I will be pulling my 5th grader out twice, once in June, and again in October (6th grade) for 2 days each. Both times "just" to see two National Parks. One is adjacent to a work trip, and the other to a wedding we will attend. Yours sounds much more unique and worthwhole, OP, so go for it!

I would too and I'm a teacher! I wish I could do it.

My kid is in 6th grade and hasn't been back to school since x-mas break ended because he is sick. He is watching TV and playing video games and eating Popsicles. I feel certain that his academic future will ultimately be ok.

If the trip is more worthwhile than Tv, video games, and Popsicles, you should definitely go for it.

Without question, and we have actually done similar length trips in the past with kids from preschool age to 8th grade.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12 day trip to a country in Asia. The parent of one of my kids' friends is a foreign ambassador so we would be staying in an embassy with their family and would experience all that entails as well as the country itself.

Why does it have to be 12 days? Can't you go for just 10 days?

I'm Asian-American and have been to Asia many times. I recently went with DH for just 8 days. We usually go for 10 days.

I plan to take my kids this summer for the first time and may go for a month but the kids are out of school.

That being said, I have heard of Asian kids missing weeks of school for a trip to Asia. Not what I would do but I'm sure your kids will survive.

This. I don't think the 4 days would be a big deal EXCEPT you never know what may happen. My friend took her daughter out for 2 days 2 different times this year (making 2 different 4 day weekends) and then her daughter got mono and missed weeks of school. She really regretted adding to the total absences unnecessarily. I'm NOT saying to not take the trip, but you could still do it but shorten it a little.

Yes, OP, do it! You have quite a while until spring break so you have plenty of time to let teachers know.

I say this as a parent of a high schooler: Once your child is out of elementary school it becomes much, much harder on a kid academically to miss even a day of school, so take your kid out now while it's not a big deal. My high schooler's class hours are so packed and so much is done in class that she doesn't even want to miss an hour for a dentist appointment etc. because she really needs to be present in class.

This is a good opportunity to model for your fourth grader that school is the priority and if you're going to miss it and know in advance, you have to tell all the teachers and line up the work that you will miss. Let your child participate with you in talking to teachers and getting assignments and deadlines. It's good practice for when your child might have to miss school in later years and it sends a message that it's a privilege to be able to miss school for something like a great trip. Trust me, in fourth grade, there won't be a lot to make up, but just going through the process of arranging make-up assignments is good for your child.

Have a great time!

Yes! Do it now because the older they get the harder it will be for them to miss days.

Absolutely! What an opportunity.
Just notify the school, and maybe you could even have your child share what they learned about the country with the class when you return.

It sounds like a one-off trip and I would go and take the 4th grader.

If you give the school enough advance notice, they may be able to give you the work your kid will be missing - which you can do on the flights / weekend after coming back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12 day trip to a country in Asia. The parent of one of my kids' friends is a foreign ambassador so we would be staying in an embassy with their family and would experience all that entails as well as the country itself.

OMG, is there really a question about this? GO! What on earth could she possibly learn at school in those four days that would beat this experience? If you don't go, please let me go on your behalf.

Go. She will learn more from this than 4 days in school for sure. I will only hesitate when my child is in high school and needs to miss a important exam or something. Like Sasha missed her dad's farewell speech.

I was wondering where Sasha was. can't believe she missed his speech for an exam.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:12 day trip to a country in Asia. The parent of one of my kids' friends is a foreign ambassador so we would be staying in an embassy with their family and would experience all that entails as well as the country itself.

OMG, is there really a question about this? GO! What on earth could she possibly learn at school in those four days that would beat this experience? If you don't go, please let me go on your behalf.

Go. She will learn more from this than 4 days in school for sure. I will only hesitate when my child is in high school and needs to miss a important exam or something. Like Sasha missed her dad's farewell speech.

Anonymous wrote:12 day trip to a country in Asia. The parent of one of my kids' friends is a foreign ambassador so we would be staying in an embassy with their family and would experience all that entails as well as the country itself.

Why does it have to be 12 days? Can't you go for just 10 days?

I'm Asian-American and have been to Asia many times. I recently went with DH for just 8 days. We usually go for 10 days.

I plan to take my kids this summer for the first time and may go for a month but the kids are out of school.

That being said, I have heard of Asian kids missing weeks of school for a trip to Asia. Not what I would do but I'm sure your kids will survive.

Anonymous wrote:12 day trip to a country in Asia. The parent of one of my kids' friends is a foreign ambassador so we would be staying in an embassy with their family and would experience all that entails as well as the country itself.

OMG, is there really a question about this? GO! What on earth could she possibly learn at school in those four days that would beat this experience? If you don't go, please let me go on your behalf.

Really depends where and why.

We travel a lot and I personally would not. I would rather save the big trips for summer. Our spring break is 10 days this year. Besides maybe Asia, I think 10 days is enough to go anywhere - Europe, National Parks, Canada, etc.

Where is this dream trip that you would need the extra 4 days?

12 day trip to a country in Asia. The parent of one of my kids' friends is a foreign ambassador so we would be staying in an embassy with their family and would experience all that entails as well as the country itself.