Do you let your kids miss school?

[being-dragged-to-DL]

I am feeling 'slight' guilt at letting my kids miss some school to go to DL. (Very slight, but it's there!) How many of you all let your kids just flat-out take days off from school to go? And... how many days do you think is OK to allow your kids to miss for it, if any ?

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I will take my kids out of school if I need to, but when I do I usually try to plan the trip around a long weekend or at least a weekend so they won't miss more than 3 days or so. My DH is in the military so our family time comes first because we never know if he's going to be sent somewhere. My kids also do very well in school, if they were struggling I would reconsider. This year we planned our trip for their spring break because my 6 yo DS is in speech therapy and has a reading tutor and while he's doing well now, I'm afraid he would fall behind.

 

[got2travel]

I've taken him out for a week to go to WDW on 2 separate years. I don't think there's a clear cut answer. It really depends on the child. My son has been on honor roll every single quarter that he has been in school. So it's not harmful to his studies to take him out. Plus, we take work with us. If he was not such a good student, then I would have to think harder about taking him out.

I don't take him out of school for DL though, but that's because we are in CA and can do enough weekend trips.

 

[doodlebug]

We take our children out of school for a few days to extend our trips when we want too and since they are still pretty young I don't think it hurts them very much to miss a few days here or there.. Now as they get older and school becomes more demanding we might not be able to do this.. But I too think Family Time is important!! So in two weeks they will miss 2 days of school for our extended drive down the Disneyland and back for their Winter Break!!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I am feeling 'slight' guilt at letting my kids miss some school to go to DL. (Very slight, but it's there!) How many of you all let your kids just flat-out take days off from school to go? And... how many days do you think is OK to allow your kids to miss for it, if any ?

I was lucky because in elementary school my dd was on year round and she went off track right before her bday so I took her then..but I did take her out when she was in jr. high for a week...and she is in college now and will be out a week when we go again lol

 

[Freyja]

My kids will get 2 days off for our upcoming spring trip. I have given them up to a week off without any problems and would do it again if "nececsary". Having said that, I should add that they are very good students, never behind in any subjects, usually ahead in most, and I make sure they catch up all they might miss when on holiday.

 

[joanne1968]

I live in the uk and even though my dd is only 5 we have to apply for permission, I am going to California at Easter and I am taking her 2 1/2 days early which will make our trip 17 days, don't feel guilty at all as they do very little in the last 2 weeks of each term, it is more like child care than school for that period!

 

[laura&fam]

I am going to take my daughter out of school for three days for our trip. I have claustrophobia and absolutely cannot stand crowds so if we want to go to DL I don't see much choice.

I don't see a problem with it because I work with my daughter outside of school anyway. We are always doing studies, workbooks, reading, etc. at home and she is ahead of the class. I will do work with her before we go and make up work when we get back and no homework during the trip.

I agree that it depends on the child and how much school you will be missing.

 

[Rapunsel]

We usually take a long weeknd in October and February/ March to go on family trips. As my Dh is gone all summer on Test trips for work. So we can never make plans with him. I don't have a problem taking my kids out and if people say things about it, maybe out of jealousy, I just say that for us it is convient and that is when we go.

My DS still talks about our week long family vacation in the Smokey Mountains and is waiting till his sister is old enough to be able to go. He still talkes about the hikes we went on, the waterfalls that we saw, doing puzzles and playing in the jacuzzi. Would he remember that much about a week at school? It was also our last vacation with just the 3 of us.

I think it is up to the individual, but I always loved it to be able to play hookey from school, but I also knew that I had to do well and keep up the good grades or it would not happen. I misses 2 weeks of my Senior Year to fo to Eastern Europe, 3 weeks in the 8th grade to go to Australia, a week in 9th grade to go to Tahiti with my ill grandma. Then about 10 days in College to go to Vietnam. So I missed a lot of school, but I learned so much more out of school then in.

Also my mom did take me to DL once a year during the school year. For about 5-6 years. It was fun for us. We now do it when we go to visit with my 2 kids. I think the memories of spending time with family are most important.

 

[JenJen]

It depends on there grades and if the teacher says it is okay for them to miss school for one day. I always talk to the teacher and ask them if missing the day we are going to go will impact there grades I also ask how they are doing behavioral wise in school and if they are behind grade wise or behavioral wise then they can not miss school.

My kids have missed about 3 days total from school because of Disney trips in the last 10 years. That was not including our one big WDW trip in which they missed 3 days total but all of there homework had to be done on the plane and they did homework the first two mornings we were there then they were done. We left on a Thursday night and returned The following Thursday but that week they did not have school Monday Tues and Weds was a half day.

It really is a personal choice I don't think it is any ones business why or when you pull you child out of school but as a parent i believe that education comes first and if they are not doing well in school they will not miss a day for entertainment reasons. But that is my own feelings on the subject.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I have taken my kids out of school to go to Disneyland twice and have no problem with it whatsoever. I have never let them miss more than 3 days. Now when my son starts middle school next year I may feel differently except I will have to wait until after he misses 4 days for our Disney Cruise! We wanted to go with family on that trip and trying to get everyone's schedules to work out was more difficult than I had thought it would be. So they will miss at least one more time. And I have to point out something else. I see many people who comment that they are okay doing this because their child is a good student or gifted academically. I don't happen to think that matters. I feel that if a child tries hard and is willing to put in the extra effort before and after the trip than that counts for something too. I have a son who is a very good student and a daughter who struggles but tries and is a much more dedicated student than her smart brother. I take her out and have no more qualms about doing so than I do her brother. The reason being, I know she tries hard, is constantly improving with each year and why should she automatically be denied this over anyone else? Never one time have any of her teachers told me, "oh I can't recommend Maria miss school since she isn't a good student". They know she is always willing to try hard, go that extra mile and respect her for that. School is about more than just good grades and her overall performance and dedication is noticed by her teachers so why not reward that as well? Both my kids take work, make it up and come right back and hit the books and fall back into routine as soon as we get home. It doesn't seem to damage my daughter to miss anymore than it does my son. So if there are parents out there who have kids who don't get straight A's don't assume they will be harmed anymore by missing than a gifted student. In fact it has been a good motivator for my daughter and shows her I trust her to make up the work and continue to work hard before and after the trip! So my advice, enjoy your family time, it doesn't last forever but the memories do!

