Missing school for vacations

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We took our older daughter (2nd grade at the time) to China, in March, for two weeks when we adopted our younger daughter.

The school's response?

"Have a great time and tell us all about your experience."

In no world is this comparable to taking your child out to go to Disney because it is less crowded then.

My son's teacher told us to have a blast at Disney! Nobody at school batted an eye. Most families at our school travel. It simply isn't an issue. It's only an issue in your own head...and you're really missing out on life because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no problem missing school in preschool but would limit it more in K-2nd grade. Once in 3rd grade and beyond we've missed the occasional 1-2 days of school to extend a long weekend but I'd only take them out for a week+ for a really important family event like a wedding, funeral, etc. and only that long if it's a really great distance to travel. I know families that have taken their 5th graders out for a week for a trip to Disney (for no other reason than they just want to go when it's less crowded) and I think that shows a lot of disrespect for their kids' education.

+1 It's selfish, shows kids that your priorities are wrong and probably creates a lot of extra work for your kid's teacher.

Agree. Taking vacations during school time is bad parenting.

If your priorities are school/work, then you are doing it wrong. You won't win at life if those are your priorities. My priorities are my family, my passions, and having a good time (wherever I am). I'm a public interest lawyer, so I'm no slouch. Zero aspiration to go the big law route and work a million hours a week. Instead, I work normal hours advocating for homeless veterans. I play hooky several times a year to travel or take a day trip, and I pull my kids out. Despite missing school every now and then, my kids are thriving. One of my friends quit her law gig to travel this year...her FB posts are amazing! She's totally winning at life while the rest of us are schlepping into the office.

Some of the happiest and wealthiest people I know didn't do well in school. My plumber who never went to college owns a McMansion, a beach house in DE, and a home in Greece. My BFF went to MC and runs a successful business. The CEO of UA was thrown out of an area private HS and did a stint at military school.

Some of the most stressed out, miserable people I know went to Harvard, Yale and Geoorgetown. They never enjoyed HS. They were always in competition with themselves. They simply aren't equipped to unwind. That can lead to all kinds of breakdowns.

School is important, and you should teach your kids that. But it is not the be all end all. And elementary school is merely a blip and completely meaningless in the grand scheme of things. I ended up at a top law school with a classmate from elementary school who was in the lowest reading and math groups--the guy didn't blossom until college. Didn't matter--we both ended up at a great law school.

Breathe, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Numerous threads on this.

Personally, we don't miss school for vacation. Ever. And it gets tough. Even if my kid misses a day for being sick, it's hard to make up the work.

Where do your kids go to school that it is hard for them to make up work? It is the 21st century there are email, remote log in, and virtual attendance options.

Where is virtual attendance an option? We're getting ready for my child to miss three days on an excused absence and trying to get the make up work and exams fit in is a real pain. Because it is excused, he won't drop any grades because of the absence so long as he completes assignments by the new due date. But it really is difficult to make up.

DS school has the iPad robot, basically two wheels and pole that hold up the iPad kids and teachers see his face student controls the viewing angle. Lab photos can be immediately uploaded to cloud via SD adapter.

This used more for extended absence to to illness or long vacations to keep up every few days. His school in general encourages vacations. And teaches come up with assignments based around where you are traveling.

[Anonymous]

My son's teacher told us to have a blast at Disney! Nobody at school batted an eye. Most families at our school travel. It simply isn't an issue. It's only an issue in your own head...and you're really missing out on life because of it.

Good for you. But, some people manage to travel during school vacations. So, they are not 'missing out on life"........ And, for the record, I was a teacher--so it is not just an issue "in my head"........And, DH and I managed to take our kids to Disney without taking them out of school. Taking a kid out under special circumstances is certainly okay--but I am stunned at the number of people who think nothing of a week here a day there. But, whatever floats your boat.

DS always complained that I wouldn't let him skip school--and, guess what? Now he has a job where he is being rewarded because he shows up on time and every day. Many other young employees seem to think that is not necessary. DS now understands that the values he was taught mean something. Others are losing jobs--he got promoted. (And, yes, he does take days off and does go on vacation--just like we did.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My son's teacher told us to have a blast at Disney! Nobody at school batted an eye. Most families at our school travel. It simply isn't an issue. It's only an issue in your own head...and you're really missing out on life because of it.

Good for you. But, some people manage to travel during school vacations. So, they are not 'missing out on life"........ And, for the record, I was a teacher--so it is not just an issue "in my head"........And, DH and I managed to take our kids to Disney without taking them out of school. Taking a kid out under special circumstances is certainly okay--but I am stunned at the number of people who think nothing of a week here a day there. But, whatever floats your boat.

DS always complained that I wouldn't let him skip school--and, guess what? Now he has a job where he is being rewarded because he shows up on time and every day. Many other young employees seem to think that is not necessary. DS now understands that the values he was taught mean something. Others are losing jobs--he got promoted. (And, yes, he does take days off and does go on vacation--just like we did.)

I have no idea what this association between showing up to a job every day and not being able to take a vacation is. I could understand this argument if the question was, 'Missing school to do something fun with mom' IE, just playing hooky to go...to six flags for the day or something (although I think even that is fun and awesome). But a vacation is something adults with jobs do too. Its called teaching your kids that just as its very important to take school seriously and keep up on your work, its important to take breaks to explore the world.

