Do your kids miss school for vacation?

[pigletgirl]

There are so many things that cannot be learned sitting in a classroom. I think it's sad that some people think that there is only one way to educate yourself or children.

Remember some of the most successful people in the world (billionaires) dropped out of high school and college. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs for starters.

There is truth to that.

But on the flip side, it will not hurt a child if they aren't pulled from school to go to Disney World. That is why every parent has to make this decision for their family and what's best. Growing up, my parents did not like for us to miss. I am thankful for that!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

There are so many things that cannot be learned sitting in a classroom. I think it's sad that some people think that there is only one way to educate yourself or children.

Remember some of the most successful people in the world (billionaires) dropped out of high school and college. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs for starters.

And I think we've hit on the issue I have with some folks who think this way. It's as if you're implying that because our kids go to school every day your experiences outside of school are superior to ours, or that because we choose to take our kids on vacation when school is out we somehow do "less" with our kids than you. So tell me this:

If my kid goes to Disney (for example) in June for 14 days, and yours goes in February for 14 days, what precisely is it that you have accomplished that I have not? At best, it's a "tie". In reality, my kids got the same vacation as yours PLUS 10 more days of school.

As for the HS dropout comment, that's just silly. A week off school isn't going to cause a child to fail to graduate. If it did however, NOBODY would be pulling their kids from school for vacation. Bill Gates aside, the vast majority of HS dropouts are the antithesis of "successful".

 

[LSmith]

And I think we've hit on the issue I have with some folks who think this way. It's as if you're implying that because our kids go to school every day your experiences outside of school are superior to ours, or that because we choose to take our kids on vacation when school is out we somehow do "less" with our kids than you. So tell me this:

If my kid goes to Disney (for example) in June for 14 days, and yours goes in February for 14 days, what precisely is it that you have accomplished that I have not? At best, it's a "tie". In reality, my kids got the same vacation as yours PLUS 10 more days of school.

As for the HS dropout comment, that's just silly. A week off school isn't going to cause a child to fail to graduate. If it did however, NOBODY would be pulling their kids from school for vacation. Bill Gates aside, the vast majority of HS dropouts are the antithesis of "successful".

You really know how to put words in my mouth. I'm not implying any of that drivel. I said I think it's sad that some people think there is only one way to educate yourself or your children.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

You really know how to put words in my mouth. I'm not implying any of that drivel. I said I think it's sad that some people think there is only one way to educate yourself or your children.

Yeah, sure


Edit: I apologize. You're right, that was unfair of me.

 

[sam_gordon]

There are so many things that cannot be learned sitting in a classroom. I think it's sad that some people think that there is only one way to educate yourself or children.

Remember some of the most successful people in the world (billionaires) dropped out of high school and college. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs for starters.

Can you please share the quote where someone stated, implied, or even hinted that there was only "one way to educate yourself or children"? I'm guessing you can't, but you have no problems "putting words in others mouths".

 

[daisyx3]

I have had my kids miss one day for 3 vacations over time. Usually because spring break starts on Friday and it's cheaper to fly Thursday.
I teach HS and my break is sometimes the week after the kids' break (now just one at home). In 2012 I saved my personal days and had to take one unpaid day because we are not permitted to take a personal day before a vacation period. Then they missed one day. Why did I miss more? They have a policy at the local HS that if you miss 2 or fewer days in a semester (for any reason--appointments, illness, trips) you can opt out of one exam. I had a very accomplished student teacher so I felt safe taking the days.
Trust me, it is a huge pain in the butt when kids take time off. We are all judged on test results now and we want them in school. But as a parent I will understand. The only time I get mad is when a kid has horrible attendance already or is failing. Then I might comment on the vacation form. But they never refuse a request no matter what.
Daisyx3

 

[BadgerGirl84]

My sister and I were taken out of school for 2 or 3 days at a time to go to WDW when we were on middle school and high school. We both graduated, went to college, and have successful careers. Vacation memories last a lifetime. I plan on taking my daughter out of school for a couple days as well to go on vacation.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Laura66]

My sister and I were taken out of school for 2 or 3 days at a time to go to WDW when we were on middle school and high school. We both graduated, went to college, and have successful careers. Vacation memories last a lifetime. I plan on taking my daughter out of school for a couple days as well to go on vacation.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

My kids wouldn't let us pull them after they got into middle and high school.

I wouldn't do more than a day of two if my youngest minded but she does.

I will say - high school education and extra curricular or sports requirements are nothing like they were like when I went to school! Heck! There is an eleven year difference between my oldest and youngest and boy have things changed there as well.

