Every now and then I pull my two kids, ages 10 and 7, out of school for the day and we make a fun one day trip to DLR. I am very thankful and lucky that we live close enough to be able to do this. I usually do this on average about three or four times a school season. However a few friends suggest that I am hurting my kids education by doing this. I strongly disagree, but I respect their opinions.

Am I wrong to do this? :)

Rachel

Some people would say that, but personally, I think the odd day here and there isn't gonna hurt that much. Just look at their report cards and that should give you the answer! But everyone deserves to take the day off, and I would only worry if it's around exam times which are important.

Ah, a parent who thinks (and worries) like me!!

Last year, a friend and I took our children out of school for two days, in the middle of state testing, so they could be at Disneyland for 5/5/05. We only live an hour and a half away, but they're such Disney freaks that we knew they'd love it if we could be there at the crack of dawn and stay until the gates were locked for the night, so we spent two nights there. We were totally honest with the teachers about where they were going to be.

Adding to the insanity of our decision, we returned home late Friday night, and all three kids were testing at 9 a.m. Saturday to get into a new school for gifted and talented kids. We figured if they could pass that test after three straight days at Disneyland, they clearly would belong at the school.

I have not for ONE moment regretted taking mine out. She scored extremely well on her makeup state tests, she got into the new school -- and is one very happy Disney kid. We have some lovely, wonderful, tear-jerker memories of that trip with our friends that just couldn't have developed at any other time. (Well...except for 7/17/05, which we also attended...LOL)

Would I do it again? Heck YES. The only reason we haven't done anything like that this year is because so far, she hasn't missed a single day and is hoping to get a "perfect attendance" certificate. If she ends up with a sick day, she'll get a Disney day sometime after.

People may disagree, and that's okay, but I say if it doesn't have a negative impact on their studies, do it. Many children today have such a heavy workload in school that I think they need an occasional break from routine and reality.

Only you (and their teacher) are in a position to know if it will have a negative impact on their studies.

My take: they only get to be kids for 12 years, teens for a few more, and then they're adults for the rest of their lives. It's GOOD to have crazy fun with them while they're young!

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My take: they only get to be kids for 12 years, teens for a few more, and then they're adults for the rest of their lives. It's GOOD to have crazy fun with them while they're young!

My take exactly :)

My daughter had missed a couple days of K for a trip, and a few days (2 trips) in 2nd grade. Pretty sure she'll miss some of 3rd for a trip as well. She gets good grades and doesnt stuggle. If she was behinding or having problems I might think twice about it.

I'm a mom of four now big kids (3 will be in college next year, one in high school). We only pulled them out of elementary school once for a trip, and now I think that it's NUTS that we didn't do it more. At 7 and 10 a few days taken off of school won't make any academic difference at all. It's when they get older that it gets a little trickier. There is much, much more to life than academics and as a mom of older kiddos I treasure all the relaxed, fun family times we spent together -- I also think that's part of the reason we are still so bonded today, and still have so much fun together. There'll be plenty of time to stress over academics in high school ;)

I think this will be the first year where Charlie didn't miss school for a Disneyland trip. But I have to say, that's only because we this is the first year we've been homeschooling.;)

If your kids are doing satisfactory (or better) work in school, then a day off here or there is not going to be a problem.

I consider family time to be very educational. However we do try to restrict our Disney time to holidays. This year though my husband work Memorial Day Weekend and then off for a week. The kids are supposed to return to school on Tuesday the 30th and the teachers have a park day planned. Then a half day on the 31st to say goodbyes. DH has planned for us to leave for Disneyland instead and to see a ball game on the 31st. I support his plan and I don't think the kids are going to miss a thing by not being at school. They go back mid July for a month of summer school anyways.

Meanwhile my kids learn lots at Disneyland about how to be flexible, take turns, show good manners, waiting in line, budgeting and that being in a family is fun. If they can't bond and function in a family all the education in the world won't do them any good as adults.

I usually do this on average about three or four times a school season. However a few friends suggest that I am hurting my kids education by doing this. I strongly disagree, but I respect their opinions.

If you had said that you did this once a year, I would be cool with it. But three or four times a year I don't get. I think it hurts the children's education not just because they're missing school but because I would be sending the message that school and the commitment to it is expendable. I wouldn't want my children as teens to decide that they could pick and choose when to go to school because they could be doing something funner. I think that by sending children to school regularly we're teaching them the ethic that will develop into getting up every day and going to work, even when there's something else they could be doing.

