Family Trip - spring break

[Anonymous]

Several adult siblings planning to rent Airbnb together for spring break. 2 families have school age kids. 1 family is ES/MS, other family is MS/HS. We discovered that our spring breaks will no longer match up in 2024 (thanks FCPS) so now we must either book split weeks to spread minimize missed school days (not many options) or book a week where either our kids or their kids will have to miss 3 school days depending on which week we go with.

I offered to go with the week my siblings kids have off, hoping SIL would respond saying we can do our spring break week instead since my kids are older and the rates are slightly better that week. She did not and now I’m kind of wishing I’d pressed to book our spring break week. My kids are very excited about the trip and are willing to miss some school. These family trips have been really great for them since they’ve had to deal with a lot in the last several years and time spent with extended family has been one of the things that really helped my son in particular. Am I crazy to let my MS/HS kids miss school for this?

[Anonymous]

Let her know that your HS kid it turns out cannot get excused absences for exams that he would miss and it has to be booked for your dates which has better rates.

[Anonymous]

What is the likelihood that FCPS will have exams April 3-5?

[Anonymous]

Yea don’t have them miss OP.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t be pulling my high schooler out for something like this. Too stressful given the course loads at that age. I think you should be honest that you made a mistake agreeing to the week you did and see what can be arranged.

[Anonymous]

Don't offer something you don't mean!! You were hoping she'd offer back? Huh?

Just tell them you can't do it. It's ok, really.

[Anonymous]

I would and I have pulled my HS'er out for a family vacation. Unless your kid is in all AP classes, the memories far outweigh missing a few days of school and they can always make up the work.

[Anonymous]

I would not pull a high schooler out; easier for an elementary school kid to miss & make up the work.

That said, you already volunteered to pull your kids out. If you backtrack now, your sister will have every right to be incredibly aggravated with you. But if you are going to backtrack, do it now -- stop dithering and wasting everyone's time. Make a decision and stick to it.

[Anonymous]

OP here. OK so the quarter ends March 22.
I think we’ll chance missing April 3-5. We probably won’t be the only ones.

[Anonymous]

Don't pull your kids out. Tell everyone, immediately, that it won't work for the kids' schools.

Your siblings will be angry and your kids disappointed but you all will survive. Send your siblings a gift (fun snacks? Cookies?) to the AB&B with a sincere note of apology.

You get to make mistakes, OP, but take time to think through your decisions before announcing them. And don't screw with people's vacations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't pull your kids out. Tell everyone, immediately, that it won't work for the kids' schools.

Your siblings will be angry and your kids disappointed but you all will survive. Send your siblings a gift (fun snacks? Cookies?) to the AB&B with a sincere note of apology.

You get to make mistakes, OP, but take time to think through your decisions before announcing them. And don't screw with people's vacations.

You are kidding right?
Lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't offer something you don't mean!! You were hoping she'd offer back? Huh?

Just tell them you can't do it. It's ok, really.

yep. I don't understand this at all.

[Anonymous]

FCPS is doing the standard week before Easter, that they have done every year forever (except that one year that made everyone mad.) So FCPS didn't change anything here. Why did you think it would be a different week?

And no I wouldn't pull my kids. The whole point is to not need to entertain them their week off school because we leave town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the likelihood that FCPS will have exams April 3-5?

It's not just about exams. Good grief. High schoolers, especially if the HS student is a junior or senior, are often gearing up for finals by early April. I would not pull out a high schooler (at any grade) for this. Also, OP, have you considered: If your kids have activities, with things like spring practices/tournaments/performances etc., will being out those days affect those activities? Sometimes missing stuff near the end of a school year in activities can affect whether a participant is allowed to play/perform/whatever.

It sounds as if you're twisting yourself into a pretzel over trying to accommodate everyone--your sibling, sibling's family, your kids. But bear in mind that great past experiences for your one kid doing this do not guarantee that in March 2024 will be equally important to your kid to have the same exact trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. OK so the quarter ends March 22.
I think we’ll chance missing April 3-5. We probably won’t be the only ones.

First, it is wackadoodle to offer something you didn’t mean hoping the other person would refuse.

Second, now you just have to wait and see what your kids’ schedules look like. You might have to not miss all three days even though you paid for them. You can sort that out when the dates are closer and you can see what tests they have, etc.