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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to take DD out of school a couple of days before the Christmas holiday starts?

22 replies

oopslateagain · 21/09/2012 12:31

More a WWYD really.

Next Christmas (2013) we are planning to go to America to visit relatives that we haven't seen for 10 years, including DH's mum and sister. DD's last day of school is Friday 20th December, but we want to fly out there on Thursday 19th so we have time to rest after the journey and get our Christmas shopping done - it's not practical to shop here and take everything with us.

DD will be in Year 11, so I really don't want to disrupt her GCSEs. I'm thinking that there won't really be much going on in the two days before the Christmas holiday, and if I give the school plenty of notice then they can make sure she has her holiday homework/revision all sorted out early in the week.

I'm not worried that the school will fine us, but AIBU to think two days off won't impact DD's GSCEs?

OP posts:
Trills · 21/09/2012 12:34

YANBU - even in GCSE year the two days before the Christmas holidays will be skippable. Does she have a reliable friend to borrow notes from (if any teaching is really happening)?

Panzee · 21/09/2012 12:37

She's not in the school play is she? Just watch out for social stuff. Academically it shouldn't be a problem.

HolyAutumnGoldBatman · 21/09/2012 12:37

YANBU

Original poster
oopslateagain · 21/09/2012 12:41

She has a friend in all the GSCE classes who we can ring on the weekend to see if she missed anything important.

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 21/09/2012 12:42

Do it.

ratbagcatbag · 21/09/2012 12:46

Go for it, only thing I would do is write a note to each subject teacher that she will be missing a couple of weeks before and ask if there is anything she can complete as homework before she breaks up for the holidays.
Our school normally finishes early on the last day and certainly two days before seem to be on wind down.

Enjoy your amazing holiday :)

BlueStringPudding · 21/09/2012 12:49

I think you'd be fine to go off early, but she is likely to have GCSE exam papers in January, so you will need to make sure that she has plenty of time to revise - either on the plane, whilst you're away or when you return, depending on how long you go for.

Original poster
oopslateagain · 21/09/2012 12:50

Wow, nobody has popped up to tell me I am the world's worst mother for sabotaging DD's exams! Grin

We aren't going for 15 months but I'm excited already. And wondering if I can persuade a DH who loathes Elvis to take me to Graceland.

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 21/09/2012 12:52

Wow, nobody has popped up to tell me I am the world's worst mother

Give it time... Wink

ratbagcatbag · 21/09/2012 12:57

I think two days at the end of term near Christmas isn't going to kill anyone and so long as it's organised well, so any work that may be set gets given to your DD then there should be no harm surely. Therefore why are you the worlds worst mother? :)

aldiwhore · 21/09/2012 13:40

Can I come? If not, YABU Smile

Original poster
oopslateagain · 21/09/2012 13:43

aldi if you can help me put up with my MIL for 2 weeks, you can come Grin

OP posts:
oscarwilde · 21/09/2012 13:45

YABU to take her away on a nice holiday in the middle of a GCSE year. How is she going to swot for 5 hrs a day during her holidays if you are off galivanting around the USA? You realise that not only missing two days of school but not studying like a trojan is going to ruin her results, her entry to 6th form college and university? In years to come she is going to look back at that holiday and think if only I'd studied more then.......

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 21/09/2012 13:46

I think YABU.

It's not going to mess up her GCSEs at all, but its the principle of the thing. You could go later, but it would be easier not to, so you won't. I just think that's a bad attitude to have towards school.

Hopefully you will have more understanding school staff than me, and if your dd needs them to go the extra mile for her, they will still do it.

aldiwhore · 21/09/2012 13:47

Eeek... No offence, she's yours! Wink

Original poster
oopslateagain · 21/09/2012 13:53

Thanks oscar, I was starting to despair of the AIBU crowd... Wink

OP posts:
oscarwilde · 21/09/2012 16:06

You're welcome Wink. Where I went to school (not UK) that would have been the attitude though Sad Tragic.
If you are genuinely concerned you can always have a chat with the staff about an informal catch up in December so that you have an early heads up if your DD isn't working v hard. That will give you a few weeks to get her to knuckle down before they wrap up for the holidays. Serious PITA to have to take text books away for holidays if she has exams on return (I have no clue about UK exam timetables)
Seriously though - most kids are going to have a few days off with cold and flu around then anyway. Everyone catches up. By Christmas you will all be hanging out for a holiday - Enjoy !

noblegiraffe · 21/09/2012 16:09

I very much doubt the school will authorise it, in which case it would be very cheeky to ask teachers to put themselves out setting extra work to make sure your DD doesn't miss anything. So take her out if you must, but don't expect any favours or special arrangements.

PowderMum · 22/09/2012 20:05

We did this last Christmas so we could go to NZ to visit our relatives. Missed half day before Christmas and 2 days in he New Year, DD had no problem in catching up the little work she missed. She did talk to all of her teachers to make sure that she was aware of what work needed to be completed whilst we were away.

Doilooklikeatourist · 22/09/2012 20:09

Go .
It sounds lovely .
YA so NBU

bimblyno1 · 22/09/2012 20:14

The Friday will more than likely be a half day and realistically will much be done on the Thur/Fri anyway? Go for it - surely there is value in seeing family?

teacherandguideleader · 22/09/2012 20:17

If she was in my class her missing school wouldn't bother me for two days - if it was a week then yes, but not 2 days. However, it is really irritating being asked to set work for children going on holiday - we have enough to do. I wouldn't mind a child asking what topic, or for page numbers from a textbook but anything more would be unfair.

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