If schools didn't already offer several weeks a year of vaction time plus minimum days plus three-day weekends, I might feel differently. But it's not like my children only get 3-4 days of vacation a year if I pull them out of school.

Adrienne

Up until my son hit middle school I would pull him out for a day of fun. Probably only 1-2 times a year depending on what came up, etc but now that he has hit Middle School he really cannot afford the absences anymore. That's my personal opinion of our situation. He is a GATE program kid but things just are different now in the upper grades.

I have 2 sets of children, the first set are 20 and 18, the second set are 7 and almost 5. With the first set, I never would take them out of school for DL, but now that they are older and I've seen how quickly time goes by, I do take out the second set. We sometimes go with their 77 year old grandma, and as much as I agree that being at school is an important thing, I also think that making wonderful memories with their grandma, who probably won't be seeing them grow into adulthood, is valuable. I do make sure their projects are done before we go, and that there is no special testing going on. Could we do it on holidays or weekends? Sure we could, but it is so much busier on those days at the park and grandma tires easily, plus my husband works weekends.

I respect those who believe that school should never be missed, I've felt that way too. I just never want to look back one day and wish we could have done more together as a family. This is a major change for me, my husband never would have thought I'd decide the kids could miss a day of school to go somewhere. Life only happens once, and now I know how much I missed out on with my first two kids.

If you had said that you did this once a year, I would be cool with it. But three or four times a year I don't get.

I know this wasnt directed at me, but feel I should clarify my post. Hannah has missed school for Disneyland. But, we usually try to go over an already long weekend. She has never missed more then 2 days for a trip. I would never take her out for an entire week to go.

Thanks for all your responses. I'm glad to see so many of you feel the same. My kids are good students, and I would never pull them out when they are testing, etc. I'm very close with their teachers, and I'm honest with them about where we are going and why.

I get a big kick out spending that special Disney day with them, we've made some wonderful memories together this past year.

I know this wasnt directed at me, but feel I should clarify my post. Hannah has missed school for Disneyland. But, we usually try to go over an already long weekend. She has never missed more then 2 days for a trip. I would never take her out for an entire week to go.

I agree with you here, I won't take them out for more than a day, let alone a week.

You know what, 6 years ago (when I was ten), I was taken to WDW for the first time. I have to say that I learned so much from that trip than any other vacation I've had. You can't do that in school!

When I was in 1st grade, and then again in 3rd grade, my dad took my brothers and I on a 7 week trip through Europe. He talked to our teachers at the end of the previous school year and worked with my teachers to have assignments for us to do over the summer and reports we could do while on our trips, so that we did not miss any time at school or material. We were smart kids and were able to do work without the teacher's monitoring. We did all of our school work in the first few weeks of summer vacation and delivered it to our teacher before we left on our trip.

I THANK my father, often, for those experiences. Even though I was very young (8 for the last trip), I remember every moment of our trip. I got to see the Mona Lisa, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Neunschwanstein (I hope that's spelled right...); etc. My father made us learn phrases in each language for every country we were going to. We ate local foods - I got my first taste of gnocchi in Florence, Italy. I fell in love with prosciutto and melon in Florence. I got to see the impressive David statue in Rome. My goodness, it was so large and impressive! I got to visit the Olympic Village where the Munich massacre occurred. We went to Oktoberfest. We visited Rejkavik, Iceland, where I still remember the tour guide telling us that the government had banned all dogs because they shared a deadly virus with sheep - the island's main economic source.

My point is that LIFE can be educational. You want your kids to be well-rounded, to be able to not only learn in conventional methods, but to be able to see the world around them. School is VERY important, but learning to enjoy learning and to want to be curious and explore - that is important, too. And sometimes, you cannot do that in a classroom. Sometimes, you've got to get out and explore.

I *fully* plan on doing this with my two kids. I want them to have a curiosity and a passion for seeing what life is about - not just reading about it in books. Yes, I will fully expect them to strive in school, as well. I will respect their teachers and education and work together with the schools to make sure my kids are keeping up with the requirements.

