@ POLL (ripped off from MMM): no school for vacation?

[Velar Fricative]

I'm in the "no" camp.

[origami]

Yup. I just did and will do it again in a few months. I wouldn't take a week off or anything long unless it was an important trip. But holidays that start on a Wednesday - I have no problem taking Mon & Tues off too. My kids are only in PreK though. I might feel differently when they're in real school.

[stephm0188]

Yep. He missed a week last year for Disney, and he'll miss a week this year for Disney.

[bronxgirl]

I said yes b/c this year we plan to take DD out of school for a week, but I don't know if I would feel comfortable with that in future years. (she's in kindergarten this year). We checked with her school ahead of time and they said it's fine so I am not concerned.

[UMaineTeach]

Honestly, I could do with a lot more "putting family first" It would be a struggle to decide.

It depends on the kid, I guess.
Are she above average or a quick learner who can catch up in a weekend? yes vacation.
Are he so far below that missing a week won't matter in the long term? yes vacation.
Is she right on the cusp where every minute in school counts and exposure to concepts is needed? no vacation.

[ringstrue]

Sept 17, 2014 20:07:24 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

ETA: FTR, I said no. Maybe for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but not for just a vacation.

Ditto this.

Our school gives 2 weeks off for Christmas/New Years, and then they have basically 2, 1 week spring breaks. And then, you know, summer, snow days, in-service days, etc. I can't even imagine having vacation time for more than that, not including summer.

[josieposy]

I said yes only because we never go on vacation.

[irishbride2]

Depends on the age. We took DD out of pre school (at age 3) for a disney cruise. She missed 2 days.


Starting in K, i'm in the NO camp unless its a really unique opportunity. H disagrees, btw. We've had this discussion many times. He thinks its NBD to miss a few days. I think, especially as a teacher at the school, it sends the wrong message to my kids AND other students. 

In high school, it would have to be a REALLY big opportunity. Once in a life time sort of thing. 

[penguingrrl]

I personally would not. But my attitude was shaped by the district I grew up in. They considered absence for anything other than illness or death in the family truancy. I knew one girl whose parents took her out the week before February break a few years in a row and eventually the truant officer was called because of it and the parents got in some serious trouble. We were also not allowed to make up any assignments missed. That definitely left me with the opinion that you don't miss school for vacation.

I would love to be able to take my kids on a vacation (our last vacation was our honeymoon 8+ years ago) and I know that when the time comes we'll pay a premium to do it when school is out, but I still won't feel comfortable taking them out of school to make it more affordable. We'll never be in the position to take annual vacations so waiting an additional year to save the difference between peak season and dead season is just part of the deal.

[doobeedoo]

Yes, and we have. But, we try to minimize the impact by planning the trip around the half days that typically precede a major holiday. For example, there are two half days right before Thanksgiving and then Friday is holiday also, so they're really only missing one full day and two half days, which are bogus anyway. Of course this means we need to travel at peak times like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break, which is spendy and annoying.

[MrsAxilla]

Sure. I'd prefer to do vacations when he's out of school, obviously, but sometimes the timing doesn't work out. We're taking him out to visit DH's family in a few weeks. It was the only time that was convenient for the elderly grandparents we need to see.

I don't know if that counts as vacation though. Lol.

[stealthmom]

I'm doing it in two weeks. Only for two days though. I don't think I'd ever do it for a whole week.

I was pulled one day for a trip almost every year when I was in school.

[taratru]

Yep. And as teachers, we do it. To be honest, off season is the only time we can afford to travel with the kids and actually enjoy ourselves. The kids can get their work ahead of time and do it while we travel.

[rugbywife]

I am surprised by all the people saying no because so many people here do it. But that is probably because we don't have truancy police, nobody cares when you take your kids for a week. We have tons of kids who leave for more a month or two, to go back to the Middle East (edit: and Asia in general actually) in the middle of the school year to see family.

[irishbride2]

Sept 17, 2014 20:41:28 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

Sept 17, 2014 20:36:57 GMT -5 taratru said:

Yep. And as teachers, we do it. To be honest, off season is the only time we can afford to travel with the kids and actually enjoy ourselves. The kids can get their work ahead of time and do it while we travel.

I'm confused--you miss your own school days to do this yourself? 

