Would This Make Me A Bad Parent?

[CatherineL]

I mentioned in another thread that I was trying to choose between taking kids to Disney, or a European cruise. I would love to do a cruise - I planned to do one last year but we had to change plans. But my husband and kids have outvoted me, as they want to do Disney.

 

In the past, when we've gone to Orlando, it has usually just been for a week. But we're from the UK, so it seems a waste to spend all that money on a flight for a week.

 

My kids have a one week school holiday in October. Do you think it would be terrible if we took them out of school for an additional two weeks, so we could do a week on Freedom of the Seas Western Caribbean and two weeks in Orlando? They will be 12 and 14.

 

Going during the Summer holidays is out of the question because of the heat, crowds and extortionate flight costs at that time. We don't usually do such long vacations but I'm 40 this year, so I'd really love to do something memorable.

[cb at sea]

I don't know how your schools are there--I wouldn't hesitate with the 12 year old, as long as the grades were good! But, 14 yo here is in high school, and I would NEVER pull a kid from high school for 2 weeks..they just miss way too much!

But, you know your kids best...if they could keep up with the work...it wouldn't make you a "bad" parent!

[chirpy007]

No, personally l dont think its does as long as its not their exams. I have taken mine out for 2 weeks for the last 5 years to go to Orlando. They always catch up on our return. You could just do a week in each though. I think l would do Orlando first, the week before half term and cruise the following week. That way they would have had their fix :D:D

 

FOS is fantastic and im assuming your kids are early teens, they will love it. They probably thinking cruising is boring :rolleyes:;). Have you cruised before ?

[CatherineL]

Thanks CB - we don't have High School here. They both start secondary school when they are 11 and they can leave as early as 16. I'm hoping to move to the States, so hopefully they will be able to make up time. I like how the kids stay in school longer there and also the fact that they can't drink alcohol until they're 21.

 

Hi Chirpy - I tried to bribe them all with the week of each but they really want to do Universal and other places this time, as well as Disney. They were happy with the idea of a European cruise, until my husband mentioned Disney.

 

We did a four night Disney cruise in 2005. It was wonderful but the time went far too quickly. They enjoyed it but my youngest feels that she's too old for a Disney cruise now, which is a relief, as the prices are ridiculous.

[crusinmama06]

You are in the UK - your educational system is better than ours in the states anyway. What are you asking us for? LOL :D

 

But seriously, if the kids do well in school. And the school allows them to take that much time off (in the States, we don't have that option in some school districts). Then go ahead and book a cruise with the WDW.

 

But now I have a question, 2 weeks in Orlando????? :eek: We have enough with one week in Orlando and one week on a ship. I couldn't imagine doing 2 weeks in Disney...even with Universal. Good luck with that...lol.

[mactrio]

There is sooo much to see and do at Disney World that 2 weeks is honestly not even enough time. I say GO FOR IT. You know if your children can make up the work and play catch up. With email and internet it eill be easy to keep in touch with their teachers.

I don't think you are a bad parent at all.

[chirpy007]

Thanks CB - we don't have High School here. They both start secondary school when they are 11 and they can leave as early as 16. I'm hoping to move to the States, so hopefully they will be able to make up time. I like how the kids stay in school longer there and also the fact that they can't drink alcohol until they're 21.

 

Hi Chirpy - I tried to bribe them all with the week of each but they really want to do Universal and other places this time, as well as Disney. They were happy with the idea of a European cruise, until my husband mentioned Disney.

 

We did a four night Disney cruise in 2005. It was wonderful but the time went far too quickly. They enjoyed it but my youngest feels that she's too old for a Disney cruise now, which is a relief, as the prices are ridiculous.

 

 

lol, 3 weeks it is then......such a shame ;):D but im sure you'll cope

[mzche1999]

While I would not say that you are a bad parent, as an educator I cringe when I hear that a child is being pulled out of school for vacation, especially for two weeks. There are things that are taught in the classroom that can't be reproduced with makeup work. Even keeping in touch with the teacher....to what end? Who does homework while on vacation?