If Disney is important to you and your family, then being at Disneyland on an historic day can really have an impact. Make the trip educational. Have your child write a report about her experience or research Walt Disney for the trip. Inspire curiosity!

I mean no disrespect to anyone else's opinion. In my experience, though, those trips to Europe inspired me far more than anything I learned in school. I learned a lot more that I remember on those trips, and it had the added benefit of really bringing my family closer together. We still travel together.

Yes, school is important. I whole-heartedly agree. Sometimes, though, you have to do a risk-benefit analysis and go with your gut. But, make it worthwhile. Don't sacrifice any avenue to teach your kids something.

Even when my stepson was in high school, he is now 18, we would pull him out once a year for a Disneyland trip. But we would check with his teachers the week before to be sure he was caught up on everything, and then he would have to get a list of assignments that were going to be due when he would get back, and complete them while we were gone, he usually got them done on the plane. It was never a problem.
Now with the boys being in school, well my 4yo (my 2yo will start this fall), and having APs, and NOT wanting to be at the parks during the summer and spring break, we will do the same with them, 2 times a year. I did clear it with my 4yos preschool teacher, and she is a HUGE Disneyland fan as well, she said she recommends trips to Disneyland. hehe
I wouldn't pull them out over big testing times, and would make sure they wouldn't be missing any major projects or field trips. As long as they are being good students, I see nothing wrong with it.

I am a teacher and am jealous. I would have no problem taking my daughter out of school to go to Disneyland, the only problem is I can't take the time off work. Children do need to have experiences outside of school to draw on when they are reading and writing. If they never went anywhere what would they write about at school. Real life experiences are an important part of a child's education.
I know that some parents may not be able to get off during the summer to go on vacations. This is why we are going to DLR with my mom this summer instead of my husband (he can't get off work.)

My parents would pull us out of school for things too (even a week vacation.) I don't remember any negatives from the trips or missing school. I was always a great student and we made sure to make up the work.

I think if it is done "responsibly" it can be beneficial. It teaches a child that if you do miss a day of school, there is work to be made up (same applies to work...you can miss a day, but you have to make up your work somehow!) :)

I have no problem doing this with my child(ren) in the future (though, I think it stinks that public schools get their $$ based on attendance.) I went to private schools, so maybe that is why the teachers were more cooperative?

I think I had the hardest time with sports coaches...now they were another story all together (and I am not talking varsity sports either!) Yikes!

Our boys are currently in 3rd & 4th grade. We've taken them out for a week in Jan. or Feb. for a WDW trip for 4 years in a row now. Up until then, it had no effect on their school work, and it was no problem. This past Jan., upon our return, we noticed that our youngest, who sometimes has trouble with his schoolwork, did have trouble getting back into his schoolwork, especially his math. So - while I would do it, and have done it. I think it depends on how your child is making out in school.

Onthe other hand...our eldest recently returned from 5 week sailing trip with his grandparents. He had no problem getting back into his school work - in fact - his grades improved and continue to (he was an A & B student before). His teachers and principals commented on his improved social interaction with adults, which was one of the hoped for things to come out of his adventure on the boat with my folks.

As with many parenting challenges, I think it comes down to what you, as the parent, feel is best for your child at that particular time. Add to that what you feel is appropriate and what you yourself grew up with - I grew up traveling and going places and was used to that. Will I continue it if our youngest continues to have trouble in school? No - will I do it if he can handle it? you betcha!;)

From Mr.Bluesky:

I am an elementary school teacher and have an opinion on this. I think there are some real negatives to doing this. Taking kids out of school for three or four days a year on top of other absences (such as illnesses, etc.) does make a difference because they miss important connections between concepts. Without the connections, learning becomes less meaningful. There are only about 180 days of school per year so choosing a day that school is not in session is definitely an option. Skipping school regularly to go to Disneyland also indirectly teaches children that fun comes before responsibility. This can have an impact on their future.

My daughter missed two days of school for our Dec DL trip. We would have gone during winter break , but this year it fell during blockout days. None of her teachers had a problem. Her English teacher in particular couldn't complain. He'd just returned from being away two days himself. He'd just come back from taking his kids to Disneyland.:)

Oh yes, her photography teacher gave her an assignment to shoot three rolls of black and white film, day and night shots, no flash. They came out really great .