I'm confused, too. We aren't allowed to take days for vacation unless they fit certain criteria. For example I am missing Friday (and so are my kids) because we have an OOT wedding that H and DS are in so they have to be there friday afternoon. But that is considered an exception.

[erbear]

My kids are 3 and 5. I might consider it now. But not once they're in middle and high school, other than for a once in a lifetime opportunity. I just don't like the message that it sends kids.

It pisses me off when parents do it (I teach 8th grade), particularly when they ask me to provide comparable work for Johnny to do on the airplane. Yeah, no. I pass on the chapters of the textbook that cover the content I will be teaching but a big fat NOPE on providing notes, worksheets, activities and instructions.

can you tell this just happened?

[StrawberryBlondie]

I think it'll depend on what kind of student H is. But I'm not opposed. I missed school basically every year for a vacation (sometimes 2) and I didn't feel I missed anything or was behind. But I was a total nerd and got my assignments done and turned in ahead of time.

[irishbride2]

Although I will admit I took a day for the Notre Dame national championship game. When I found out I had tickets, I considered that once in a life time event. But I also had to take an unpaid day for it since it didn't fall under out guidelines for a personal day. And I still feel really guilty.

[AllieHound]

My parents took me out for a week the second week of September every year. I was an above average learner, I did my homework during downtime and caught up. It was the only time my parents' work schedules lined up with those of my grandparents so that we could go visit them. My sister wasn't as good at making up work, so they wound up shortening the trip during her HS years. She doesn't have nearly the same fondness for our hometown that I do, and that's probably part of it, but that's life.

H and I would be willing to take DS out of school if he was a quick learner and we didn't feel as though he'd fall too far behind. Most likely not for an entire week, but we have a lot of OOT family, and sometimes that comes first, so we'll plan accordingly. It helps that said family is within day-trip distance of Gettysburg an DC, so we can always add some education into the trip.

We likely would not pull him for more than an odd Friday or Monday for a non-family vacation (Disney, etc) though.

[UMaineTeach]

Sept 17, 2014 20:43:08 GMT -5 irishbride2 said:

Sept 17, 2014 20:41:28 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

I'm confused--you miss your own school days to do this yourself? 

I'm confused, too. We aren't allowed to take days for vacation unless they fit certain criteria. For example I am missing Friday (and so are my kids) because we have an OOT wedding that H and DS are in so they have to be there friday afternoon. But that is considered an exception.

we have 6(??) personal days per year to do whatever with, many teacher take off-season vacations or random days off just because.

I don't actually know how many we have, cuz like I said, I lack a 'family first' mentality and I should work on that. I don't take my days.

[devonpow]

Yes, we have and we do. I think 2 days is the most we have done at a time, but we usually end up missing 3 -4 days of school each year for various trips. We travel a lot and sometimes you just can't fit it into the school breaks. And some times plane tickets are hundreds less to fly back on Monday instead of the weekend.

Actually DS1 is missing 2 days in a few weeks due to a trip we are taking. He is in second grade.

[UMaineTeach]

We do send a note at the beginning of the year that says 'state testing will be the week of ___ and we would appreciate it if you would not take a vacation that week.'

[EllieArroway]

We will, assuming my kids don't struggle in school. My mom always pulled us out for vacation as well as random "mental health" days once or twice per year. Honestly I probably learned more from those vacations than I would have in school.

[stealthmom]

Sept 17, 2014 20:31:40 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

I personally would not. But my attitude was shaped by the district I grew up in. They considered absence for anything other than illness or death in the family truancy. I knew one girl whose parents took her out the week before February break a few years in a row and eventually the truant officer was called because of it and the parents got in some serious trouble. We were also not allowed to make up any assignments missed. That definitely left me with the opinion that you don't miss school for vacation.

I would love to be able to take my kids on a vacation (our last vacation was our honeymoon 8+ years ago) and I know that when the time comes we'll pay a premium to do it when school is out, but I still won't feel comfortable taking them out of school to make it more affordable. We'll never be in the position to take annual vacations so waiting an additional year to save the difference between peak season and dead season is just part of the deal.

wow. That's kind of fucked up.

School is important but it's not always the most imoortant thing. I'm pulling myself and my son out of school to attend my bff's wedding and to see my sister and her new baby. And teachers do get personal days- it stands to reason that kids would need some from time to time too.

