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Taking kids out of school?


Mickfarland4
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Some school districts do not allow it because they lose pupil funding for the absentees.

As a retired teacher, I'd say do it. Travel is educational.

 

What a great point of view, and wonderful coming from a teacher! I say its up to your child, if you feel they can make up the work and wont have trouble, then go for it! Why pay so much more for the same cruise during breaks?

 

Christina

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What a timely topic!

 

I took my kids out for two weeks in December, as I always do. I notified the school in advance, and my kids got their assignments to take along. My daughter is now in 7th grade, and is in honor's classes and on the elite principal's honor roll.

 

She did all of her work, and is actually ahead now, as they didn't get as much done in class while we were away.

 

Yet, yesterday I got a letter in the mail from the 7th grade "team" warning me that attendance is important and to speak to my daughter about the importance of good attendance. Now, I explained in my notice to them in November that I understand that they all don't agree with my position, and I assured them that the work would be done. Did they really need to send a threatening letter :confused:

 

I got the same letter, but my daughter was out a lot this term because of pneumonia. It doesn't mean I'm not going to take her out later this year for a cruise. I think they get way too much non-schooltime work (i.e. homework, summer projects), they don't get to enjoy their childhood! My daughter has always made up her work, and has never gotten any grade less than an A, and has always been on the High Honor Roll. So let them be kids and have fun!

 

Christina

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I'm taking my 4th grader on a cruise in March. She will complete all of her homework, plus some related to our destinations. She is Principals List and will benefit from the travel experience. We dId this in Oct 2013' and it didn't harm her at all, and, in fact, was beneficial to her studies.

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I think if I were a teacher and could only cruise during school vacations, when prices are the highest (which often means they cannot afford to cruise at all), I would be pretty annoyed at having to do all the extra work involved in preparing assignments and correcting them for all the parents who want to take advantage of the less expensive fares during the school year. In the primary grades this might not be too onerous, but doing it several times a year at different times for different students does seem to be an imposition.

 

And those invaluable lessons about the poverty could be learned just as well during the days school is not in session.

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I think if I were a teacher and could only cruise during school vacations, when prices are the highest (which often means they cannot afford to cruise at all), I would be pretty annoyed at having to do all the extra work involved in preparing assignments and correcting them for all the parents who want to take advantage of the less expensive fares during the school year. In the primary grades this might not be too onerous, but doing it several times a year at different times for different students does seem to be an imposition.

 

 

 

And those invaluable lessons about the poverty could be learned just as well during the days school is not in session.

 

 

I agree with you . . . I only take my kids out when they're primary grade students. We haven't taken our high school aged son on any vacations during the school year. He's very involved and would choose not to even if we asked! And I prefer to discuss it with the teacher during "Meet the Staff" night prior to even booking a trip so that I get her perspective first. All teachers have been very supportive and only one through the years has seemed as though the prep work for her was inconvenient. Still, she said my little guy would benefit from the trip . . . she just didn't think, as a first grader, he needed to do his work ahead of time in order to "keep up." I offered instead to have him write in his journal each day about his experiences on the trip and she told us to "just get out of this place and have a fabulous time!"

 

I think it's important to communicate with the teacher well ahead of time in order to determine if this is a good opportunity for you and your children or if it's a detriment to his education. Including the teacher in that process makes sense.

 

 

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And we took our children (ages 9-14) out of school the week after Labor Day a few years ago!!:eek:

 

Schooling is important, but a first grader can easily miss a week of school. (if your child is struggling in school I might condition this & say NO)

 

Do this now--once they get into high school it is very very difficult for them to miss school. Then they are in college, you try to coordinate vacations/breaks--even if you are able, you will pay the premium holiday/summer rates.

 

We may be taking our last family vaca for a while in March--last one enters HS next year & is very active in 3 sports. Oldest's spring break coordinated with ours this year, but doesn't next. And DD may attend a different college than her brother, so that is 3 schedules to coordinate...that is why I said DO IT NOW:)

 

We travel alot (its our hobby). I will happily take an extra vacation day if it will save me a chunk of change.

 

Have a great time!

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I think if I were a teacher and could only cruise during school vacations, when prices are the highest (which often means they cannot afford to cruise at all), I would be pretty annoyed at having to do all the extra work involved in preparing assignments and correcting them for all the parents who want to take advantage of the less expensive fares during the school year. In the primary grades this might not be too onerous, but doing it several times a year at different times for different students does seem to be an imposition.

.

 

At most schools it is a rarity that children take a long vacation, much less several in the same class, even over the course of a year.

 

Again, if it is a student that struggles alot, this would be tough as the teacher would then need to find time to teach the student what they missed when they return.