From Mr.Bluesky:

I am an elementary school teacher and have an opinion on this. I think there are some real negatives to doing this. Taking kids out of school for three or four days a year on top of other absences (such as illnesses, etc.) does make a difference because they miss important connections between concepts. Without the connections, learning becomes less meaningful. There are only about 180 days of school per year so choosing a day that school is not in session is definitely an option. Skipping school regularly to go to Disneyland also indirectly teaches children that fun comes before responsibility. This can have an impact on their future.


well, then perhaps you can clear something up for me - as I have always wondered why (in general, I know you can't speak for every teacher, every school system) do they (schools, teachers, whomever) schedule so many inservice days and teacher training and out-of area conferences and conventions DURING the school year? In our public school system where we live in Maryland, no counting legal holidays - there are only 2 months out of the school year that the kids don't have at least one day off of school per month for some sort of teacher-related activity. I've heard the argument that teachers work during the summer...but I would think that having the teachers there, actually teaching, goes hand-in-hand with actually having the students there. I've also heard the argument that teachers work twice as hard during the school year (many extra hours) so that it is as if they are working all year long.

Of course, I also think that they - meaning the kids AND teachers, ought to be in school during some of our legal holidays - MLK day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day....geez, how about the kids actually LEARN about those folks for once.

I suppose, all in all, it's an argument that can't be won - to many families have kids at different levels, for some it's not difficult to take the kids out, for others it presents a huge problem. Some of us have schools/teachers that work with us, others don't. As with everything, it can't be painted with the same color brush for every family.

(stepping down off the Ivory box now:D )

well, then perhaps you can clear something up for me - as I have always wondered why (in general, I know you can't speak for every teacher, every school system) do they (schools, teachers, whomever) schedule so many inservice days and teacher training and out-of area conferences and conventions DURING the school year? In our public school system where we live in Maryland, no counting legal holidays - there are only 2 months out of the school year that the kids don't have at least one day off of school per month for some sort of teacher-related activity. I've heard the argument that teachers work during the summer...but I would think that having the teachers there, actually teaching, goes hand-in-hand with actually having the students there. I've also heard the argument that teachers work twice as hard during the school year (many extra hours) so that it is as if they are working all year long.

Of course, I also think that they - meaning the kids AND teachers, ought to be in school during some of our legal holidays - MLK day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day....geez, how about the kids actually LEARN about those folks for once.

I suppose, all in all, it's an argument that can't be won - to many families have kids at different levels, for some it's not difficult to take the kids out, for others it presents a huge problem. Some of us have schools/teachers that work with us, others don't. As with everything, it can't be painted with the same color brush for every family.

(stepping down off the Ivory box now:D )

Everyone had a difference of opinion, but I agree with what you have said in your response.
I would like to ask the teacher who responded, a question too. IF it is so bad for kids to be pulled out of school during the year for trips to Disneyland etc., then WHY, at least for my son's school (which is a large private Christian school in Spokane) do teachers have paid vacation that they can take throughout the year? For instance, my son's preschool teacher, has 2 weeks paid vacation. She just missed 2 weeks in May to fly to Texas and drive home to Spokane with her daughters, from Baylor University. If it is wrong for the students to take vacation, besides the scheduled days, then why is it ok for the kids?
Skipping school regularly to go to Disneyland also indirectly teaches children that fun comes before responsibility.
Or could it possibly be a way to reward kids for a job well done. Being that the majority of the parents that pull their kids out of school for family vacations, be it Disneyland or other, make sure their children are not behind and will not miss any major projects or assignments, first. Couldn't it be the parents telling the kids, that they have worked hard all year, gotten their assingments doen etc., now here is your reward. Just like most parents do when their children do chores, or help around the house etc. AND just like adults do when they get in to the work force. If your theory is correct, then adults taking vacation from work just reinforces that fun comes before responsibility.
I am not trying to sound condescending, but simply trying to understand, and get my point across in the process.

Now that my children are attending year round school I don't need take them out for vacations as much. Because we have random weeks off scattered through out the school year we are able to travel without interrupting school most of the time. Having said that if we planned a trip during school I would have no issues with pulling them out for vacation. For the 2006-2007 school year my children are on A track which means they don't have their usual month of December off. Yes, we will be pulling them to go to Disneyland for a week.



I usually plan way in advance so the teachers are aware and I don't pull them out during testing times or parent/teacher conferences.