Am I A Bad Mom

[CC Help Michell]

Oh, my, my!!! Such a range of replies! To the OP, obviously finding out the attendance policy at your child's school system is paramount. Beyond that, it's really a judgment call on your part, using your best (most non-biased, to the extent you can as a parent!) eye, as to whether YOUR child at THIS point in his or her education, can afford to miss some school time. As I posted before, children who need a lot of support and supervision to grasp new material will suffer far more than the self-starter, "type A" types, who will thrive no matter the circumstances. Not all children are the same!

 

I would add a few thoughts:

 

To those saying "His/her teacher didn't have a problem with it" please note the teacher replies in this thread -- when a parent has made up their mind to pull a child for a vacation, why jeopardize a good relationship, working for the benefit of the child, when the parent's mind is made up? I, and most teachers I know, will do all that we can to help the child succeed, no matter the circumstances. What's the point of getting into a brouhaha which the teacher isn't going to "win?"

 

Second, it is NOT "all about the money," with respect to my board communication partner PDAZ. Sorry, but I just have to make the point (which MOST parents DO totally appreciate) -- with the same amount of time, energy, and emotional effort expended toward "the client's" (childrens') success, most teachers could be making 1.5 - 2x more money in the private sector. I can't speak to the union thing, I'm not a union worker -- and in fact came to teaching after taking a 55% pay cut from my prior career of 14 years -- I'm one of those people who felt a "calling," and changed my life situation to make it happen. I love what I do and seeing a glowing babyface telling me "oh, now I get it" is worth any greenback. Maybe I'm an exception -- but I truly don't think so, based on the teachers I know.

 

Third, the fact that your child is "only" in Pre-K, K, 1st, 2nd grade doesn't change the balancing that YOU have to do to decide if missing school is "worth it." Over the years I've taught elementary up to and including third grade, and I can tell you that for the younger babies, BOOKS DO NOT CUT IT! I can try to give worksheets, workbooks, etc., to make up for time spent away from school (for any reason), but for most of those students it is the "living learning" a live teacher in the classroom gives that makes the necessary connections for further learning. Example (only one I'm going to permit myself here) -- this year I taught adverbs by having my class move through the school "quietly," "quickly," slowly," and go over "there," "here," "under that," touch "a few of" the items, etc. -- my students knew what an adverb was COLD. Not from book learning (they all could recite "an adverb describes a verb, or tells how, when, where, how much or how often") but because they knew what it looked like, felt like, smelled like.

 

Fourth, "a trip to <wherever> is FAR more educational than the classroom" CAN be true, absolutely, and as an army brat who lived all over the globe, I KNOW it's true in my case -- but the parent has to commit to make it happen. I loved the virtual field trip/daily email story earlier in this thread. THAT is "living learning," and I'd have been right there with that child's teacher in supporting the trip. But reality is that some (BY NO MEANS MOST) parents who use this line don't actually DO anything to make sure their child actually grows, or learns, or expands his world view from the trip. For the sake of the children, at least introduce them to money exchange, coin value, time management ("hey, we have to leave for this excursion in 40 minutes, what time will it be then?") and the like.

 

Last -- ONLY YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD. Just based on the planning and detail oriented mentality of most regular posters here, I'd be amazed if most of us (yes, I include myself!) weren't super achievers in school. That doesn't mean that your child will "handle" a prolonged school absence (more than 2 days in most cases) just as you would have.

 

Use good judgment, don't rely on super-achievers/entrepreneurs relating their stories of how great their super-children did, and be realistic -- then if you decide to go for it, please try to follow through on educational goals for the trip! THEN you will be a "mom trying to do her best" and not a "bad" mom. :)

[EmmaJean]

It's always money... Many of us choose to take vacations during the off-season because it is cheaper. Honestly, I would have loved to have escaped from Phoenix in July, but the prices were too steep -- it was off-season or nothing when my kids were in school.

 

Although some of the most influential people in my life have been teachers, I do find the "holier than thou" attitude a bit hypocritical. It's amazing how those "building blocks of the curriculum" get tossed aside when the union says strike. Like I said, it's always money ;)

 

I think union strikes would be wrong for teachers too. I've never been part of one-I think they may be illegal here.

 

If you home school your kids the stuff they miss and they get to go on the vacation and also learn from that experience-they'll be the ones ahead. Just make sure that your child understands the stuff they missed when they get back or within a short while of when they get back to school.

 

Obviously, whichever way you go it is YOUR CHILD. Like others have said, you are the one who knows what is best for your child. If vacation experiences get them ahead or behind in school, you ultimately are responsible for your child.