 

[rafiki77]

In the past we haven't had to worry about missing school since the oldest just started Kindergarten this year. However our trip around Valentine's day will be the first time that Grandparents and Aunt plus Mom and Dad and the two kids 5 yrs and 10 months get to go together. Because of Papa and Mema are handicap we will be having the 5 yr old miss school. We live about 1 and half hours from Disneyland, which is close but not close enough for me.

 

[hlbtimes2]

My dd missed a couple days in K to go for a Christmas trip. One day this past Oct, and will miss 2 days in March. I really thought long and hard over the two days in March. I feel a little guilty about it. We could have done the trip with her missing just one day- but it was only $122 (total) more for another night in the hotel / day in the park. I just couldnt pass it up. I tried to schedule for presidents week when she is off, or a long weekend she has in March but just couldnt find hotel and airfare we could afford.

She is only in 2nd grade, so I'm not to worried about it. She's a smart girl that does well in school.

 

[JenJen]

Amy I really hope that you were not pointing out the fact that I only think gifted kids can miss a day at Disneyland. My son has Aspergers syndrome and my daughter has ADHD with SIDS. Although my daughter get all A's because she works her (_!_) off to do it and it takes her way more effort to get good grades then the average child . That has nothing to do with why she or her brother gets to go. If she or my son are stuggling in school I just don't think it is worth it to pull them out of school to go to Disneyland. If missing days of school means it is going to set them back for the entire semester it is in there best intrest not to miss school to go. It is a personal choice I have made. Both of my kids have to work very very hard to get the grades they do and I can care less what there grades are as long as they give 100% effort.
My own personal and opionion choice is that school comes before fun. Everyone makes choices for there kids that are best for them.
If you were not refering to me I apologise. I just don't want anyone to think that my kids are going because of there grades and that makes them any beter then anyone elses kids. If they both had a 4.0 and had a bad attitude at school they would not go period.

 

[hlbtimes2]

It doesn't seem to damage my daughter to miss anymore than it does my son. So if there are parents out there who have kids who don't get straight A's don't assume they will be harmed anymore by missing than a gifted student. In fact it has been a good motivator for my daughter and shows her I trust her to make up the work and continue to work hard before and after the trip! So my advice, enjoy your family time, it doesn't last forever but the memories do!

I dont think anyone is saying they have to get straight A's to go on vacation. I think most people would agree that if a child is behind and struggling to keep up with the class its more important for them to be there and vacation can wait. For some kids missing one or two days, even if they dont get the best grades isnt a big deal. For another child missing a day or two could set them back so far that they dont recover for months. Its all about knowing your child and what they are capable of.

 

[jakoky]

hi there, we leave for disneyland on a saturday (may 13)and return the 10 laters, so a total 11 days and my 3 kids will miss 5 school days...i took a lot of time planning when the best time to go would be, especially for my 14 yr old daughter who is on a semester system....she knows she will have to work a little harder before we go and when we get back....and yes, my kids all do get A's and B's and that makes it easier to pull them out, but only because i dont want to make it too hard on them, if they struggled with school, i think that it would probably be too hard for them to catch up and i would hate to watch them struggling...another thing i think is probably important is making sure your child is caught up way ahead of time, mine always hand things in on time, but it amazes the emails i get from one teacher going back weeks that kids havent handed things in from...it is definately a personal choice and one i talked over with my kids and they want to go for it....also, my oldest hasnt missed one day of school this year, so this 5 days will probably be what most miss with colds....the only other trip we took was to WDW in dec 04 and they missed 8 school days, but not one of them had any homework before or after that trip..i pulled them out when they were doing all the christmas parties and concerts, and they missed very minimal work....they got lucky that time.....
sharon

 

[Snow Brite]

I have taken mine out to go, once each. I have no regrets and think that Disneyland can be very educational if you try hard enough!

They always write in a journal everynight or morning, at least a page about what they did.

They are the keeper of the map and have to figure out how to get us where they want us to go.

I give them the cash to pay for our meals and have them figure out the change.

We spend a little time in lines figuring out math stuff...like how many people are in line in front of us...and how many people get on the ride per minute...so how much longer will it be til we get to ride.

DCA has the tortilla factory and some historical stuff about Cali.

We looked for the 50 hidden mickey ears...and then figured out how many ears we had really seen (X2), etc.

We looked for "Disney" spelling and then spelled the words right.

You get the idea...we had fun while we were doing it all, none of it was forced or required. But if you try you can think of lots of ways to add a little education in without them even noticing.

 

[boosmom96]

I think it really depends on your school district. I would talk to them about it first. Some districts are far more rigid than others. That said, we took our DD out of school for 5 days in Nov. to go to WDW and will take her out for another 2-3 days to go skiing in March. She's in 3rd grade and I feel family time is really important. We went to DL this summer and I can honestly say I will never go back during the summer again!!! It was an unbearably crowded!

 

[jemilah]

I always go when school is in ...........cant imagine speding all that money to ride just a few rides during school vacations. We just keep the grades up and try to stay healthy. If one of my boys was falling behind we would not go ..............but travel is educational too!

 

[kristenhh]

See if your school does this for absences. We have done it many times -- the school still gets credit for your child being there -- and all the work comes with us.