 

I find myself in a similar situation. While I don't live in the UK, I am on summer break with most of the population. I don't have the freedom to travel during non-peak time. My youngest has started school and we are pretty much stuck with summer travel. I scour the net looking for the best deals. Ultimately, it is your decision, but it is not one I would make.

 

Good luck!

 

Hugs,

Chelle

[BabyMouse]

We are taking our two children, 12 (Gr. 6) and 14 (Gr. 9) out for a week in April for a Mexican cruise. We have always travelled with them and it usually ends up during school b/c of cost savings. We always make sure our vacations are made into educational experiences by doing excursions that include some kind of history, mingling with locals, learning about culture etc. I always speak with the teachers and get their take on whether the kids can academically handle the absence. The teachers have always agreed they could do work prior to and afterward to make up anything they missed. I also make sure the kids know that if their grades are an issue they won't be going. Both are above average students so it isn't that much of a concern. I appreciate the concerns of mzche1999 as a teacher but I believe some of the best things and most valuble things learned in life aren't always taught in the class room and a week off a school won't devastate them in the long wrong. Our kids have gone to Cuba, D.R., Mexico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and many states and provinces and have taken away so much for each visit. Buy hey, that is just my opinion. In addition, who can knock quality family time in this day and age. Bottom line I don't think you are a bad parent! :)

[CC Help Michell]

180 posts (9 pages) on exactly this issue ("would this make me a bad parent/mom?")-- http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=561496&highlight=parent+school

 

You will see pretty much everything that can be said on this subject, from "kids don't learn in school anyway -- they'll learn far more on a cruise ship for a week than they would in school" to "you will damage them for life and forever ruin their chances in college and to get a good job if you take them out of school."

 

The bottom line is you know your kids and their needs best, as well as your local school requirements and laws. Use your best judgment and good luck no matter what you decide to do!

[Sky616]

As said previously, you know your children so it is up to you? If they are good students and will make up the work and I say go for it. Here in Pa, at least in my ds district you are allowed one week (5 days) per school year. We are taking him out in October for 4 days (they have off Columbus Day). He knows even though he's only in 3rd grade at the time, he'll have to make up the work. But 2 weeks in Disney is a long time but like you said you are coming across the pond so maybe you should make it worth your while.

[CatherineL]

Thanks everyone. Michelle - I know 2 weeks seems a long time in Disney. But I did it a couple of times, lots of years ago, when they were really young. Because we're jet lagged when we get there - it enables us to have days off, in between the parks to swim and do other non-park things.

 

I think it's different coming from the UK because America is really like one big playground for us. I guess when you go outside of Disney, a lot of the places are just like home.

 

We used to stay onsite and get a room with bunk beds at WL, then we had DVC but that didn't work out well for us. This time, we'll probably get an offsite villa with pool and do rest days in between.

 

With the pound being weak, it's not worth buying our passes in dollars and the passes designed for UK people cost little difference between a two week and one week pass.

 

On our one week trips, we've always got a lot done but we feel tired and jet lagged for a couple of weeks when we get home.

 

Hi Chelle - I see what you mean. It would be tough to catch up. I think I will definitely ask for some work for them to do before and after. I feel bad asking teachers for time off, as I know they're stuck with expensive times to go. The airlines should give them a discount.

 

Mind you - the airlines shouldn't be allowed to get away with charging double during the school holidays anyway. I don't know how it is in the States - I'm betting they're not quite as greedy as the ones in the UK.

[Flipflopsnfrozendrinks]

We are taking our kids (9 and 11) out for 2 weeks next month. We fly out the Sunday that is the end of Feb. vacation. My DH cannot get school vacations off, he tries every year, it has yet to happen. However, both kids are aware that they will be spending school vacation doing school work, so they can have it done before we board the ship. Once onboard, they will journal each day, and my DS(11) will prepare a powerpoint presentation on the Panama canal for his class.

Our kids are honor roll students, and miss at least 1 week every year. If we see the trips affecting their grades, we will stop doing such long ones, but until then, the school is okay with it, so off we go.

