For those who have actually taken their children out of school

[CanadianTwosome]

Fair enough. Is this true for every poster on this thread who has taken, or is planning to take, their kids out of scheduled school in order to cruise?

 

 

 

Since you have such a low opinion of professional teachers, I assume that you home-school your kids.

 

And since you are obviously concerned about educating your children about the world, may I suggest a land-based vacation instead? A cruise is a week on a floating hotel/mall combined with a few hours at some sanitized tourist traps, and is a poor way to learn much about any culture. Fun and relaxing? -- absolutely! Educational? -- not so much.

 

As I said earlier, in my opinion, ALL of the parents I have seen posting on this board are the type that actually put time and effort into their children's lives, so if I were to guess, I'd say 'yes' to your first question. I think one of the most erroneous assumptions people make (when they don't agree with taking kids out of school) is that parents who choose to take their kids out of school do so without putting a lot of thought and consideration into it. Now, I'm not saying that there aren't parents around the world who really don't think about it... but I just don't think you're going to find any of them on this board. :) We're all here for the same reason - making sure we're making the best decisions we can for our kids.

 

As for cruising vs. a land based vacation, I think you've missed the point I was making earlier about finding ways to learn everywhere. I have found learning experiences at our local mall, so believe me, on a huge ship filled with people from around the world (who are always willing to talk to a child about their homes), artwork created in different styles and methods, new and different cuisines, and a structure and propulsion system different from anything we have at home, there are always questions that can be posed or answered. That's not including time to read books, get fresh air, sunshine and exercise (hard to find here when it's -57 with the windchill like it was two weeks ago), and the ongoing experience of learning how to behave and interact in a large group of multinational people of different ages and backgrounds. On our last trip, we changed time zones three times, and we had a very good discussion about not only time zones, but daylight savings time as well. You see, I'm nowhere near as concerned about educating my child about 'the world' as I am about educating her about LIFE, and that's all around us all the time. There is something to be said about exposing her to the ocean itself, as well... we live on the Canadian prairie, surrounded by flat farm land... no ocean, no whales, no dolphins, no sea lions, no crabs, no sea turtles... and that's just a short list of some of the things we were able to see on our last cruise. (we didn't see any of that when we did a land based trip to Disneyworld a couple of years ago) I might add, also, that as a result of my daughter's trip, her classmates have also been able to learn about things they've never been exposed to.

 

Don't sell 'life' short; learning experiences abound at every turn if you want to take advantage of them. Sometimes it's important to just have fun, also, and that's okay too. Learning to enjoy life is an important lesson, too. :)

[Onessa]

Many of you spoke of cherished memories of family vacations. Is there any reason (besides cost) why these memories need to be created during the school year instead of vacation?

My elderly father had been living with us for the last few years. While we had included him in one of our cruises a few years back, his dementia and physical ailments made it difficult for him to join us on our last few trips. We had to plan our trips to coincide with when my sister could come to care for him some of those were during the school year. He passed away this summer, so our Thanksgiving week cruise this year was somewhat “last minute”. It was planned to minimize time off of school, and since it was during a school break time frame the cruise’s price was not much different than it would have been during the summer months.

My husband’s work is also very cyclical. We generally have to plan our time off to coincide with his project’s schedules.

Do you lie to the school about the reason for the absence?

No, I discussed it with the principal of her school before we committed to the trip.

How do you explain to your child that a family vacation is more important than education? And when you start receiving truancy notices from the high school in a few years, will you accept Junior's explanation that a day at the lake was a better use of his time than a day in school?

Our DD knows the value we place on formal education. She knows that I worked three part-time jobs and worked at the paper mill in the summer to pay my own way through school. She knows how her father slept on his aunt and uncle’s screen porch in Chicago summers to work two summer jobs to pay his own way through school. She shares the dining room table with me while I’ve worked on my master’s degree homework.

But she also knows that we value life-long learning. She knows that there are many experiences in life that are just as vital, and just as important to education.

I hope that if she does skip school it is for the same kinds of things that I “skipped” school for – to participate in “Youth in Government” program at the state capitol, to pile into a car with four other kids for a 100 mile road trip to hear the secretary of defense speak at a nearby college campus, to clear a strip of land for a fire break (in all cases, I had both my mother’s and the school’s ok).

If you consider cruising educational (a dubious proposition at best), why is it not educational during school vacations, but only during the school year?

