Have you ever taken your kid(s) out of school to go on vacation?

Question

My sons going to Disney World with family and he'll be out of school for 4 days. Did your kids school give you a hard time? He's in Kindergarden.

Answer 1

I take my kids out once a week to work in the mines...never for vacation, however.

I feel that good working values should be instilled in my children. They like being miners...

Such good little miners, yes they are!!!

Answer 2

Our state has passed a new mandate about attendance that is not specifically because of parents taking kids on vacations, but it can make it difficult for those parents who want to do so if the school feels the need to give the parent a hard time. But it still boils down to you being the parent and they are not. Worst case, if he missed more than 10 days unexcused (which if this is the worst case they would count these 4 days as unexcused) they could and probably would call CPS, but as long as you can show that you were gone (airline tickets, photographs, etc) and let them know that the timing couldn't be avoided, it STILL boils down to you being the parent and you did what you could to balance education and vacation. So basically IF the school decides to be rude about it, AND if he misses 6 additional unexcused days through the entire year (and they have to count illness as excused even if they weren't sick enough to go to the doctor), then you might have a problem. But it sounds like you will be fine. Like other people have said, make sure you talk to the school in advance and be willing to work with them to make the trip as educational as possible. Should be fairly easy to do, cause in Kinder they are so eager to learn anyway.

Relax and enjoy your vacation!!!!!!

Answer 3

I am a first grade teacher and am getting so frustrated with the number of kids who are out of school for vacation. I just started school yesterday, and I already have three children who will be missing school in September for vacation...one will be gone for two weeks! It is insulting to say..."It is only first grade" or "It is only kindergarten." I take my job seriously and we do many important things, even the first few days of school. Not only do the kids miss out on content (the student who will be gone for two weeks will miss all the crucial beginning reading instruction) but they miss out on learning all the routines and expectations and then when they return, they are completely lost and the teacher has to take extra time to explain everything to the child that he/she missed while on vacation. This takes attention away from the other children and disrupts the whole flow of the classroom. Arrgh- they just had the whole summer off. Take vacations during the scheduled vacation times. That is when my family does. School should be the priority!

Answer 4

Yes I have. I have no problem with pulling my child out for special things as long as there are no issues with grades. I talk to the teacher ahead of time to see if I need to have my child do any work while away or if we will just make it up when we get back. At our school you need to send a note when your child returns regarding the absence so it it not considered unexcused. You probably need to check your schools policy in that regard.

Besides it Kindergarden...go enjoy your vacation and if the school has heartburn about it let them take some Tums and get over themselves :)

Answer 5

No problem. Schools pretty much have to bend to parents' wills about this, especially for such a short amount of time. If you were taking him out for a month, then there would be a problem because it would be making it difficult for him to fulfill all that grade's requirements; however, 4 days=very little missed.

If you really want to keep them happy, ask if you can get the homework/lessons ahead of time to work on on the plane and in the hotel, to be turned in on the first day back.

My mom did it from time to time when I was a kid, kindergarten through high school. Don't worry.

Answer 6

I've done it and learned a couple of valuable lessons. Don't ask for homework. The kids are too tired and overstimulated to do it. Give your son a box of crayons and a notebook and ask him to draw a picture every day of the best thing that happened, or let him dictate a story to you and illustrate it. Don't tell them you are going. it's easier to deal with the school after the fact. Missing 4 days of kindergarten doesn't not make much of a difference. Just find out what they covered when he was gone.

Answer 7

I know alot of kids that leave to go on vacation.One left for 2-3 weeks!Plus,you really don't learn anything in kindergarden,just naps and cookies.No the school was fine with it.:)have fun at disney world!

Answer 8

He's in KINDERGARTEN ... in most districts, that is optional school. Absenteesism carries more weight the older they get.
I have taken my kids out of school for vacations, and I give the teachers and principals a heads-up ahead of time and courteously ask what they might miss in school, and how they can make it up. Most of the time they have been cooperative. I believe family travel is a priceless enrichment experience kids cannot get in school. Even at the Kindergarten level, if you create teachable moments, your child will learn lots at the park, especially at Epcot.

Have fun !

Answer 9

Probably not. Most teachers give you some extra homework or a preview on what they're doing. You kids can easily do it on the plane or car or however you're getting there. But if it does look like the teacher's getting annoyed (which I'm pretty sure she won't) then next year just schedule during winter break or spring break. And besides he's in Kindergarten. They won't be doing much.

Answer 10

This is not a good idea, but if you are going to go ahead with his missing this many days, be proactive about it. Tell the teacher ahead of time when he will miss; get the work and take it with you and work with him on it daily for one hour. You do not want him to miss any of these kindergarten skills, not a day of them, so your working with him will make sure he does not get behind.

In texas kindergarten is not mandantory, so it would be no problem. Every state is different. Most of them have a certain number of days you can miss, then their going on to the next grade level is in question after that limit. Find out what that is for your son's school (the registrar at his school can tell you instantly).

Take the fact that you are taking him out of school and away from what his peers are learning for four days seriously, not flippantly, and they will cooperate with you.

Answer 11

My kids aren't in school, but I am a teacher. If kids go on vacation, I give them the work when they get back. There should be no problem.