And let's not forget that travel can be very educational. I saw a lot of cool shit as a kid when I was pulled from school. Stuff a classroom education could never match.

[stealthmom]

Sept 17, 2014 20:43:08 GMT -5 irishbride2 said:

Sept 17, 2014 20:41:28 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

I'm confused--you miss your own school days to do this yourself? 

I'm confused, too. We aren't allowed to take days for vacation unless they fit certain criteria. For example I am missing Friday (and so are my kids) because we have an OOT wedding that H and DS are in so they have to be there friday afternoon. But that is considered an exception.

we get 6 personal days to be used at our discretion- no parameters except it should be something you can't do outside of school time. Unused days roll over into sick time.

[taratru]

Sept 17, 2014 20:41:28 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

Sept 17, 2014 20:36:57 GMT -5 taratru said:

Yep. And as teachers, we do it. To be honest, off season is the only time we can afford to travel with the kids and actually enjoy ourselves. The kids can get their work ahead of time and do it while we travel.

I'm confused--you miss your own school days to do this yourself? 

Yes.  We have flex days in our district.  We can use them for whatever we want as long as they aren't connected to a holiday (although you can get approval for those for a wedding or something like that).  I love it, because I've been in districts where you have to lie to use a leave day and it just creates...distrust?  Whatever we don't use each year, rolls over into sick days the following year, but each year you have to use up all your flex days before you can use your sick days.  

[stealthmom]

Sept 17, 2014 20:48:03 GMT -5 erbear said:

My kids are 3 and 5. I might consider it now. But not once they're in middle and high school, other than for a once in a lifetime opportunity. I just don't like the message that it sends kids.

It pisses me off when parents do it (I teach 8th grade), particularly when they ask me to provide comparable work for Johnny to do on the airplane. Yeah, no. I pass on the chapters of the textbook that cover the content I will be teaching but a big fat NOPE on providing notes, worksheets, activities and instructions.

can you tell this just happened?

we've had requests for a month or more of work. Ummm no.

[pamela]

It had better be really really special and couldn't happen out of school. DH is in the other camp completely where if the kid is doing well in school, no problem missing at all. Seriously, the guy used to stay home to watch the world series when he was in school and his mom was totally okay with it. Lucky for him he's smart.

[CallingAllAngels]

We took DS out of kindergarden for two days last year to visit ILs in California. It was the Monday and Tuesday before thanksgiving. I ran it by his teacher and she basically said that it was no biggie and many of the students would be out those days. They were the only two days of school that he missed last year.

We are probably doing it again this year (keep him out those 2 days), except to spend the week with my family at the beach. Maybe as they get older we will dial back. I don't think I would do more than a day or two though. Maybe 3. Probably not a whiole week.

[penguingrrl]

Sept 17, 2014 21:13:19 GMT -5 stealthmom said:

Sept 17, 2014 20:31:40 GMT -5 penguingrrl said:

I personally would not. But my attitude was shaped by the district I grew up in. They considered absence for anything other than illness or death in the family truancy. I knew one girl whose parents took her out the week before February break a few years in a row and eventually the truant officer was called because of it and the parents got in some serious trouble. We were also not allowed to make up any assignments missed. That definitely left me with the opinion that you don't miss school for vacation.

I would love to be able to take my kids on a vacation (our last vacation was our honeymoon 8+ years ago) and I know that when the time comes we'll pay a premium to do it when school is out, but I still won't feel comfortable taking them out of school to make it more affordable. We'll never be in the position to take annual vacations so waiting an additional year to save the difference between peak season and dead season is just part of the deal.

wow. That's kind of fucked up.

School is important but it's not always the most imoortant thing. I'm pulling myself and my son out of school to attend my bff's wedding and to see my sister and her new baby. And teachers do get personal days- it stands to reason that kids would need some from time to time too.

And let's not forget that travel can be very educational. I saw a lot of cool shit as a kid when I was pulled from school. Stuff a classroom education could never match.

I don't know the backstory behind it, just know that was the case when I was growing up there. I remember a few kids here and there being out for out of town weddings and things like that that couldn't be rescheduled, but there was a letter sent home at the beginning of every school year that parents had to sign and return outlining that policy.

While I do think they were extreme, they set DH and my mindset on it (we grew up in the same town), so in our minds those 180 days are non negotiable. Neither of us has ever taken an unscheduled day off of work either unless it was for illness.