I feel terrible, taken out of school for Lapland UK

Our school actually approved the absence when we did similar and for similar reasons at a slightly older age. I suspect they will be very pleased for you and hope you all have a wonderful time.

Congratulations and have a fantastic day! What a lovely thing to win (and hopefully it’s sunny like it is here today)

No, you are not a bad mum, you are a wonderful one, who knows that though 100% attendance in school is quite important (not absolutely so) giving your DD other experiences even at the expense of a day off school is good and necessary and something which you should do. If school get huffy ask why you should have turned down a lovely experience for your DD for the convenience of their attendance records. Have a lovely time.
NB I am the child whose mother took her to buy a much needed winter coat in the sales (could not afford such a good one otherwise - family living in one room in London in the 50s) and when asked by my teacher whether buying a new coat was more important than going to school said 'yes' - because it was (I was 7).

No fine for ONE day. Stop scaremongering

Only in England is this even a thing. In Ireland the teacher would wave you off happily. Dont give it another thought

I imagine that it isn't so much that the OP is worried that she is a bad mum, more that she is asking what others think, because there are so many threads on MN criticising parents for taking children out for holidays or the odd day. There are threads where parents explain that they were honest with the school in advance and parent was later taken to court - and told that it wasn't the school's decision as to whether that would happen or not. In local authorities there may be more rigid thinking "a rule is a rule". Is the problem.

If parents are taken to court I am not sure a defence would be that MN posters approved it.

Possibly a petition should be started asking the government to change the rules about absences, allowing schools to approve absences in certain circumstances.

You get 4 and a half days to be absent from school so use them!

Of course not! What nonsense. I regularly took my dc abroad whenever my SIL told us 'here, you have the keys for a week or so' and off we went during term time - I could not afford 'abroad' for them otherwise, without her charity. Every time the school asked, I just said 'don't make me change schools' and as even then they were a small, struggling school, they left us alone.

Don't worry about it even for a minute. She will learn a heck of a lot more going away with Mum to Lapland UK, than she ever will in a day at very early primary school.

I don't really know where all the hand wringing about this issue comes from. Are things THAT disciplinarian nowadays? I know there are fines - which amazes me, it's like making a criminal out of a toddler! A bit of an overreach I think.

My friends in Ireland say there is absolutely NO such thing as worry or guilt about taking their kids out often for a week term time for hols or for a wedding/funeral etc. It is an accepted fact there, and there are no repercussions. Bear in mind that the standard of education in that country is very high too. Hmmm.

It's so sad that's parents are made to feel this guilty and question themselves like this.

Don't give it another thought. School will mark it as unauthorised absence but nothing will happen. Enjoy your day making memories with your family, what an amazing thing to win!!

You will have plenty of opportunities in the future to feel mum guilt - this definitely isn't one of them. Have a lovely time!

It is crazy that this causes such stress and angst in the UK and that the education bods have sold the narrative of missing one day being so much trouble for them. Here in eastern Europe any child can take 15 days out during term time (max of 5 days at a time) on request by a parent, and this was increased least year from the previous 5 days. The world turns, the teachers cope and the kids pass their exams (in fact most 14 year olds here would sail through GCSE maths for example). Relax and enjoy your day.

Do it and don't feel guilty.

I did this years ago when my DC were four and six. I took them out of school for the day to go to Lapland U.K.and they had the best time. They are now 22 and 24 and even all these years later it quite often gets a mention at this time of year by one or other of them.

It's for young children and it's done very well, go and have a lovely time with your DD.

Seriously?!

I'm a teacher.

I take my child out to go to the beach in summer. Don't waste time worrying about this.

I took my Yr1 child out for a day recently to go to Centre Parcs, school didn't bat an eyelid. Your DD will remember this day for a very long time and her education will not come to any harm because she's missed a single day. Enjoy your special day together!

Possibly one of the most ridiculous posts ever (assuming it is real):

'I feel terrible....

id never take my child out of school...'

Except that you are. Either own it and accept your DC is not doomed to a menial job on minimum wage or give the tickets to someone else.

Wouldn’t give it a second thought

Please don’t give it another second’s thought! Enjoy your magical day with your daughter…sounds like you BOTH deserve it!

Blimey, OP, that sounds fabulous and well deserved.

I'm not one for taking DC out of school, but even I'd jump at this! Notify the school, accept the unauthorised absence and have a lovely time!

You are not a bad mum.

Your DD is 5. You all have a fantastic day and don't worry about school. It is only for one day after all!

Nah, I took mine out for a week to go on holiday at 5. You won't get a fine, enjoy your day at Lapland UK. She'll remember it a lot longer than a school day.

No, enjoy it!

C'mon OP, think about it! How can a routine day at school for a 5 year old possibly be better for her than that experience? The journey, the stimulus, the one on one attention from you? Your DD is at the age where everything novel is a learning experience, and you can point things out, talk to her, discuss things, get her to read signs, talk about the real lapland, what reindeer eat etc. Compare the value of that to an average school day and the trip wins by some margin. Just because it's fun, doesn't mean it's not useful.

Agree with this 👆