First of all – a vacation’s educational value does not have to be “dubious”. On our vacations, we visit national parks, museums and monuments. When we asked her homeroom-teacher-to-be about our Mediterranean cruise and described the itinerary --- the teacher brought out her lesson plan and discovered that our trip coincided with her Social Studies class’s unit on ancient Greece – DD reported back “live” (ok there was a tape delay) to class from the Acropolis and from Olympia – we staged a running race from the original site in Olympia with some of her friends from the ship. Her Lit class was starting the Thief Lord, the day she came back. Her English teacher and I “blew up” to 11x17 size pictures that DD took of some of the places that are actual locations in the book. DD LOVES to shop – she could not buy anything without converting the price from Euros or huna(?) into $$. She made friends with a girl living in Belgium and another living in England (and two more from the east coast). I don’t know if she’d have done ANYTHING close to any of those things in the small Midwestern town where she attends middle school.

When we can take vacations that coincide with her time off, the “educational” value of those trips are equal, but I am thankful that her school is in an agrarian area and places value in a short school year – thus we have been able to take several trips the first week in June when places were not yet overrun with tourists (Alaska, Yellowstone, Arches, Washington DC, etc.) and thus were able to DO a lot more with our time than we would have during the crush of the tourist season. Also, touring Greek Islands in November was much more comfortable than it would have been in July – I have a very low tolerance for heat and we would not have been able to do many of the excursions we did if the temps were 20 to 30 degrees higher than what they were when we were there.

Do you consider the effect on your child's educational progress? Missing a week in elementary school may seem minor (after all, what's the big deal about missing the 2's times tables?). But primary school is about teaching foundational material, and what seems like a very slow pace to us adults is highly challenging to them.

No need to consider this in our case. DD is in 6th grade – she just finished her “independent studies” math class (7th grade honors math) and is starting on 8th grade material. She ranked in the 99th percentile in two sections of the EXPLORE test (an 8th grade level version of the ACT) and above 85% on the remaining section – this is percent of all kids taking the test across the entire US. Her reading is rated at 2nd semester college junior level and her vocabulary is rated at post-grad in her placement tests. Her teachers and I are more concerned with being able to find material that is a challenge for her.

And the "social" aspects of the cruise work into her major weaknesses more than the pure academics do -- many of her classes are done with the G&T groups or independently, she needs social interaction especially with kids that don't think of her as "the smart one" more than she needs another day in a traditional classroom.

Do you consider the effect your child's voluntary absence has on the teacher, who must often do extra work to accommodate <sic> your vacation?

Yes, that is why I discuss the absence with the principal and her teachers PRIOR to committing to the trip. Her Middle School Principal had been the principal at her elementary school – he knows her and wholeheartedly supported (encouraged!) the trip.

Is there any reason -- besides cost and crowd avoidance -- why a cruise must be taken during the school year? If those are good enough reasons to pull your kid out of school, don't try to rationalize to yourself that your trip is about education. Admit that it's about you.

+Both my husband and I have commitments at work.

+I have long had family responsibilities - while my Mom and Dad have now both passed away, my husband’s are trying to live independently and are both in their 80s and my mother’s sister and her husband (70’s) are also somewhat dependent upon my DH, my DD and I for some of the heavier chores and shopping.

+My DD has enrichment programs during the summer at a local college – these are also important to her education. She will also be spending two weeks at camp.

+I am a Girl Scout volunteer (in the middle of a seven council re-alignment) and on the board of the local recreational soccer league and organize several fundraising events for local charities.

I have to work within the schedules and commitments for those activities. ALL of these factors determine when my family can take time off together.

Don’t rationalize your own smugness about how you must be RIGHT and the rest of us are thus just petty, greedy, and self-centered. Don’t pretend that you know my motivations or anything about my life.

[Onessa]

. . . A cruise is a week on a floating hotel/mall combined with a few hours at some sanitized tourist traps, and is a poor way to learn much about any culture. Fun and relaxing? -- absolutely! Educational? -- not so much.

 

We DO do a combination of land vacations and cruise vacations.

 

I'm not certain to where KC Fn has cruised, but I have found our destinations pretty amazing -- not just sanitized tourist traps. We've cruised AK several times. We generally hike around Juneau, but have visited the state capitol and several different glaciers. Skagway has a really great national park office museum, also offers great hiking, and several other historical options (as well as, I'll admit, the largest collection of "made in some third-world country under abismal working condition" junk shops in the history of the world -- excluding maybe Branson MO). Sitka has Russian heritage and history (don't miss the orthodox cathedral) and a great national park. There are the tourist trap places anywhere, but any trip is what you make it!