 

Sadly, it is a rarity that the children with the resources to take these extended vacations are the ones who struggle a lot...socioeconomic lines are pretty clear. No prejudice here, the facts don't lie. I have taught over 25 years, mostly in schools with a middle to lower class population. (Typically free & reduced rate over 50%).

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What a timely topic!

 

I took my kids out for two weeks in December, as I always do. I notified the school in advance, and my kids got their assignments to take along. My daughter is now in 7th grade, and is in honor's classes and on the elite principal's honor roll.

 

She did all of her work, and is actually ahead now, as they didn't get as much done in class while we were away.

 

Yet, yesterday I got a letter in the mail from the 7th grade "team" warning me that attendance is important and to speak to my daughter about the importance of good attendance. Now, I explained in my notice to them in November that I understand that they all don't agree with my position, and I assured them that the work would be done. Did they really need to send a threatening letter :confused:

 

It is likely a standard letter directed by the district. (even tho it says it is from the team--that is on purpose to make it more personal). Most districts have standards...i.e. if students have had over 10 absences over a semester, this is the first letter to go out. Likely had absolutely nothing to do personally with your daughter.

 

If your daughter is doing fine in school, I would disregard the letter.

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To the OP (I refused to read many of the comments because everyone will have an opinion):

 

You know your child better than anyone. Will the world end if she misses a few days of school? Not likely. But be ready and willing to help her catch up her studies upon your return. We are looking at booking next January with all 5 of ours, including *gasp* a college student, 3 high schoolers & an elementary student. It is what it is. People will preach to you about the value of education, but as adults we also know that not every day of our academic careers was spent learning much of anything. We are planning the trip to coincide with MLK so that there is one less day they will be missing. I don't think missing 2 or 3 days of school will stunt their academic growth...just my opinion.

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To the OP (I refused to read many of the comments because everyone will have an opinion):

 

 

 

You know your child better than anyone. Will the world end if she misses a few days of school? Not likely. But be ready and willing to help her catch up her studies upon your return. We are looking at booking next January with all 5 of ours, including *gasp* a college student, 3 high schoolers & an elementary student. It is what it is. People will preach to you about the value of education, but as adults we also know that not every day of our academic careers was spent learning much of anything. We are planning the trip to coincide with MLK so that there is one less day they will be missing. I don't think missing 2 or 3 days of school will stunt their academic growth...just my opinion.

 

 

Amen!!! One thing to add . . . the benefit of adventures you take with your family will most likely outweigh the risk of missing a week of school. Enjoy your family time . . . these days are numbered as we all know too well.

 

 

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Bottom line is you are your child's parent. You know your child better than anyone and it's your choice as a parent. I will tell you this, a couple of years ago I went to my child's school - she was a sophomore in high school and requested special permission to take my child on an educational adventure to study the effects of H2O in a frozen state as well as how altitude effects the H20. 😊 Not only was permission granted but the school counselor volunteered to accompany us, if needed - she said she would like to study thermal energy levels in the lodge. Haha. Needless to say the trip created more memories than ever would have been at school and thanks to a 3 page essay on her experience the days were forgiven and not counted against her. Her Junior year she missed several days and we went to Italy. Now this trip is still paying off as she is now in college - the history learned and the art lessons are still being used today.

 

 

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Bottom I will tell you this, a couple of years ago I went to my child's school - she was a sophomore in high school and requested special permission to take my child on an educational adventure to study the effects of H2O in a frozen state as well as how altitude effects the H20.

 

Ski trip?

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Yes, if you want to read endless debates, go to the family forum here and do a search to pull up old threads on this tired subject. You will be amazed at the vast majority of posters on CC who have extremely gifted and talented children.

 

Many people do it, it's your choice.

 

LOL, it's not only the cruise boards. I visit another family friendly vacation board and all the kids there are mense students.

 

Generally we never took our kids out of school for vacations. I never played the "educational" card because there isn't a darn thing educational about our family vacations. LOL. I've also never went with the theory that my kids needed a cruise or a Disney vacation to make "memories". what do kids who cant do this do? never have happy childhood memories?

 

Also my kids went to Catholic school and they did not allow it. I'm a rules following type of gal.

 

But I never understood why this always turns into a debate??? Actually I never understand why people ask. do people also ask should they take their kids to the doctor, to the dentist or any of the thousands of other places we haul our kids too? If you want to take your kids out, do so.

 

Why ask?

