I think 1-3 days each time is fine unless it's international.

didn't take too many days off in preschool only because I feel it's wasteful to have paid that week and not be there. It's not like they late us not pay for that week. The preschool opened all year on most days except federal holidays.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS calls child services after 10 day of unexcused absence. You will have to appear in Court to defend your vacations.

And they also no the difference between kids going on vacation who have semi decent grades and failing kids who just don't show up.

You'd think, but no. Search the WaPo.

I took my kids out every year for 5 days until the oldest hit middle school.
The only regret I have is that I felt guilty doing it the first two years.

So, what do you do when both you and DS's families are out of state? Cut way back on visits?

I've never worked for a company where employees are not allowed to take vacation days. Have you?

Many new employees are quite surprised to learn that they have to work before they get their vacation days. Or, that the first year they may only get two weeks--or they do not get to choose vacation days.

You're making a ridiculous leap by saying parents who take their kids out of school once a year (or less) to travel are teaching their kids that school is "optional."

Go read the posts. There are people who do this frequently.

Anonymous wrote:There are certain things we learn in life. Sometimes, it is that we have to make choices. If you choose to take your kid out of school because you are fortunate enough to have lots of vacation time, then do it. That is your choice. Please don't come crying, though, when your kid grows up and loses his job because is boss expects him to show up to work every day.

I've never worked for a company where employees are not allowed to take vacation days. Have you?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are certain things we learn in life. Sometimes, it is that we have to make choices. If you choose to take your kid out of school because you are fortunate enough to have lots of vacation time, then do it. That is your choice. Please don't come crying, though, when your kid grows up and loses his job because is boss expects him to show up to work every day.

You're hilarious!

I agree with her - the first poster. i'm surprised it took this long in the thread for someone to make this point. it's important for a kid to learn that he/she has responsibilities, and that school is his/her responsibility. You might not always want to do it, but its important to show up. I think it makes a big impression on kids and their work ethic if their parents think school is optional.

You're making a ridiculous leap by saying parents who take their kids out of school once a year (or less) to travel are teaching their kids that school is "optional."

Anonymous wrote:There are certain things we learn in life. Sometimes, it is that we have to make choices. If you choose to take your kid out of school because you are fortunate enough to have lots of vacation time, then do it. That is your choice. Please don't come crying, though, when your kid grows up and loses his job because is boss expects him to show up to work every day.

Hopefully the bus will allow for days off and vacation!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are certain things we learn in life. Sometimes, it is that we have to make choices. If you choose to take your kid out of school because you are fortunate enough to have lots of vacation time, then do it. That is your choice. Please don't come crying, though, when your kid grows up and loses his job because is boss expects him to show up to work every day.

You're hilarious!

I agree with her - the first poster. i'm surprised it took this long in the thread for someone to make this point. it's important for a kid to learn that he/she has responsibilities, and that school is his/her responsibility. You might not always want to do it, but its important to show up. I think it makes a big impression on kids and their work ethic if their parents think school is optional.

Anonymous wrote:There are certain things we learn in life. Sometimes, it is that we have to make choices. If you choose to take your kid out of school because you are fortunate enough to have lots of vacation time, then do it. That is your choice. Please don't come crying, though, when your kid grows up and loses his job because is boss expects him to show up to work every day.

You're hilarious!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Preschool? Miss as many days as you want.
Kindergarten? Maybe a week tops.
1st-3rd Grade? 1-2 days
4th and up - I would not let my child miss school for vacations.

I have a preschooler and 1st grader. My child has missed 1 day for a Disney trip. We tacked on a long random FCPS weekend. We pay $$$ to pay to go away during school breaks. We have double or triple what we used to pay when we did not revolve our vacations around school breaks. Spring break cost us like $12k this year. Same trip cost around 5k previously.

Because the mom of a 6 and 3 yr old really gets the big picture.

PP here. We are fine with doing our travel during school breaks. We went away for an extra long Columbus Day weekend, Thanksgiving, Xmas Break, long weekend in February, spring break and summer is coming up. That is enough time to travel for our kids.

DH and I just got back from Asia without the kids. Did not want the kids to miss a week+ of school. I'm ok with kids missing a day or two in early elementary but not when they are older. This is for our family. I hope they have perfect attendance in middle and high school.

There are certain things we learn in life. Sometimes, it is that we have to make choices. If you choose to take your kid out of school because you are fortunate enough to have lots of vacation time, then do it. That is your choice. Please don't come crying, though, when your kid grows up and loses his job because is boss expects him to show up to work every day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're virtual attendance doesn't make up for lost labs. I felt sorry for the last kid who missed a series of labs for disney,and then sat in class clueless when everyone else could discuss the cell reactions they saw under microscopes. If it was illness or family emergency, I would have set it up again for her to try and catch up. But really, don't expect me to stay after school and reteach labs for your disney trips.

Too bad your school system doesn't have *actual materials* to send home so the parents can teach it (unless you're in mcps in which case it's totally understood that you are teaching nonsense on the fly thanks to 2.0).

You are welcome to teach it. All you need is a compound microscope, slides, coverslips, appropriate plant samples, and the ability to teach your kid how to make a wet mount slide, record observations due to stimulus, etc. Then have a discussion about what's happening within the cell to cause what you see. Anyone who has had HS biology should be able to teach this. You really expecting schools to send all those "actual materials" home because you went to Disney or the Bahamas when it's cheaper?

That said, if your kid is doing OK in school, you can probably take some days up to third grade. I've seen 5th graders lose their footing and confidence after missing chunks of school time. It's a scramble to make up work when kids have to miss bc they're sick. Wouldn't add in vacation after 5th or 6th grade. On the other hand, I've seen some families have incredible experiences /international trips, extensive sailing or camping road trips, and keep up with grade level work because they had a plan, and could implement it. All depends...

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.