 

On board ship - as I indicated in my last post, we make friends. My DD stays in touch with a girl from Australia she met on our HI cruise as well as the four girls she met on our last cruise. For my DD's recent report on "Life in . . ." a country that has French speakers - she chose Belgium and managed a first-hand account from her friend who lives in Brussels.

 

Peer pressure can be a wonderful thing. My 12YO DD who would never even consider watching anyone try climbing the rock wall on previous cruises -- conquered it (taking fourth place among girls -- just out of the medals) on our last trip when two of her new friends decided that they wanted to complete in the Teen Club's wall climbing contest.

 

There are plenty of things that aren't learned in books. If you choose to take a vaction and just lie (lay?) in the sun, maybe "all" you'll get out of it is relaxation (not such a bad thing), but if you want your vacation to be an experience, you can make it one! As RCCI would say "just get out there!"

[TigerLady]

Onessa;

 

I am 100% behind you. AS A FORMER TEACHER, not everyting can be learned in a classroom. Perhaps, KC_fn is jealous that her upbringing wasn't as educatiponal and informative as your DD seems to be. In any case, no one should judge how one educates someone else's child unless they pay for that educational right. I am sure that if someone tried to tell me how to educate my 4 sons and 2 granddaughters, I would have some answers they probably wouldn't appreciate. In saying that; We are taking my 15y/o son on a cruise with one of his brothers in October, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. Why then?? Because two weeks after that, the older of the two boys will be preparing for his kidney transplant. No educational value, the school has no problem with it. Just four members of a family taking possibly one last trip together. SOMEONE TRY AND FIND FAULT WITH THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CC Help Michell]

Well, it was about time for this issue to pop up here again. I've avoided this one until today, but I caught up on today's posts and the mean-spirited, personal stuff I'm seeing is pretty depressing (and out of character for this board). "X poster must disagree because their childhood was defective in some way, and they are jealous?" -- which is the main theme of the post above mine? Wow.

 

I think the ONLY thing unusual about this OP from any of the other "take the kids out?" threads was that it was discussing a two consecutive week absence from school instead of the more typical few days, or 1 week absence. I actually think (as a current teacher) that 2 weeks in a row is a fairly lengthy sequential absence, even in kindergarten (where fundamental skills are taught drop by drop, every day).

 

But I still maintain (as I always have) that nobody should be judging anyone else for their views on this question. I also think a cruise CAN be educational (in a different way from regular school, but educational), IF the parents work to make it so (as Onessa and I have exchanged views before). From a lifetime of travel (including 15 years before I became a teacher, during which I always traveled off-season for cost reasons, and so saw tons of these "kids out of school" situations) I honestly think only a small percentage of parents actually try to make the trip educational. Far more often one sees the kids in the hotel pool from dawn until dusk, or riding rides at the Magic Kingdom but never setting foot into Epcot, much less doing the passport/activities thing, etc. Thankfully, kids are very adaptable little souls... most of them will be fine regardless.

 

(I know, I didn't really have much of substance to add, except that the post above me with the personal nastiness was just so out of character for the Family Board it caught my attention). :(

[TigerLady]

to MichellP and any one else who was "offended" by my reply;

 

Opinions were asked and some were given, not all were "family friendly", and my response was to the person who was so "personally nasty and judgemental" to Onessa. The point I was trying to get across, which seemed to have been missed, was everyone has their reasons for taking vacations with children whenever they want. Educational or not, it should be up to the parent and school to decide how to accomodate it during the school year. For those of you offended I apologize, as that was not the intention. I was trying to get a point across, people shouldn't judge others, as that is not our job..

[TigerLady]

Well, it was about time for this issue to pop up here again. I've avoided this one until today, but I caught up on today's posts and the mean-spirited, personal stuff I'm seeing is pretty depressing (and out of character for this board). "X poster must disagree because their childhood was defective in some way, and they are jealous?" -- which is the main theme of the post above mine? Wow.

 

I think the ONLY thing unusual about this OP from any of the other "take the kids out?" threads was that it was discussing a two consecutive week absence from school instead of the more typical few days, or 1 week absence. I actually think (as a current teacher) that 2 weeks in a row is a fairly lengthy sequential absence, even in kindergarten (where fundamental skills are taught drop by drop, every day).

