as much as we value formal education. I wouldn't know how to argue that to a school district though. How do you "prove" that your family vacation is worthy of being "legal"?

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Some of these stories are so sad and make me realize how lucky we are. I think the sadest is hopskips's story. I can not belive that a preschool would be so harsh and disregard the needs of a child.I have taught preschool for many years and we encourage parents to spend all the time they can with a child. They are three or four years old and don't even have to be there. My son was in a wonderful developmental preschool. I often took him out for special day trips as well as vacations. We even took picnic days off now and then. I just wondered if you left him in the school or not? Remember that preschoolers learn through living. EVERYTHING is educational to them.

Jordan's mom

 

[dizfamily]

Pulled my oldest dd out of kindergarten for 3 days for a trip to WDW, then for a week last year (2nd grade) and will be pulling her out for 4 days next month for another WDW trip. These trips were all because of my dh attending a convention or conference there, which makes the trip much more affordable for us. Kindergarten I really had no problem with. Last year I asked the teacher for her work and she said to just forget about it, that she wouldn't miss anything too important (and she was very supportive of our decision stating that family time was very important also). This year (3rd grade) I'm 99% sure the teacher will give her work to take with her, which I'm fine with. GIves her something to do on the plane. It's the same school, so it shouldn't be a problem with the absences.