Feel guilty to have my 1st grader miss school for a trip

[Anonymous]

We are meeting up with our friends on the west coast for their spring break. We are friends with parents and mother is very ill. This may be the last time we see her. Originally planned to pull DS out of school for 1 day for a long weekend. With travel time, we only have 1 full day and 2 half days. Considering pulling DS out of school for 2.5 days. Then we would have 3 full days and 1 half day. The additional 1.5 days would be our family time, not time spent with the other family.

Would you just have DS miss the 1 day as originally planned or pull him out for an additional 1.5 days for a total of 2.5 days missed of school?

[Anonymous]

It's first grade. Just say that they are sick and pull them out for longer.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes experiences are more important than school.

This is one of those times.

[Anonymous]

This is not a hard decision to make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's first grade. Just say that they are sick and pull them out for longer.

Don't lie. Take longer and be honest. Your first grader will be excited about her trip and will go back to school and talk about it. Either you'll have to tell her to lie or the teacher will know you are a liar. I'm pulling my first grader for 3 days for a family trip and I'm thinking of making it longer because a family member has become seriously ill and I think this may be the last time we she him alive. Lying about being sick was never an option for me.

[Anonymous]

Don't worry, he'll be fine missing even a week. But don't lie!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Sometimes experiences are more important than school.

This is one of those times.

This x1000

[Anonymous]

Its fine if its only 1st grade. 3rd and above gets more difficult.

[Anonymous]

We took our first-grader out for three days in connection with this past spring break. Not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's first grade. Just say that they are sick and pull them out for longer.

Don't lie. Take longer and be honest. Your first grader will be excited about her trip and will go back to school and talk about it. Either you'll have to tell her to lie or the teacher will know you are a liar. I'm pulling my first grader for 3 days for a family trip and I'm thinking of making it longer because a family member has become seriously ill and I think this may be the last time we she him alive. Lying about being sick was never an option for me.

+1. I almost never take my kids out of school for something optional, but this is important. Also, it is not a big deal to miss a few days in first grade. Do it, be honest about the close friend's final illness, and then don't think twice about it.

[Anonymous]

My kids are in HS and I think they have missed about 5 days total for various family commitments (including a half day for Disney in K and 2nd). I have no regrets.

[Anonymous]

First child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First child?

I take my first child out all the time - it's just school.

[Anonymous]

I used to pull my kids out of school once or twice a year just to take them someplace fun like Mount Vernon, off season without all the crowds. I would certainly not hesitate to pull my 1st grader out to visit a dear friend who may or may not be around much longer. I would tell the teacher in advance, get any homework she might miss and that would be that.

If your child has a good attendance record, yep I would pull her out for this. No question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to pull my kids out of school once or twice a year just to take them someplace fun like Mount Vernon, off season without all the crowds. I would certainly not hesitate to pull my 1st grader out to visit a dear friend who may or may not be around much longer. I would tell the teacher in advance, get any homework she might miss and that would be that.

If your child has a good attendance record, yep I would pull her out for this. No question.

OP here. My child has missed 1 day of school this year for Disney. He also missed 2 half days (picked up early once for a flight and he once went to school at like 1pm). He has been sent home sick once at 2pm. Otherwise, no tardies or absences.