 

Please don't just be like the child I had in my class whose parents didn't teach him the stuff he missed, so I was trying my hardest to make up the instruction on my time during recesses and after school. It was so hard!

[rebeccalouise]

Children don't just learn in the classroom. But a cruise ship- is NOT the real world. In fact, I cruise because it is NOT the real world. It is a safe, artificial world. I love cruises but they are not learning experiences. They are fun and the islands are fun. Don't discount what kids learn in school in one week, especially 1st graders like mine.

 

The most important lessons children learn is via their parents. If parents take school seriously, then kids take school seriously. If parents value money over education- then kids will value money over education.

Or maybe not...

Perhaps falling behind, feeling like everyone else knows what is going on except them will teach them that missing a week of school isn't a bright idea.

 

Just another way to look at things.

[crusinmama06]

Children don't just learn in the classroom. But a cruise ship- is NOT the real world. In fact, I cruise because it is NOT the real world. It is a safe, artificial world. I love cruises but they are not learning experiences. They are fun and the islands are fun. Don't discount what kids learn in school in one week, especially 1st graders like mine.

 

The most important lessons children learn is via their parents. If parents take school seriously, then kids take school seriously. If parents value money over education- then kids will value money over education.

Or maybe not...

Perhaps falling behind, feeling like everyone else knows what is going on except them will teach them that missing a week of school isn't a bright idea.

 

Just another way to look at things.

 

If you work on it they can be learning experiences. I am not a real big sit on the beach kind of person. I make sure that each cruise is complete with excursions that will be something educational. And then every trip is followed by a report on the different places visited complete with pictures. And this is my first grader.

 

But beyond that I have a question...has the OP been back yet to check the thread? :confused:

[BethCarp]

I make sure that each cruise is complete with excursions that will be something educational. And then every trip is followed by a report on the different places visited complete with pictures. And this is my first grader.

Curious, what do you do? This will be our first cruise with our kids; the oldest being in first grade when we sail. The only thing remotely educational we plan on seeing is the Aquarium in Key West. Cozumel and Coco Cay will be stricly beach days. Of course, we'll work a little on Spanish and trying new foods too. ;)

[crusinmama06]

Curious, what do you do? This will be our first cruise with our kids; the oldest being in first grade when we sail. The only thing remotely educational we plan on seeing is the Aquarium in Key West. Cozumel and Coco Cay will be stricly beach days. Of course, we'll work a little on Spanish and trying new foods too. ;)

 

Yeah Key West and CoCay are tough ones. We haven't been back to those ports since PRE-Kids and we didn't need to be educational. We rented wave runners...lol. Those days are over, at least for a while. ;)

 

Cozumel you have a couple of options. There's the Mayan city of Tulum, Chankanaab National Marine Park and then there's Xcaret Natural Adventure Park http://www.xcaret.com

[BethCarp]

Cozumel you have a couple of options. There's the Mayan city of Tulum, Chankanaab National Marine Park and then there's Xcaret Natural Adventure Park http://www.xcaret.com

Thanks. I would imagine Chankanaab would be on par with the Aquarium as far as education is concerned and we don't plan on heading to the mainland on this trip. So we'll just focus on PE, lunch and naptime in Cozumel. LOL!!

[juniorsmom]

Wow, some school attendance policies are waaay stricter than in Ontario. We took our grade nine son on a cruise in April and his teachers just said make up the work when you can. It didn't seem to bother them. We are considering another cruise in December before school ends for christmas. The day before holidays no one shows up anyway, so he would only miss 4 days.

[nycruiser1975]

My son is 6 and will just be starting the second grade. I have to look into the absence policy. He has never been absent before. A few times this year due to colds and allergies. He is an good student good reader. 100%on weekly spelling test. Just started challenging math and is getting good at it. I am proud of his school work. I want to go during thanksgiving week and he would only miss 3 days, but cannot find a cruise. Any suggestions on which ship during that week. DS does not want to go to haiti. and thought about leaving from NJ, or FL. Help accepting all suggesting for that week of thanksgiving

[Luxuriate]

When I was in third grade I missed about one week of school. You would think, "no big deal" but, it is a big deal to me.

 

I never had the lesson on "big subtraction". I think I was sick that week. What I mean is, I never really learned to memorize things like 13- 6 = 7 or 14-5 = 9. This may sound really strange but to this day I have to really think about that! Also, I missed the basic lesson on how to do percentages (maybe 5th grade?) I still have to use a calculater. My point....I hate to say it, because I have a 2 1/2 year old at home is.... send them to school! Miss as few days as possible.

