to think less of someone who is willing for DS to miss nursery so they get cheaper holidays?

[oasis]

When I said that our kids starting nursery this coming September means we have to go on holiday during the school holidays from now on, she replied that her DS will have to have a poor record for attendance for the first year as it was not that important and she was going to have her holidays when she liked!

pmsl! I think they think you are being unreasonable, pet!

Ladies. OP is in corner of room, rocking backward and forward, dribbling. Your work here is done.

Now give her a hug and some valium.

Go on......

attendance doesn't count until they are 5 anyway and yes you are being unreasonable. we can't afford holidays full stop so if the opportunity came up in term time i would jump at the chance

the problem is we're all just reading the OP then posting then reading the rest of the messages.

it's like watching a car crash happening before your eyes!

mymama - soundas fab; have a fab time! What an experience for them. I am sure your children will learn loads when away, and it will all link in with literacy and numeracy, and other curriculum areas too.

I think you are being unreasonable, yes. I know this is an emotive subject, but I would DEFINITELY take my son out of nursery/pre-school to travel. I would even consider taking him out of primary/secondary school in certain cases.

Infact, we are planning to take my son out of school for at least a fortnight mid-term for the 2010 world cup as we are planning a trip to South Africa which will be a trp of a lifetime for the whole family. Considering children don't even start school until they are 7 in many countries, I'm pretty sure this won't have any ill effecton my son's school career. I appreciate it might cock things up for the teacher's slightly in terms of helping my son to 'catch up' when he comes back, but as he still at pre-school stage, there really shouldn't be too much 'catching up' to do at this stage - at least, i would hope not!

agree nursery is not in the least important

school a differnt matter

p.s. excuse my shitty typing and incorrect use of apostrophes!

The problem is not so much one of what they miss at school/nursery, but the fact that in school holiday time holidays are SO BLOODY EXPENSIVE - up to 3x normal price often - that some people just can't afford to take them. If holiday companies did not exploit us in this way it would be a non-issue.

Do you think that school holidays ought to be staggered across the country? So that they happen throughout the year, and the holiday season longer to make holidays cheaper?

So you could have summer holidays from April through to October, with, say, Kent having 1 April to 15 May, East Sussex 8 April to 21 May, West Sussex 15 April to 1 June etc

They'd just put all the prices up from April to October... I don't know what the answer is, but it's not staggered holidays. What a nightmare for people with friends they want to see/ go on holiday with in other parts of the country!

I think its bad news to take your children out of school from Reception onwards. Nursery isnt so bad.

I personally wont take my ds out of school and have paid heavily for doing so. That does make me cross that I will adhere to what is required but others are just booking regardless and not only once but twice.

Now some may say that they cant afford a holiday at the top rates but the folk I refer to (quite affluent area) can afford it and are penny pinching because they can get away with it.

YABU

Loveangel, this is just the point, that the teachers do have to organise the catch up and deal with sun tanned child when they return to the exclusion of those that have been there. Sorry but you appear very flippant about the aggravation it will cause the teacher on his return.

I understand that this will all stop in the near future in any case. There were ideas being mooted that if child takes time out during school term that you may even lose their place in that school.

Hmmm, food for thought eh!

I think it's madness to think that a child of 3 or 4 MUST be in nursery all year and holidays around that! IMO there is plenty of time for years and years of School and nursery is optional anyway! Can't quite understand why you woulkd be upset about it so yes i think you are being unreasonable.
(I have only read original post )

I used to be more strict about keeping dd in School but after our first family holiday i realised that 'sometimes' other things are just as important.
I am taking my dd out for 2 weeks in September for our honeymoon. I chatted with the head about it and he agreed it's a holiday she'll remember forever.

handleme wassat mean?

YABL (loopy)

Loopy? who is?

oh for heavens sake, will you all stop repeating one another

surely a few times was enough?

You are being wholly unreasonable in my humble opinion!

It is up to them what they do and none of your business!

Oh i get it. Im loopy cos I spend more than I should.

Well as I say, I think this will be enforced in the near future.

We cant complain about the education system if we dont keep out children in school during term time.

I don't personally think it's such a big issue in nursery. Once they start school I'm dead against it.

Wisteria, who is unreasonable? I havent read all of thread.

Oh i best get off to bed, I cant keep up. I can see you were just replying to original post.

We are moving in September and pulling DD1 out of pre-school. I don't know yet if the local primary will have space for her until January.

But there's no way I'll give up the opportunity to put her in decent housing because of a few weeks of nursery school.

Tena - the loop comment was in response to the OP not you!