 

But I still maintain (as I always have) that nobody should be judging anyone else for their views on this question. I also think a cruise CAN be educational (in a different way from regular school, but educational), IF the parents work to make it so (as Onessa and I have exchanged views before). From a lifetime of travel (including 15 years before I became a teacher, during which I always traveled off-season for cost reasons, and so saw tons of these "kids out of school" situations) I honestly think only a small percentage of parents actually try to make the trip educational. Far more often one sees the kids in the hotel pool from dawn until dusk, or riding rides at the Magic Kingdom but never setting foot into Epcot, much less doing the passport/activities thing, etc. Thankfully, kids are very adaptable little souls... most of them will be fine regardless.

 

(I know, I didn't really have much of substance to add, except that the post above me with the personal nastiness was just so out of character for the Family Board it caught my attention). :(

(I know, I didn't really have much of substance to add, except that the post above me with the personal nastiness was just so out of character for the Family Board it caught my attention).

 

Sorry if I offended anyone, as that was not my intention. The point I was trying to make, which went without notice, is that we shouldn't judge others, that isn't OUR job. Everyone has reason for taking kids out of school, some not even worthy of exdcuses. Taking kids out of school for ANY purpose should be handled by the parent and school officials. As for MichellP, My "nastiness was directed at the person who was "speaking" to Onessa so rudely. Perhaps I am not the only one who should be scolded.. We as concerned parents like to believe we know what's best for our children. For someone who doesn't know us to second-guess our abilities, it has the tendency to rub us the wrong way.

[QuasiTova]

I'm nowhere near as concerned about educating my child about 'the world' as I am about educating her about LIFE, and that's all around us all the time.

 

Learning to enjoy life is an important lesson, too. :)

 

Wow, two awesome statements :)

 

I tell people all the time as a homeschooler that I am more interested in teaching my daughter LIFE skills than having her memorize the dates of the civil war.

 

And, I absolutely love your second statement so much that I HAD to repeat it...

 

Learning to enjoy life is an important lesson, too.

[CanadianTwosome]

Thanks, Quasi. I think we're definitely on the same page as far as life learning goes, based on your posts. I admire you for homeschooling as well; it's something I know I'm not capable of - I'm a much better tutor - I like to supplement learning after someone else has laid out the foundation. :) We also worry about our daughter being an only child and not getting enough opportunities to share her world. (another important lesson!)

[KC_fn]

KC I have to say that I have read your posts in the past and I know you are a very loving and sensible mom. You set rules. You do the absolute best for your daughter. And I usually agree with you 100%. So now we'll just have to say that I agree with you 99.8% of the time. :D ;)

 

I guess we just all come from different backgrounds and different beliefs. That's what makes this family board great.

 

My background, we traveled alot when I was a kid. Yes even during school times. I don't know if it was the traveling I did but now as an adult I have a very independent spirit. When I want to accomplish something, I just do it. When I wanted to create an ad agency at 25 and everyone said I was too young...I just did it. And the agency is still going strong 8 years later.

 

So since we are all spilling our guts and past history....did your parents travel alot with you when you were a child?

 

Thank you very much. I read your posts too, and coming from you, that means alot. And if you and I agree 99.8% of the time... well, that's alot more than DH and I do! :D

 

I think you are onto something about backgrounds and upbringings. When I was a kid, we did travel alot, but it was always in the summer. I don't recall one single day of absence K-12 for anything except illness. It's just how we did it. One thing that my parents valued is following the rules; they would tell you that working within "the system" will get you farther in life over the long haul.

 

You had a very different set of values growing up. It sounds like your family placed importance on exploration, discovery, and independence. I must confess that I sometimes wish I had more of those aspects in my own personality. But I am what I am, and I am satisfied with how my life is turning out.