 

Thanks for listening,

 

Cheryl,

 

P.S. I graduated from high school and college with a 3.7 GPA but still have to use a calculator.

[rebeccalouise]

Beleive me- I would love to justify taking my son on a Transatlantic cruise next year. You can travel from San Juan- London for 14 days for only $899.00 per person! This is just the best cruise out there.

 

For anyone reading that has pre-school age kids- Go now! I did a 14 night TA in 2005 with my then 4 year old. My father said "Go now, or you will never have the chance". He paid for my cruise so that I would go- thanks Dad! It was the adventure of a lifetime!

 

There are cruise bargains out there and I am so glad I took advantage of them before my son went to kindergarten. I have taught my kids responsibility. They know that I get up 6 days a week and work my butt off. Then we all relax on vacation. But they know that I expect them to do their best in school. How can I tell them that and then minimize school? It just sends mixed messages.

[Droopy_Sails]

And we have to figure out what vacations are doable during the summer, and try to save those vacations for later.

 

Wildlife watching and camping (or staying in a hotel if you prefer) at Yellowstone and/or Grand Tetons national parks.

Touring New York City, Boston, Toronto, San Francisco or Chicago--all great in the summer.

Taking a riverboat down the Mississippi.

Enjoying the blues and barbecue of Memphis.

Visiting the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota.

Hiking the Rockies in Colorado.

Taking in the stunning natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, with a big dose of wonderful Seattle thrown in.

Exploring the historic streets of Charleston, Savannah and Beaufort.

Driving around the Northern Neck of Virginia with a ferryboat ride to Tangier Island on the side.

Checking out Maine and/or the Maritime Provinces.

Visiting the sites of the American Revolution in New England.

Taking a train across the Canadian Rockies.

Soaking up the atmosphere in Vancouver and Victoria.

Visiting the great museums and memorial sites of Washington, DC.

Hitting the trails of the Smoky, Blue Ridge or Appalachian mountains.

 

That just a start...and that's not even leaving the U.S. and Canada. There's more to life than cruising...and most of it is at its best in the summertime...

[Onessa]

. . . To those saying "His/her teacher didn't have a problem with it" please note the teacher replies in this thread -- when a parent has made up their mind to pull a child for a vacation, why jeopardize a good relationship, working for the benefit of the child, when the parent's mind is made up? I, and most teachers I know, will do all that we can to help the child succeed, no matter the circumstances. What's the point of getting into a brouhaha which the teacher isn't going to "win?" . . .

 

True story - just got a letter from the lawyers defending one of my DD's all time favorite teachers from a few years past. She is an award winning teacher about (hopefully) to celebrate her 20th year teaching. The lawyer was requesting "testimonials" on the teacher's behalf.

 

Seems that the teacher mentioned to the parent that one reason that the parent's daughter was not performing at grade level was due to the unusual number of absences the child had (this was early November and the girl had missed over 20% of the school days, including two manditory state test dates that the child then needed to use additional school time to make up the tests). The teacher went on to suggest that if they really needed to take a planned trip to Disney World that perhaps they might consider shifting it one week to Thanksgiving break so that the child would miss fewer days of school. Or that if they really needed to go the week that they had planned, had they considered hiring an outside tutor to help the girl to catch up.

 

The parents (dad is a lawyer) flew off the handle. Claiming that the "real reason" the girl was doing poorly was that the teacher was incompetent. They went directly to the school board using their DD's test scores and a part of a video tape of a program that the class had put on where a developmentally delayed boy (who was being mainstreamed into the class for 1.5 hours a day) was acting as one of the narrator and was being gently helped in reading a paragraph.

 

Since the mother was influential (president of the school's PTO and president of the "band booster club" at the high school) and the father golfing buddies with two of the board members - the board ordered a year-long period of continually supervised probation for the teacher (with no formal hearing).

 

I'm hoping that what the teacher's lawyers told me was accurate and that the judicial system eventually prevails. But the past six months have been a living heck for this teacher for simply doing her job! And no matter what the final outcome, her reputation and her health have been irreversably damaged!

 

So don't dismiss MichellP's concerns - the fact that your child's teacher says it is "ok" does not necessarily mean that it is "ok".

[Onessa]

Wildlife watching and camping (or staying in a hotel if you prefer) at Yellowstone and/or Grand Tetons national parks.