Teachers will not give you little work packets to complete - and I don't believe they should. It was just too much work to make up. And if they missed practices or games it affected their team and they did not want to sit out future games - which is what wound happen. There are always baseball games during spring break and if they know you'll be taking a trip you won't make the team. Miss games for vacation and you probably won't make the team the following year.

 

[disney4us2002]

My kids wouldn't let us pull them after they got into middle and high school.

I wouldn't do more than a day of two if my youngest minded but she does.

I will say - high school education and extra curricular or sports requirements are nothing like they were like when I went to school! Heck! There is an eleven year difference between my oldest and youngest and boy have things changed there as well.

Teachers will not give you little work packets to complete - and I don't believe they should. It was just too much work to make up. And if they missed practices or games it affected their team and they did not want to sit out future games - which is what wound happen. There are always baseball games during spring break and if they know you'll be taking a trip you won't make the team. Miss games for vacation and you probably won't make the team the following year.

We experienced this as well. My ds was a pitcher for his HS baseball team and was told flat out, that if he missed a single day of practice during spring break, then he was off the team. We missed our last chance (Sr. year) to go to NYC with the orchestra-chorus-drama club because of this rule. It was his choice. I was disappointed of course to not be able to go and chaperone but baseball was his top priority and therefore we did not go. With mandatory attendance policies and kids that take AP classes, I think it's just too hard to miss during the Sept-Jun timeframe. If the principal doesn't agree to give the absence an excused absence, no work/tests could be made up. It wasn't worth the risk to us.

The last one is graduating this year and the dh and I are very excited to be able to vacation whenever we want again!

 

[Darcy03231]

We experienced this as well. My ds was a pitcher for his HS baseball team and was told flat out, that if he missed a single day of practice during spring break, then he was off the team. We missed our last chance (Sr. year) to go to NYC with the orchestra-chorus-drama club because of this rule. It was his choice. I was disappointed of course to not be able to go and chaperone but baseball was his top priority and therefore we did not go. With mandatory attendance policies and kids that take AP classes, I think it's just too hard to miss during the Sept-Jun timeframe. If the principal doesn't agree to give the absence an excused absence, no work/tests could be made up. It wasn't worth the risk to us.

The last one is graduating this year and the dh and I are very excited to be able to vacation whenever we want again!

I love not being tied to the school calendar anymore. The only issue is if we still wanted the kids to travel with us when they were in college we were tied to that calendar, but it did make it a bit easier that they had the first two to three weeks of January off and were out by mid-May.

Now that they are all out of school its wonderful!

 

[aprilgail2]

We experienced this as well. My ds was a pitcher for his HS baseball team and was told flat out, that if he missed a single day of practice during spring break, then he was off the team. We missed our last chance (Sr. year) to go to NYC with the orchestra-chorus-drama club because of this rule. It was his choice. I was disappointed of course to not be able to go and chaperone but baseball was his top priority and therefore we did not go. With mandatory attendance policies and kids that take AP classes, I think it's just too hard to miss during the Sept-Jun timeframe. If the principal doesn't agree to give the absence an excused absence, no work/tests could be made up. It wasn't worth the risk to us.

The last one is graduating this year and the dh and I are very excited to be able to vacation whenever we want again!

Its not even just sports that prevents vacationing over breaks- my daughter get so much homework over the breaks we can't go anyplace! The winter break in Feb they got a big group project to work on, and they had to meet up to work on it so if you went away your whole group was screwed. And these projects are things like display boards, and other large things that you can't possibly do away on vacation. We just took a quick 3 day trip to Florida this month- school was closed Friday for a conference day so we flew out Thursday night and back Sunday night- the kids had to bring textbooks in their carry ons and work on homework the entire flight there and back plus in the hotel-and that was just three days, when school is closed for a week they load so much homework on them that they can't go anyplace. And a big favorite is the online tests/quiz during the weekends and breaks. My friends went away over break and their daughter ended up with a zero on a test because they had no internet access where they were and she couldn't take the online test but the due date- after midnight of whatever day its due the test online is locked and you get a zero.

 

[ICF]

Its not even just sports that prevents vacationing over breaks- my daughter get so much homework over the breaks we can't go anyplace!......

That's crazy -- I cant believe some schools would give group projects over break.

Never had any of that in school when I was there -- or so far with my kids (although the oldest is only in 8th grade)

 

[livie1205]

We pull our dd out who is in 2nd grade but she is an A student and has made up any work she ever missed without a issue, but we stopped pulling our ds out who is in HS because of football, he has to go everyday over summer and on breaks without missing any days.. I dont like it but he chose to play football sooooo ....