 

I guess the important thing is that it takes both kinds to make the world work; and if we were all the same, this would be a very boring place indeed. Thank you for taking the time to respond, and your thoughtful explanation of your point of view. I understand now. :)

 

To the rest of you who have replied: I am sorry if I ruffled feathers; I honestly meant no disrespect. But I do love a good debate, and I can sometimes get over-enthusiastic in my efforts to stir one up. :o

[Suzanne74]

I have to say, missing some days of school for a family vacation IMO, is nothing compared to the parents that push their sick kids to school to not miss a day. I don't know whether it is because the parents don't want to miss a day at work or they just don't want their kid to miss a day at school but as a mom who volunteers weekly in the classroom and used to be a school nurse, I find it very sad how these sick kids are pushed into going to school. It is especially apparent during this high flu season when kids are coming into school at 9am with 103 fevers! :mad:

 

I guess my point is, school is very important but health, happiness and family are more important - at least for me they are. If your child is sick, stay home and nurture them. If they are sad or stressed about school, find out why. If your family is high stress during the winter/schoolyear, taking a vacation can be a very good thing to recharge your mind and bodies.

 

For the comments that the majority of the parents don't really teach their kids anything on vacation - I think that most vacations are educational, whether you push teaching or not. Kids learn by seeing and doing much more then just reading and writing. Whether my daughter explores a new country, learns to bodysurf a wave, or just finds the courage to ride a rollercoaster - she is still learning and growing into a smarter more confident human being. :)

[QuasiTova]

Thanks, Quasi. I think we're definitely on the same page as far as life learning goes, based on your posts. I admire you for homeschooling as well; it's something I know I'm not capable of - I'm a much better tutor - I like to supplement learning after someone else has laid out the foundation. :) We also worry about our daughter being an only child and not getting enough opportunities to share her world. (another important lesson!)

 

My daughter is not an only child; however, my oldest is 7 years older (and married), so it is almost like raising two only children.

 

As far as socialization... my daughter gets plenty... she is VERY active in Girl Scouts (I am a leader)... and she has many other activities that she is involved in. This year, however, she decided she was too old to be "actively" involved in Girl Scouts as much.... yes, boys have come into her world... lol

 

It saddens me, as Girl Scout offers so many opportunities and lessons for girls. I am trying to talk her into joining Boy Scouts (they have a co-ed program called Venturing for high school age). Does your daughter participate in scouting?

 

We just recently moved to a new town in October, and my daughter told me she wanted to return to public school so she could "make some friends". I told her we would talk about it, and make a decision together in January for second semester since she had already missed so much in the first semester.

 

Since then, she has made plenty of friends here... I think she might even be the most popular girl in town now... and she has decided that she doesn't want to return to school afterall.

 

She will probably return next year or the following year though (possibly only part time) so she can attend dances, proms, and other school activities). This town is very strict about only allowing THEIR students to attend these functions, and since she has friends going, she wants to go too.

 

Fortunately, in Texas, the law states that the schools MUST accommodate homeschoolers and allow them to attend classes of choice (hence my part time statement). So, she will be able to just attend one class if she chooses in order to attain her "student" status for school functions. She is thinking of taking up drama (how suitable for a natural born drama queen) lol

 

Their priorities really change as the become teens!

 

Either way, I feel like these lessons are just as important (maybe even more so) than ones you can learn in a book.

[QuasiTova]

Kids learn by seeing and doing much more then just reading and writing. Whether my daughter explores a new country, learns to bodysurf a wave, or just finds the courage to ride a rollercoaster - she is still learning and growing into a smarter more confident human being. :)

 

How true :)

[flagger]

I love hearing from the parents who have actually done it and love reading the letters they wrote to the teachers and principals. I just kind of ignore the posters looking to just stir the pot on this issue.

 

With a DD in a five day a week state funded pre-K, I know she will be ahead of the kids in her K class who have not gone to a pre-K. I also know her school starts the first week of August and the first week break is in the middle of September. It is much different than the system from where we moved. (She would have only missed a week of K as the system there had their first break in October).

 

Since we have moved seven times since 2000 and just last Christmas was the first time our daughter had woken up in the same house on Christmas morning two times in a row, our daughter is already quite the seasoned traveler. Her travels have covered over half the United States, Mexico, Canada and a few Caribbean Islands.

 

And if anyone thinks that a cruise is a dubious choice as an educational experience, tell that to my daughter who learned how light a hummingbird is as she watched one drink sugar water from a bottle she held in the other hand. She experienced that because of...a cruise...dunh dun dunnnnnnnnnnnn.

[Onessa]

. . . From a lifetime of travel (including 15 years before I became a teacher, during which I always traveled off-season for cost reasons, and so saw tons of these "kids out of school" situations) I honestly think only a small percentage of parents actually try to make the trip educational. Far more often one sees the kids in the hotel pool from dawn until dusk, or riding rides at the Magic Kingdom but never setting foot into Epcot, much less doing the passport/activities thing, etc. . . . .