Touring New York City, Boston, Toronto, San Francisco or Chicago--all great in the summer.

Taking a riverboat down the Mississippi.

Enjoying the blues and barbecue of Memphis.

Visiting the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota.

Hiking the Rockies in Colorado.

Taking in the stunning natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, with a big dose of wonderful Seattle thrown in.

Exploring the historic streets of Charleston, Savannah and Beaufort.

Driving around the Northern Neck of Virginia with a ferryboat ride to Tangier Island on the side.

Checking out Maine and/or the Maritime Provinces.

Visiting the sites of the American Revolution in New England.

Taking a train across the Canadian Rockies.

Soaking up the atmosphere in Vancouver and Victoria.

Visiting the great museums and memorial sites of Washington, DC.

Hitting the trails of the Smoky, Blue Ridge or Appalachian mountains.

 

That just a start...and that's not even leaving the U.S. and Canada. There's more to life than cruising...and most of it is at its best in the summertime...

 

All good suggestions. Just an fyi though, alot of those places are insanely busy in summer. Do some research - our DD's school gets out about a week before most others in our state and two or three weeks before most of the others in the country. We generally "land" vacation the first week and a half in June to miss the big crowds - DC and VA last year, Yellowstone and Black Hills two years ago, PacNW three years ago and again this year.

 

Nothing beats the US and Canadian National Parks and monuments!

[Onessa]

My son is 6 and will just be starting the second grade. I have to look into the absence policy. He has never been absent before. A few times this year due to colds and allergies. He is an good student good reader. 100%on weekly spelling test. Just started challenging math and is getting good at it. I am proud of his school work. I want to go during thanksgiving week and he would only miss 3 days, but cannot find a cruise. Any suggestions on which ship during that week. DS does not want to go to haiti. and thought about leaving from NJ, or FL. Help accepting all suggesting for that week of thanksgiving

 

We did HI for Tgiving a few years back (DD was in fourth grade and because it corresponds with "deer hunting season" - seemingly a big thing here abouts - they had 3.5 days off for Tgiving!). It was perfect! We visited the National Parks, went to the Aquarium on Maui, snorkeled with the giant sea turtles, visited the WWII historic sites, and hiked (seeing "sensitive plants" and wild mango trees and all sorts of cool stuff). We are not "sit on the beach" kind of people, so all of our trips are educational 'cause that's what we like to do!

[mitsguy2001]

True story - just got a letter from the lawyers defending one of my DD's all time favorite teachers from a few years past. She is an award winning teacher about (hopefully) to celebrate her 20th year teaching. The lawyer was requesting "testimonials" on the teacher's behalf.

 

Seems that the teacher mentioned to the parent that one reason that the parent's daughter was not performing at grade level was due to the unusual number of absences the child had (this was early November and the girl had missed over 20% of the school days, including two manditory state test dates that the child then needed to use additional school time to make up the tests). The teacher went on to suggest that if they really needed to take a planned trip to Disney World that perhaps they might consider shifting it one week to Thanksgiving break so that the child would miss fewer days of school. Or that if they really needed to go the week that they had planned, had they considered hiring an outside tutor to help the girl to catch up.

 

The parents (dad is a lawyer) flew off the handle. Claiming that the "real reason" the girl was doing poorly was that the teacher was incompetent. They went directly to the school board using their DD's test scores and a part of a video tape of a program that the class had put on where a developmentally delayed boy (who was being mainstreamed into the class for 1.5 hours a day) was acting as one of the narrator and was being gently helped in reading a paragraph.

 

Since the mother was influential (president of the school's PTO and president of the "band booster club" at the high school) and the father golfing buddies with two of the board members - the board ordered a year-long period of continually supervised probation for the teacher (with no formal hearing).

 

I'm hoping that what the teacher's lawyers told me was accurate and that the judicial system eventually prevails. But the past six months have been a living heck for this teacher for simply doing her job! And no matter what the final outcome, her reputation and her health have been irreversably damaged!

 

So don't dismiss MichellP's concerns - the fact that your child's teacher says it is "ok" does not necessarily mean that it is "ok".

 

I'm sorry to hear about that situation with that teacher. I hope everything works out for her. That is one of the main problems that is ruining our nation - frivolous lawsuits; and unfortunately, it seems that problem is getting worse instead of better.

[Droopy_Sails]

I'm sorry to hear about that situation with that teacher. I hope everything works out for her. That is one of the main problems that is ruining our nation - frivolous lawsuits; and unfortunately, it seems that problem is getting worse instead of better.