Kim

[doctordi]

Dont really have an opinion for you. I agonized over taking my three out on the Friday before spring break so that we have enough time to travel to our port for our spring break cruise. And to top it all off - the Friday was only a half day!

[adoptmom]

Well, I'm a militant homeschooler again so probably not the BEST opinion, however last year I did have kids in school for a while and we pulled them out for 3 weeks to go to Italy. We not only had the school's blessing but many offers from teacher's, the principal and other staff to be "nannies" for us. LOL Nothing like getting to see history "live and in person."

 

We've always made it a priority to include as much travel as possible in our kids educational plan. Sitting in the classroom is no substitute for being out and having personal experience.

 

Tami

[CruisnKs]

Well, based on the responses here, I think we need to move to another state or possibly, the UK. We took our 5 and 6 year old out of school for 4 days in September and came home to a visit from the police and a letter threatening a $500 fine and imprisonment. :eek: We had even informed both teachers and the administrative office that they were going to be out before we left.

 

I say go for it if you can get away with it. Have fun.

[mactrio]

We took our 5 and 6 year old out of school for 4 days in September and came home to a visit from the police and a letter threatening a $500 fine and imprisonment. :eek: We had even informed both teachers and the administrative office that they were going to be out before we left.

 

WOW I am almost speechless, why would the police show up? What was the fine for?

[farmerjohn]

Please take the children and go for as long as you feel comfortable with. As you can tell by my screen name, I am a farmer. This means that my vacation time is in the middle of the winter; although we do manage to go a little in the summer. If we did not take our children in the winter, we would not have the wonderful travel memories that we do.

 

Last January we did a land vacation for a week in Washington DC. I wonder how many days my children would have to spend in school to learn everything they learned in that one week in Washington DC.

 

We did not know this before we went, but there was a huge march from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court building to protest abortion. That sure made the kids ask lots of questions. They also saw how a huge group could peacefully demonstrate for what they wanted.

 

The children saw how money was made, they saw the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, etc. We walked through thousands of headstones in Arlington National Cemetary and witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 

We saw the Enola Gay which dropped the atomic bomb on Japan and talked about WWII.

 

We saw the Lincoln Memorial and then the Ford Theater where Lincoln was shot.

 

Yeah, when you think about it; travel is a complete waste of time. The kids would have been better off in school.

[CruisnKs]

I was also speechless! State law mandates that children attend 90% of the school days in a specific term/semester. If a child fails to do so, the parent is breaking the law. Each school district has city police officers assigned to be truant officers. So, the truant officer showed up at our house in a squad car. As it turns out, we did NOT break the law because 4 absences did not equate to more than 10% of the school days.

 

The sad part is that it's all tied to monetary funding. Each school district receives a certain amount of funding for each student that attends school each day. Absences decrease their funding, which I would guess impacts staff salaries in the long term.

 

We hope to have the kids back in private school next year.:)

[beachchick]

Thanks everyone. Michelle - I know 2 weeks seems a long time in Disney. But I did it a couple of times, lots of years ago, when they were really young. Because we're jet lagged when we get there - it enables us to have days off, in between the parks to swim and do other non-park things.

 

I think it's different coming from the UK because America is really like one big playground for us. I guess when you go outside of Disney, a lot of the places are just like home.

 

We used to stay onsite and get a room with bunk beds at WL, then we had DVC but that didn't work out well for us. This time, we'll probably get an offsite villa with pool and do rest days in between.

 

With the pound being weak, it's not worth buying our passes in dollars and the passes designed for UK people cost little difference between a two week and one week pass.

 

On our one week trips, we've always got a lot done but we feel tired and jet lagged for a couple of weeks when we get home.

 

Hi Chelle - I see what you mean. It would be tough to catch up. I think I will definitely ask for some work for them to do before and after. I feel bad asking teachers for time off, as I know they're stuck with expensive times to go. The airlines should give them a discount.

 

Mind you - the airlines shouldn't be allowed to get away with charging double during the school holidays anyway. I don't know how it is in the States - I'm betting they're not quite as greedy as the ones in the UK.