 

I've always felt that there are few things in life that should not be veiwed as "learning experiences" and am thus floored by people whose brains shut down while they are on vacation. There was my former boss who maintained that any daylight moment when he was not on the beach with an alcholic drink in his right had did not "count" as vacation time. There is my sister who, when I picked her up from the airport from her trip to Europe, could not remember what countries she had visited ("well we flew into Germany but mainly visited some of those little countries below there").

 

I think the kids whose vacations are not educational are some of those same hopeless souls upon whom any educational experience is doubtful - when I took some of my DDs friends to see "Bridge to Terebithia" one asked what it was about. The class had finished reading the book less than one week eariler. I told her it was based upon the book they had just finished reading in class. She then asked what the book was about. I asked if she had actually read the book and she replied that well yes she had read it but she explained that she had taken the test and passed so now she didn't have to remember it!

[crusinmama06]

I love hearing from the parents who have actually done it and love reading the letters they wrote to the teachers and principals.

 

I had saved a letter posted by Eskwire way back in Nov 2006. I used this one.

 

Posted by Eskwire....

Dear Mrs. X:

 

Please note that Jane will be absent from school the week of December 11. Our entire family will be away that week on a family vacation. Jane is scheduled to return to school on Monday, December 18.

 

Please send home on Friday, December 8, all of Jane's scheduled homework for the week of December 11. It will be returned to you on Monday, December 18.

 

Please let me know if you require anything else.

 

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jane's Mom

[lovesublime]

I love hearing from the parents who have actually done it and love reading the letters they wrote to the teachers and principals. I just kind of ignore the posters looking to just stir the pot on this issue.

 

With a DD in a five day a week state funded pre-K, I know she will be ahead of the kids in her K class who have not gone to a pre-K. I also know her school starts the first week of August and the first week break is in the middle of September. It is much different than the system from where we moved. (She would have only missed a week of K as the system there had their first break in October).

 

Since we have moved seven times since 2000 and just last Christmas was the first time our daughter had woken up in the same house on Christmas morning two times in a row, our daughter is already quite the seasoned traveler. Her travels have covered over half the United States, Mexico, Canada and a few Caribbean Islands.

 

And if anyone thinks that a cruise is a dubious choice as an educational experience, tell that to my daughter who learned how light a hummingbird is as she watched one drink sugar water from a bottle she held in the other hand. She experienced that because of...a cruise...dunh dun dunnnnnnnnnnnn.

 

 

How does that work? It great how you can boast that your DD will be way ahead when she starts kinder, but in most states parents don't have the option unless they send their kids to private school. In my state, public pre-K is only for "at risk", low income, homeless or non English speakers.

[flagger]

http://www.decal.state.ga.us/PreK/PreKMain.aspx

 

I am not sure what your comment had to do with this thread. I was not boasting merely stating fact. Most of the people on your list would not be taking cruises any way so I am not sure what that post was all about. We know every single day we are privileged to take the vacations we do.

[lovesublime]

http://www.decal.state.ga.us/PreK/PreKMain.aspx

 

I am not sure what your comment had to do with this thread. I was not boasting merely stating fact. Most of the people on your list would not be taking cruises any way so I am not sure what that post was all about. We know every single day we are privileged to take the vacations we do.

 

It doesn't really have anything to do with it. I probably read it wrong. It just kind of looked like you were implying that some people choose to send their kids to pre-K and some don't. I guess you didn't mean it that way. And very true-these people are definitely not the cruising types.

[CanadianTwosome]

My daughter is not an only child; however, my oldest is 7 years older (and married), so it is almost like raising two only children.

 

As far as socialization... my daughter gets plenty... she is VERY active in Girl Scouts (I am a leader)... and she has many other activities that she is involved in. This year, however, she decided she was too old to be "actively" involved in Girl Scouts as much.... yes, boys have come into her world... lol

 

It saddens me, as Girl Scout offers so many opportunities and lessons for girls. I am trying to talk her into joining Boy Scouts (they have a co-ed program called Venturing for high school age). Does your daughter participate in scouting?

 

We just recently moved to a new town in October, and my daughter told me she wanted to return to public school so she could "make some friends". I told her we would talk about it, and make a decision together in January for second semester since she had already missed so much in the first semester.