 

In this case the lawsuit is just the symptom of the disease: self-centered, self-indulgent, bullying people who want what they want when they want it. Whether or not they'd sued, they're doing serious damage to their kids with their atrocious example.

[the4ofusandallourfriends]

It's hard to keep perspective on such a specific forum and that is why the responses will be so extreme.

 

"Bad" parents are bad parents wether they cruise or not.

 

I have talked to many teachers about this. They have much bigger worries than the cruiser/traveller students, such as the kids who are struggling with bad family situations, violence, drug abuse, pregnancy, and those who come from undisciplined and neglected environment.

 

For whatever personal reason, if you choose to vacation during school, like we successfully do each year with our kids, you are responsible for the outcome and your child's ability to handle it. Travelling is a privilege and it comes with many responsabilities.

 

I won't talk about how successful our kids/neice/nephew(8-17) are in school, as every family is different and student-traveller success stories tend to really irk people around here anyway. No one else can make the decision but you.

[hockeymom97]

This has turned into quite the heated debate! I agree with the other posters who stated that ONLY YOU, as a parent can decide what is right for your child. My DS is in 4th grade and I pull him out of school on a pretty regular basis - nothing crazy - but we do a lot of long weekend trips throughout the year as well as some week long vacations. I've pulled him out of school for a cruise in the past and I'm going to do it again this fall. It's just easier for us to travel during the off season. And as a matter of fact, I just got his report card today and it was straight A's :D and in general he maintains pretty close to straight A's - last report cards was all A's and one B. Although I'm quite aware that it may be more difficult as he gets older and into high school and then maybe we won't be able to continue doing this. For right now it's not a problem with his grades, or with his school, so why not??

 

If your child can keep up, and it doesn't cause problems with the school itself, then I say go for it!!!:D :D

[Onessa]

*Warning * bragging zone. DD (who we took out of school for a family vacation before Thanksgiving) had straight As for all three trimesters, even in her sixth grade math class (she was in fifth grade), and had the highest score in the school district on standardized math test and tied for highest score in the district in standardized reading.

 

It is important to know your child (DD is SO competitive when it comes to academics, she generally comes back from vacation ahead of her classmates) so it works for her. DN (nephew) who was also a good student - well he was always another story - it was like pulling teeth to get him to do any homework let alone any make-up work, so we discontinued the family Christmas vacation a few years back -- it just wasn't worth it.

[CruiseQueen13]

No you're not. I agree with Karen2cruz - it depends on the child. If my child had avg grades or struggled, I would not even consider it. She does very well - we are fortunate. Deal is first time she misses a make up or doesn't complete work assgnd while she is gone - she misses any other trips that fall during school year. This year she only missed 3 days - we linked up a long cruise over the break - it worked out well.

 

Once she starts high school we don't think it is a good idea. Definitely too much work will be missed. So next cruise is her last during the school year.

 

Good luck w/ your decision.

[bballprncess]

OK, I'd like to preface this request for opinion with a quick summary of my personal situation.

 

My Daughter will be starting first grade in August, and has always been at the top of her class. Even though she is literally the youngest child in her school right now because she only made the age cut off by 3 weeks, she had completed Kindergarten in private school by the time public Kindergarten started. However, we didn't want her to be essentially 2 years older than everyone else in first grade, so we had her repeat Kindergarten in the public school system in Poway, one of the best school districts in the state. She has constantly performed above average and well above average for what the teachers call a "cusp kid" due to her birthday. The fact that she's 47 inches tall at this age also helps her keep up socially. Her Kindergarten teacher has made it known to all the parents that she is available for tutoring over the summer. We have asked her if she felt my daughter needed it, and replied no. However, we have gone ahead and scheduled 2 sessions and requested a homework curriculum for her over the summer.

 

Her father and I are divorced, however, we both live in the same area of town to make things easier on her. Both of us have very strong family ties and spend a great deal of time with our respective families. We try very hard to instill in our daughter that even though mommy and daddy aren't together, family is still important.

 

So, now the problem. My family of brothers and sisters, spouses and children along with my parents have decided to go on a family cruise; our first family vacation ever (since my siblings and I "left the nest" 11 years ago). The only time this works for everyone is in late September. This trip isn't about saving money, or education (its to Mexico for 5 days), its about getting a lot of family members together in one place.

 

If my daughter went on the cruise with us, she would miss 3 days of school. I'm not completely sold on taking her out of school, but I also don't want to miss this opportunity to have fun with all of the family together. So, I'm looking for ways to ensure that her school work wouldn't suffer. Just because she has had an amazing track record so far, I don't want to put that in jeopardy.