Edited by camptalcott
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I wonder (just wondering) if there is constant theme to many posts here on CC. We have those that take their dogs (pets) on cruises (or other trips) because they want their dogs. So they take advantage of the "service dog" rules even though their dog is not a service dog. And we have those who decide they do not feel like dressing-up on formal nights because they simply do not want to dress-up. The dress codes do not apply to them! And we have cruisers who find ways to smuggle alcohol aboard ships because the rules do not apply to them And there are those who pull their children out of school because they just feel like it! The truancy rules do not apply to them and they can simply do as they please.

 

So perhaps the theme here is that many folks simply do as they please, feel no need to follow rules (or even laws), and having listened to our own politicians spin everything under the sun they are also good at "spinning" their flaunting of rules.

 

There is really no "debate" here. What we do have is folks who simply think that the rules and laws of society do not apply to them.

 

Hank

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You might not get the chance to later...

 

Children are the purpose of Life. Seeing them smile, even if they won't remember smiling is the purpose of Life. The experience of traveling the world is what forms young minds into brilliant adults. Even if you don't remember the experience, it shapes who you will become. We travelled India for 4 months with our now 8 year old son when he was 14 months old. We will be taking our 13 month old daughter on the Sunshine this Saturday. My brother's daughter is only 7 months old and coming too. And they will both grow up to be better pdope. They will be tolerant, understanding, happy people.

 

People who think they get to tell me when to cruise or whether or not I should take my kids out of school, or which places are educational are laughable at best.

 

I guess all those cruises have gone to your heads.

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Yes a ski trip and we took a friend on the adventure. 😜 The two girls actually had the opportunity to meet a huge group of kids their age from England and learned so much.

 

 

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Did they learn any English? :)

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Did they learn any English? :)

 

 

They definitely learned how to all get into trouble. They did learn some very interesting words and so did I. 😳. I also was given the opportunity to teach a couple of them about what was appropriate to say in front of a southern lady. Hehe

 

 

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They definitely learned how to all get into trouble. They did learn some very interesting words and so did I. 😳. I also was given the opportunity to teach a couple of them about what was appropriate to say in front of a southern lady. Hehe

 

 

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I was once told, by a very mad southern lady, what a gentleman was. However, I can't repeat what I was told here (without getting into trouble). :eek:

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I And there are those who pull their children out of school because they just feel like it! The truancy rules do not apply to them and they can simply do as they please.

 

...

 

There is really no "debate" here. What we do have is folks who simply think that the rules and laws of society do not apply to them.

 

Hank

 

When it comes to bringing up children, slavishly following rules is not a good way to go. If it's a choice between what I think is best for my child, and what the head of the school department thinks is best for my child, then I think it would be bad parenting just to do as he says because "that's the rules".

 

I need to consider his opinion and the reasoning behind it, but it's my decision, not his.

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Does anyone do this? I have a first grader and am looking at our first cruise for sometime in 2016. I have limited times we can go because I am also in school. We can either go mid Dec-mid Jan and pay less or go mid may-mid Aug and pay more. Obviously, the winter sounds better:p! We would be on a tight budget and I am excited to have chosen a vacation we can make payments on and not have to save for.

 

And if I do decide on a winter cruise vs. summer what is the avg. temp in the Caribbean or aboard the ship when sailing? I'd hate to pay all that money and not be able to swim or use the waterslides because it's chilly!;) Thank you!!

 

While our kids are young, we're ok taking them out. This past October was our first time when going to Disney World. The big advantages were less crowds with great weather and better hotel rates. Our kids were 9 and 5. Going at Christmas or March break would be insane with crowds and summer is lots of rain and awful heat.

 

We have booked a Caribbean cruise for April 2016 (after Easter and March breaks). They will be 10.5 (almost 11) and 6.5. We selected the date for great weather (low to mid 80s and little rain) and good price. If we waited until the summer, then the cost would be more and it would be hot and closer to, or in hurricane season.

 

Both trips were/are for a week. Don't think we'd book longer than that.

We gave our kids teachers lots of notice before our Disney trip so they could assign missed work. We'll do the same for our cruise next year.

 

Not sure if we'll take them out after this though due to our older one's age. At the same time, these years are precious and family time is so important.

Edited by LuCruise
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While our kids are young, we're ok taking them out. This past October was our first time when going to Disney World. The big advantages were less crowds with great weather and better hotel rates. Our kids were 9 and 5. Going at Christmas or March break would be insane with crowds and summer is lots of rain and awful heat.

 

We have booked a Caribbean cruise for April 2016 (after Easter and March breaks). They will be 10.5 (almost 11) and 6.5. We selected the date for great weather (low to mid 80s and little rain) and good price. If we waited until the summer, then the cost would be more and it would be hot and closer to, or in hurricane season.

 

I think being in the middle of a hurricane would be educational (unless your kids have already been in the middle of a hurricane). :D

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