 

Since then, she has made plenty of friends here... I think she might even be the most popular girl in town now... and she has decided that she doesn't want to return to school afterall.

 

She will probably return next year or the following year though (possibly only part time) so she can attend dances, proms, and other school activities). This town is very strict about only allowing THEIR students to attend these functions, and since she has friends going, she wants to go too.

 

Fortunately, in Texas, the law states that the schools MUST accommodate homeschoolers and allow them to attend classes of choice (hence my part time statement). So, she will be able to just attend one class if she chooses in order to attain her "student" status for school functions. She is thinking of taking up drama (how suitable for a natural born drama queen) lol

 

Their priorities really change as the become teens!

 

Either way, I feel like these lessons are just as important (maybe even more so) than ones you can learn in a book.

 

My daughter is a Girl Guide. This is her fourth year, after a year of Sparks and two of Brownies. :) At this point, even with her outside school groups in Guides, extracurricular art classes, Science camps, musical theatre, dance, and voice classes, it's still easiest for her to make friends at school, though. All of the other groups have kids from all over town in them, so it's difficult for them to get together outside of the groups. (since they're all in other groups the other days!)

 

I really like the idea of part time classes, though. As far as I know that's not an option here. To some degree I'm prepared to look at my daughter's education that way, anyway, though. I fully expect that my husband and I will be actively participating in her academic studies through high school and likely into college. My experience tutoring, leading classes, and grading papers in university math (stats, calculus, linear algebra) have made me less than confident in the present math program in our schools, not to mention spelling and grammar. We're fortunate to have one of the best high schools in our city within walking distance of our home, but I'm not going to take any chances! :)

 

I should add, also, I do have a very high opinion of teachers in general, but I think I would be doing my child a disservice to just assume that she will never have a lousy teacher in 13 years of school. So far we've been very fortunate, but teachers are human, too, and humans are not perfect. I had my first 'lousy' teacher in grade six... I guess we'll see how it goes. I'll expect the best and be prepared for the worst, as I do with most things. :)

[crusinmama06]

How does that work? It great how you can boast that your DD will be way ahead when she starts kinder, but in most states parents don't have the option unless they send their kids to private school. In my state, public pre-K is only for "at risk", low income, homeless or non English speakers.

 

You forgot - delayed children.

 

My youngest was able to get into an awesome k-3 program at the public school because she has a major speech delay.

 

And although I know that AT THIS POINT she knows more academically than her 3 year old peers who do not attend the same school. I know that everything will even out when she reaches K. :)

 

I honestly didn't see that Flagger was bragging.

[lovesublime]

You forgot - delayed children.

 

My youngest was able to get into an awesome k-3 program at the public school because she has a major speech delay.

 

And although I know that AT THIS POINT she knows more academically than her 3 year old peers who do not attend the same school. I know that everything will even out when she reaches K. :)

 

I honestly didn't see that Flagger was bragging.

 

You are correct. My nephew has a speech impairment and was not able to get in. He is on the wait list. They give priority to non English speakers. My sister was very disppointed and has since found a speech therapist to work with him in the meantime. Perhaps Flagger was just unaware that not all states have programs like hers. That was really my point.

[crusinmama06]

You are correct. My nephew has a speech impairment and was not able to get in. He is on the wait list. They give priority to non English speakers. My sister was very disppointed and has since found a speech therapist to work with him in the meantime. Perhaps Flagger was just unaware that not all states have programs like hers. That was really my point.

 

There aren't many Non-English speakers in West Central PA ;) We aren't exactly a hotbed of cultural diversity....lol.

[flagger]

When did I become a girl? The sex reassignment surgery is not scheduled until AFTER Hawaii. :D

[Onessa]

There aren't many Non-English speakers in West Central PA ;) We aren't exactly a hotbed of cultural diversity....lol.

 

Odd -- I'd just assumed that cultural diversity was "happening" everywhere. Here in NE Wisconsin, we've got a rapidly growing Latino population, a well-entrenched Hmong population, and recent influx of refugees from Africa; in addition to our base (of not really native native Americans and the Eastern European/Scandahoovian types who came here in the 1830s and beyond).

 

4YO Kindergarten is fairly common around here and is well funded. It is not mandated and I don't really know of anyone who has wanted it and was turned away due to class size limits.

 

We sent my DD to a private pre-school program affiliated with my alma matre -- it was such a good program that we didn't think twice about it. She attened both their 3YO and 4YO program.