 

Both her father and I have a great relationship with her current K teacher. We each volunteer at the classroom weekly and make efforts to educate her out of the classroom as well. We feel we have a good handle on her educational path thus far.

 

My question to the teachers is this, would you be offended if you were my daughter's first grade teacher, and I approached you with this situation before school even started in August to discuss it with you. I would like to ask her teacher if I could hire her as a tutor the week before and the week after she has her absences. Just like her K teacher has offered her services. I am happy to pay whatever rate she would request, help with the extra homework before and after the cruise and follow any additional instructions she gave us. If you were a teacher would you be offended that I offered you money? I want her teacher to know that I value her classtime and lessons and don't want her to feel like we are just paying for my daughter's absences.

 

So, please tell me your honest opinion, I'm ready to hear all sides. Sorry for writing a novel and thank you for your time!

[rebeccalouise]

Your situation is a one time thing- and certainly not a lengthy trip.

 

I don't think 3 days is a big deal. I am sure that you can either get the work ahead or help her catch up when you get back. Teachers usually have a lesson plan for each week. Try to do some reading on the subject matter they are covering- like space, the environment, or horticulture.

She'll do fine.

[CC Help Michell]

... My question to the teachers is this, would you be offended if you were my daughter's first grade teacher, and I approached you with this situation before school even started in August to discuss it with you. I would like to ask her teacher if I could hire her as a tutor the week before and the week after she has her absences. Just like her K teacher has offered her services. I am happy to pay whatever rate she would request, help with the extra homework before and after the cruise and follow any additional instructions she gave us. If you were a teacher would you be offended that I offered you money? I want her teacher to know that I value her classtime and lessons and don't want her to feel like we are just paying for my daughter's absences.

 

So, please tell me your honest opinion, I'm ready to hear all sides. Sorry for writing a novel and thank you for your time!

 

I think approaching your daughter's teacher as early as you can is definitely the thing to do. I don't know the district rules in your area, but in every district in which I've taught we are prohibited from accepting compensation to tutor our enrolled students during the school year -- both the district and I consider furnishing supplemental help to students who need it to be part of the job duties! :) You might want to check with the school office about district policy (or maybe look it up at the local school board's website -- most of them have their policies posted) before approaching the teacher.

 

In any event, I would think most teachers would be happy to work with you in advance of the trip to furnish supplemental materials for the objectives to be taught during your daughter's absence. Be aware that it's not unusual for teachers to have detailed lesson plans for only a week or so of material at a time -- while we do have a general roadmap of where we are going during the whole semester, if the class needs a few extra days on a concept, the teacher will plan for that concept for the next few days -- there's no point in doing detailed daily plans for a month at a time, only to have to revise them over and over.

 

By the week before your trip, though, you likely could ask for copies of any written work to be handed out, the homework packet for the week, the spelling list, etc. Most first grade objectives are things you can work on with your daughter during the cruise (a few which come to mind are identifying coins and value, time to the hour and half hour, identifying nouns, verbs and adjectives, math facts for addition (and maybe subtraction if your child is ready), and similar foundation objectives). Discuss it with the teacher in advance, follow through on working with your child during the trip, and I'm sure it will be fine. Have a great family vacation! :)

[merela]

At least not in California, since state testing doesn't start until grade 2. As long as you know your child can make up for the missing work, then you should go and enjoy your family vacation.

 

When we take our kids out of school for vacations, our school is more concerned with loosing funding from the State than whether my children will catch up academically. You see, since the implementation of the "no child left behind laws", if a child does not come to school, I believe our school loses $25 a day in state funding. 3 days of school would mean a loss of $75 to the school. There is a way around it. If we are away for 5 or more days, we can sign a contract with the school for homeschooling and that way the school will still get funding. Very strange loophole, so we try to be away for more than 5 days or not go away at all.

 

It will be good to let your teacher know ahead of time of your vacation, so she can prepare the homework to be done for that period of time. Even if your daughter doesn't do her homework on the trip, at least, you'll know what school material will be covered during that period.

 

At this point, it's up to the parents to make sure your child can catch up to the rest of the class.

 

As for me, I would think twice about taking my daughter out of school now that she's in grade 3. At this age, it's not just school work that will be affected, but girl scout, music and dancing lessons. It's hard to re-schedule everything.

 

In the end, it's the parents who would know what's good for their children when it comes to taking them out of school for vacations.