Pulling kids out of school for vacation - thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I have no issue with it. Learning also happens outside the classroom, and family time is also important.

[Anonymous]

My mom took me out for 2 months to travel abroad. I did this various times. I have a Master’s and LOVED school. It was a great experience. I won’t do the same length of time for my kids, but i wuld think twice about a week vacation in k. In some states that’s not compulsory school yet.

[Anonymous]

Would not*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do it at least once a year. Travel is more important to us.

You can do it during school breaks,

[Anonymous]

No issue. It’s much cheaper to travel outside of breaks and easier to get time approved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do it at least once a year. Travel is more important to us.

You can do it during school breaks,

Too crowded.

[Anonymous]

Love how everyone’s all like “travel is the greatest education!” as if to justify taking the kids to South of the Border in May because they don’t want to fight the crowds in July, or to see Great Aunt Edna in Sheboygan is some kind of great transformative experience lmao

[Anonymous]

I have elementary school age kids and will extend a long weekend by a day or two (skip the half day if there is one and maybe the day before also for a 6 day trip), but that's the extent of my comfort zone. I could care less what everyone else does though. My friends run the gamut - some will take kids out all the time, even if relatives are visiting and they want family time, and some never take kids out.

For us, we don't have the budget to do tons of travel anyway, so it's a moot point.

[Anonymous]

I don't really care about what other people do, I just want to comment on others comments that they'll take their kids out whenever they want as long as grades are good and "if school has a problem with, I'll just go private!"

Hahahaha. I don't know what private they're thinking of, but that attitude would not fly at mine. It is specifically spelled out in the rules that you are in danger of not having your contract renewed if there is an excessive number of absences/late arrivals/early departures. That's all absences/part-days, so you better build in some times when kids are sick. I know because my friend got a warning from the school when her child's absences started get up in that range. There's a lot of partner work at school, they are not happy when you are gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do it at least once a year. Travel is more important to us.

You can do it during school breaks,

Too crowded.

Only if your idea of travel is Disney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do it at least once a year. Travel is more important to us.

You can do it during school breaks,

Too crowded.

Only if your idea of travel is Disney.

You have never been to London, Paris, Rome, etc in the summer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do it at least once a year. Travel is more important to us.

You can do it during school breaks,

Too crowded.

Only if your idea of travel is Disney.

You have never been to London, Paris, Rome, etc in the summer?

I have actually, Paris is empty in August as people escape to the countryside and beaches. Rome empties out a bit too.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I'm more with OP, I don't have this lackadaisical attitude toward it. I get a couple days here and there or something really special that can't be done any other time (destination family wedding or something) but I would do my best to avoid taking them out of school.

I do think it sends a message to kids that school doesn't matter. I mean, if you are telling them that school is important and that it's important to try their best every day and to pay attention, this conflicts with that message, no?

And my kids are older now, so it's not like I'll realize later that elementary school wasn't that important. Actually the kids I knew whose parents used to take them out all the time (like for Disney trips, just because there were fewer crowds then) now are not all that serious about school.

I think it sends the message that there is more than one way to learn. School is one way. Traveling is another way.

Keep telling yourself that's why you do it.

I tell them that family is as important as school. It's about balance. Especially in elementary school. But I'm not a dogmatic person by nature. I can see how someone who is can't see this point the way I do

You have all summer and every break to be family. Why do you have to be family on school days?

DP here. Because the school isn’t in charge of me and when I decide to take vacations.

Actually they are. There are such things as truancy laws, and a student absent for a week or more for a family trip is truant. You just don't think the laws apply to you because you're UMC. They only apply to poor people.

This. How many times do you hear people complaining about lower income kids missing school? Maybe they are with family, maybe they traveled, maybe...whatever. All the DCUM crowd would say things such as: the parents don’t value education, the kids are falling behind, it’s not fair to the teachers. Look in the mirror, folks.

Nah. My kid isn't failing. And teachers don't help make up work for "excused" reasons like sickness. Kids are expected to keep pace even then. If my taking my DC out is problematic for a teacher, I'm sorry, I really don't care. You can name call and criticize but i don't. All jobs have their challenges.

So then it becomes the problem of the other students in the classroom and deteriorates the learning environment for everyone else when the teacher has to give your kid extra attention because he/she has been out for the last 10 days. You know, classroom norms, rules etc. If you don't care about them, why should your kid? At least you own your entitled selfish attitude.

Like I said. I don't care. No one at that school goes above and beyond for my child. Everyone has to advocate for their own kid in a public school environment. At least in our school.

DC has excellent grades. DC is well liked by staff and, actually, does have respect for the school rules. So your little projection is flatly incorrect.

My DC knows that school is important. But, also knows that other experiences are important: travel, family time. And we put ourselves first, so I guess that's selfish (though we are very community minded and give to charity, volunteer, etc.) I can live with that, if that is your definition of selfish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do it as long as grades and school behavior are good with no red flags. It seems to work out fine. School is a kid's main job but even working adults get vacations.

Kids have summer VACATION in the... summer.

That's awesome that your kids have a true summer vacation. My kids, unfortunately, have to be in camps or daycare all summer because I have to work. Sure, camps are theoretically more fun than school, but let's not pretend that they're lollygagging around doing whatever they want on a true vacation.
For many people, their work precludes summer vacation. That's the reality, whether you can see that from your high horse or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do it as long as grades and school behavior are good with no red flags. It seems to work out fine. School is a kid's main job but even working adults get vacations.

Kids have summer VACATION in the... summer.

That's awesome that your kids have a true summer vacation. My kids, unfortunately, have to be in camps or daycare all summer because I have to work. Sure, camps are theoretically more fun than school, but let's not pretend that they're lollygagging around doing whatever they want on a true vacation.
For many people, their work precludes summer vacation. That's the reality, whether you can see that from your high horse or not.

Dp. Well, we're talking about whether it's a good idea to take kids out of school to take a family vacation. If you are working, why would you take vacation during the school year when they would otherwise be in school ("childcare") and not during summer vacation so you avoid paying some weeks of camp/daycare? Makes no sense. For example, say you get four week vacation in your job. If I take those four weeks during my kids school breaks, that's 4 weeks of camp I don't have to pay for. If I choose to use two weeks of vacation during school time, I'm paying for two more weeks of camp. Why would I do that?