 

[Mom_Rides]

We took DD out of her pre-K class to go visit Mil in FL and go to Disney. And we took DSSs out to go to Kalahari on a trip I won there that could only be done Sun-Thurs. We had no problems with either of them.

As a child I missed a week to go to FL with my grandparents and it wasn't a big deal. My parents also did a cross country trip with us when I was in fourth grade and we left about 4 days before the end of school.

The way I see it, my children are mine, not the schools. I decide what's best for them and our family, not the school. I realize they have rules they need to establish but if I want to pull my kid out of school for a week for a family vacation, I'm going to.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Its not even just sports that prevents vacationing over breaks- my daughter get so much homework over the breaks we can't go anyplace! The winter break in Feb they got a big group project to work on, and they had to meet up to work on it so if you went away your whole group was screwed. And these projects are things like display boards, and other large things that you can't possibly do away on vacation. We just took a quick 3 day trip to Florida this month- school was closed Friday for a conference day so we flew out Thursday night and back Sunday night- the kids had to bring textbooks in their carry ons and work on homework the entire flight there and back plus in the hotel-and that was just three days, when school is closed for a week they load so much homework on them that they can't go anyplace. And a big favorite is the online tests/quiz during the weekends and breaks. My friends went away over break and their daughter ended up with a zero on a test because they had no internet access where they were and she couldn't take the online test but the due date- after midnight of whatever day its due the test online is locked and you get a zero.

Tests scheduled during breaks and weekends? Oh, Hell no!!! There's be a revolt here if they tried that. Ditto for group projects scheduled for breaks. Reading assignments or a Summer project they have all Summer to complete ( like a bug collection) are where I'd draw the line.

 

[Laura66]

Tests scheduled during breaks and weekends? Oh, Hell no!!! There's be a revolt here if they tried that. Ditto for group projects scheduled for breaks. Reading assignments or a Summer project they have all Summer to complete ( like a bug collection) are where I'd draw the line.

You could revolt - some tried here - didn't work!

 

[Fjobe]

We pulled our kids the 3 days before spring break last summer. I work on a school calendar, so I typically would not take off during the year, but I worked 3 days before school started last year to compensate for the 3 days missed (pre approved by my boss). I have always wanted to take a weekend trip to go to MNSSHP, so I may someday pull them for a Friday/Monday, but I won't do any more than that.

 

[MichelleVW]

The way I see it, my children are mine, not the schools. I decide what's best for them and our family, not the school. I realize they have rules they need to establish but if I want to pull my kid out of school for a week for a family vacation, I'm going to.

Bingo.....that's how I feel. And yes we tried to fit vacations in when they were off school but being divorced, in the military and them involved in sports etc. We took them when we could.

 

[Anastasi]

Its not even just sports that prevents vacationing over breaks- my daughter get so much homework over the breaks we can't go anyplace! The winter break in Feb they got a big group project to work on, and they had to meet up to work on it so if you went away your whole group was screwed. And these projects are things like display boards, and other large things that you can't possibly do away on vacation. We just took a quick 3 day trip to Florida this month- school was closed Friday for a conference day so we flew out Thursday night and back Sunday night- the kids had to bring textbooks in their carry ons and work on homework the entire flight there and back plus in the hotel-and that was just three days, when school is closed for a week they load so much homework on them that they can't go anyplace. And a big favorite is the online tests/quiz during the weekends and breaks. My friends went away over break and their daughter ended up with a zero on a test because they had no internet access where they were and she couldn't take the online test but the due date- after midnight of whatever day its due the test online is locked and you get a zero.

That really stinks.

As I said previously, our district has a very, very strict policy on unexcused absences.

But, because of that, they are also very adamant that breaks are breaks. In fact, they moved the school calendar so that the end of the first semester and finals would fall before winter break so that kids would not be studying over break.

Amended to add that AP and Honors courses do have summer homework. But those classes are a choice, so you know what you are getting into. And the homework, spread out over 3 months is not overwhelming. You can easily take 2-3 weeks and not do anything and still have plenty of time to get the work done.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

You could revolt - some tried here - didn't work!

Here, the entire school board would be voted out and the contracts of all the administrators not renewed by the new board. It would take at most 3 years. It's less about vacations, but requiring internet access on weekends or other weekend projects that could interfere with teens having jobs simply wouldn't be tolerated.