 

You might want to bring their teachers something special from your travels. It's nice that you understand how expensive travel is for most teachers. Also keep in mind that whenever students are taken out of school, even the best student and with the teacher's blessing, the teachers have more work added to their usually already long days as they prepare lessons for the students to take along and grade/process their work when they return.

 

If your kids are doing well at school, if the teachers give an okay and are willing to help, and if there are no testing periods involved or immediately afterward, then I'd say go ahead and enjoy the time. As you already know, time flies by and soon they'll be off on their own. It's important to treasure being together as a family.

 

beachchick

[Sky616]

Please take the children and go for as long as you feel comfortable with. As you can tell by my screen name, I am a farmer. This means that my vacation time is in the middle of the winter; although we do manage to go a little in the summer. If we did not take our children in the winter, we would not have the wonderful travel memories that we do.

 

Last January we did a land vacation for a week in Washington DC. I wonder how many days my children would have to spend in school to learn everything they learned in that one week in Washington DC.

 

We did not know this before we went, but there was a huge march from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court building to protest abortion. That sure made the kids ask lots of questions. They also saw how a huge group could peacefully demonstrate for what they wanted.

 

The children saw how money was made, they saw the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, etc. We walked through thousands of headstones in Arlington National Cemetary and witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 

We saw the Enola Gay which dropped the atomic bomb on Japan and talked about WWII.

 

We saw the Lincoln Memorial and then the Ford Theater where Lincoln was shot.

 

Yeah, when you think about it; travel is a complete waste of time. The kids would have been better off in school.

Washington, D.C. is amazing, isn't it? With all the things you can learn. We take a weekend trip down there once a year. Our son loves the museums and the monuments.

[louben]

We are also from UK and will be taking our children out of school for the last week of the Spring term to take a cruise on the Zuiderdam. We are on our fifth cruise and normally try to coincide our holidays during school breaks, however the flights from the UK this year were considerably cheaper the week before (£628.00)! Hence our decision.

 

To be honest we all enjoy cruising so much - our children are only 11 & 9 and have swam with the stingrays in Grand Cayman, watched the divers in Acapulco, swam with the turtles in Barbados, climbed Dunn River Falls in Jamaica, loved snorkelling in Cozumel and also enjoyed exploring St Lucia, Antigua, Tortola & St. Maarten! Thats got to be a great education!:)

 

Really looking forward to the Panama Canal and visiting the rain forest in Costa Rica in a few weeks time!

 

The price of our cruise this year, has been just a little more than the cost of a two week All inclusive in Tenerife - I know which I would prefer!!

[sandytoes03]

Since I work in a middle school with children ages 10-14 I can't fathom them being gone for 2 weeks in a row. Maybe they can catch up on some work, but how can they catch up on all that missed instruction? Our 8th graders take algebra. Missing 2 weeks of algebra instruction would be so hard. And all the projects they do . . .

 

Seems like a long time to spend in Orlando and to be missing school.

[castawaymam]

Well, based on the responses here, I think we need to move to another state or possibly, the UK. We took our 5 and 6 year old out of school for 4 days in September and came home to a visit from the police and a letter threatening a $500 fine and imprisonment. :eek: We had even informed both teachers and the administrative office that they were going to be out before we left.

 

I say go for it if you can get away with it. Have fun.

 

 

Good gravy, Here and in most states, I believe that you can go to the office and request a paper to fill out for you to get your Child/ren excused absenence(sp?) for going a educational trip(family vaction) and turn it back to the school, and then the principal, and superintenent of the school yea or nea it. If yea, then they are excused from school that time that they are gone, they will either have homework durning or after their trip. I have done this many times for both of my kids. Never had a problem taking them out.

[MinnieGi]

With your kids being 12 & 14, how do they feel about being away from school for two weeks knowing all the work they will need to make-up? Two weeks is ALOT of work to make-up and missed instruction. My kids would dread making up all that work! We take them out for a few days that back up to a scheduled school vacation to make the trip longer, and even then they are not happy with the extra work, I can't imagine two weeks!