Maybe I could flip this back on you and say that I am teaching my kids how to manage workload after being out of the office for a bit, a valuable life lesson that will help them effectively manage leave when they arrive in the workforce!

There is more to life than work people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My son's teacher told us to have a blast at Disney! Nobody at school batted an eye. Most families at our school travel. It simply isn't an issue. It's only an issue in your own head...and you're really missing out on life because of it.

Good for you. But, some people manage to travel during school vacations. So, they are not 'missing out on life"........ And, for the record, I was a teacher--so it is not just an issue "in my head"........And, DH and I managed to take our kids to Disney without taking them out of school. Taking a kid out under special circumstances is certainly okay--but I am stunned at the number of people who think nothing of a week here a day there. But, whatever floats your boat.

DS always complained that I wouldn't let him skip school--and, guess what? Now he has a job where he is being rewarded because he shows up on time and every day. Many other young employees seem to think that is not necessary. DS now understands that the values he was taught mean something. Others are losing jobs--he got promoted. (And, yes, he does take days off and does go on vacation--just like we did.)

I have no idea what this association between showing up to a job every day and not being able to take a vacation is. I could understand this argument if the question was, 'Missing school to do something fun with mom' IE, just playing hooky to go...to six flags for the day or something (although I think even that is fun and awesome). But a vacation is something adults with jobs do too. Its called teaching your kids that just as its very important to take school seriously and keep up on your work, its important to take breaks to explore the world.

Maybe I could flip this back on you and say that I am teaching my kids how to manage workload after being out of the office for a bit, a valuable life lesson that will help them effectively manage leave when they arrive in the workforce!

There is more to life than work people.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea what this association between showing up to a job every day and not being able to take a vacation is.

A strong association! You take the days you earn. You do not take off when you need to be at work. People, your kids get lots of vacation throughout the year. No one is saying not to take vacations--just take them when it is appropriate. You get summer break, a fall break a couple of winter breaks and a spring break. Take your kid during the breaks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have no idea what this association between showing up to a job every day and not being able to take a vacation is.

A strong association! You take the days you earn. You do not take off when you need to be at work. People, your kids get lots of vacation throughout the year. No one is saying not to take vacations--just take them when it is appropriate. You get summer break, a fall break a couple of winter breaks and a spring break. Take your kid during the breaks!

So what if I have multiple kids without overlapping breaks? Am I just SOL for those years? Only leave the area in the summer?

No one failed at life because they missed a week of school.

[Anonymous]

So what if I have multiple kids without overlapping breaks? Am I just SOL for those years? Only leave the area in the summer?

No one failed at life because they missed a week of school.

The issue is not a "week of school"
The original post:

I have a toddler and we've only done 3-4 Florida vacations. Got a condo, rented a car and kept it simple. We used to travel a lot and hoping to start again soon. Couple of our friends who love to travel with their 4-8 yr olds routinely Have heir children miss school (preschool and kindergarten, elementary school) and believe that's the best way to travel. They did three and four trips respectively last year from 4-9 days long.

They've kept it to domestic trips and the Caribbean. One of them did Disney in April after spring break and loved it. For spring break they stayed in DC and did all the museums. Both spouses work but have some flexibility where they work even on vacation for 3-4 hrs and the children (3 out of 4) still nap when on vacation and sleep by 9ish?
What does DCUM think about this I am curious?

Agree--no one fails at life because they missed a "week of school". However, they may fail at life because they had parents who did not value education and who put their own interests over those of their children.

[Anonymous]

Missing a week or a couple days here and there spread across the year simply isn't an issue. If it rises to the level of truancy, then it's an issue.

You must not live in diverse school districts. Tons of kids in our area miss weeks at a time to travel to Mexico, India, Nigeria, etc.

[Anonymous]

You must not live in diverse school districts. Tons of kids in our area miss weeks at a time to travel to Mexico, India, Nigeria, etc.

Actually, I do. And, if you doin't think that creates a problem for those kids, you are sadly mistaken. Some of those kids are the ones who most need to be at school. Some of them miss months at a time--and yet they are still expected to pass the tests. You must not know any of their teachers or you would know that it is a very serious issue in the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You must not live in diverse school districts. Tons of kids in our area miss weeks at a time to travel to Mexico, India, Nigeria, etc.

Actually, I do. And, if you doin't think that creates a problem for those kids, you are sadly mistaken. Some of those kids are the ones who most need to be at school. Some of them miss months at a time--and yet they are still expected to pass the tests. You must not know any of their teachers or you would know that it is a very serious issue in the schools.

Wow no fun and kind of racist! Keep it coming PP!

[Anonymous]

Wow no fun and kind of racist! Keep it coming PP!

How is it racist to say that it harms immigrant kids who are still learning English to be gone months at a time? Especially, when many of them had never been to school prior to coming to the United States?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Wow no fun and kind of racist! Keep it coming PP!

How is it racist to say that it harms immigrant kids who are still learning English to be gone months at a time? Especially, when many of them had never been to school prior to coming to the United States?

I think you're making assumptions about the type of kids whose families might go on those trips. Not everyone who goes to visit family in India is ESL.

[Anonymous]

I think you're making assumptions about the type of kids whose families might go on those trips. Not everyone who goes to visit family in India is ESL.

The ones who value education take their kids home in the summer.