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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To consider a term-time holiday

247 replies

ScatteredMama82 · 02/05/2019 16:00

So I'm looking at prices of flights for February half-term next year to go skiing in Germany. For a family of 4 it's £1300 just for flights in half-term. For a different week it's £280! It's just a crazy amount of money. We love skiing, and are just getting back into it now that DS2 is old enough (he's 4). DS1 is 9 (will be Yr 5 next year). I think we're going to go in term-time. We did it this year, and it got approved by the school as DH is military and had been away all summer so we didn't get a family holiday. We won't have that excuse this time though (unless he gets sent away between now and February which is unlikely in his current role).

Would you do it?

OP posts:

GiantKitten · 04/05/2019 19:44

Missing out on even a week of school can seriously make a massive difference in their performance, and also the way their teachers treat them!

🙄

Aragog · 04/05/2019 20:31

NikolaPiccola

I have never treated a child different because they went away on holiday for a week! What nonsense! Ive never yet met a teacher who would tbh, and every primary school teacher I know has no issues with term time holidays anyway.

No 'massive difference' in their education results in my experience either. Not for the children who just miss 1-2 weeks for a holiday.

PoptartPoptart · 04/05/2019 20:32

Given her illness record throughout school was 0% in 8 years, it was a fairly safe gamble

What a ridiculous thing to say!
You’re fine until you’re not!
Previous good health is no guarantee of future good health

Aragog · 04/05/2019 20:34

No more ridiculous than some of the claims from those who are against the holidays are saying tbh. Infact some of those claims are far more absurd!

Charley50 · 04/05/2019 20:44

The children who miss out on education are the ones who are off school frequently because their parents can't be arsed to take them to school, or are mentally ill and think school is indoctrinating them, or are neglectful, etc. Not the children who go away for a week on holiday.

TildaTurnip · 04/05/2019 20:47

Another teacher saying go for it but don’t ask for us to give you work to take.

JacquesHammer · 04/05/2019 20:50

What a ridiculous thing to say!
You’re fine until you’re not!
Previous good health is no guarantee of future good health

You see the word “gamble”? That was key. Just to break that down for you, I understood fully that she might, of course be ill, however given her very good record in terms of childhood bugs etc etc it was a risk worth taking.

Gosh imagine getting so worked up at a point on a thread

PoptartPoptart · 04/05/2019 21:39

Gosh imagine getting so worked up at a point on a thread
Touché

wlucy · 04/05/2019 22:14

Bloody hell go for it! Life is for living

jessicawessica · 04/05/2019 22:50

Luckily for me DS's school are going on a school trip in the last week before they break up for summer. My DC's aren't going so we can go away then instead which is saving a small fortune.
I think I would rather pay the fine than the exorbitant half term prices, so if your DC's grades are good, then go for it.

jessicawessica · 04/05/2019 22:54

Plus they never do any l work in the last week before the school holidays....it's all watching DVDs, doing quiz's and having disco's so not actually missing out on any work.

CarolDanvers · 04/05/2019 22:55

I think it's a stupid idea because 1) they're missing out on their education which a holiday isn't a good enough excuse for and 2) I'm pretty sure that it's breaking the law. Missing out on even a week of school can seriously make a massive difference in their performance, and also the way their teachers treat them!

What a load of breathless hyperbole. I am beginning to feel the need to take a break from MN due to the increasingly ridiculous bollocks, asserted as fact, that is so often spouted on here.

TildaTurnip · 04/05/2019 22:56

Plus they never do any l work in the last week before the school holidays....it's all watching DVDs, doing quiz's and having disco's so not actually missing out on any work

I have never worked anywhere where this has been the case! The threat of OfSTED goes right up to the last days.

Still would go on holiday though.

jessicawessica · 04/05/2019 23:03

Seriously, my DC's school in the week before they break up is just full of Class parties, bring in your Nintendo DS ,phone, etc, School Disco, bring in your favourite DVD, chocolate fountain, class pop quiz's, etc.
If I thought they were missing out on vital education it would be different, but helping the teachers to take down posters and sort out the Lost Items box doesn't make me worry thet my DC's are missing an education.

ASauvignonADay · 04/05/2019 23:06

They do do work in the last weeks.

On Friday being the start of a bank holiday weekend, we had tonnes of kids off. My year group had 80% in. Lots of parents didn't bother to call in and we had a much higher than average number of 'upset stomachs'. But loads of other kids reporting that their friends have "gone to their caravan for the weekend" etc etc.

TildaTurnip · 04/05/2019 23:06

That can’t be usual (or I’ve not worked in the right schools )

Canuckduck · 04/05/2019 23:09

A four year old and a nine year old are not going to be irrevocably damaged by missing a week of school. They will learn all sorts on holiday and if necessary you can help them catch up. I’d go ahead and enjoy.

LJdorothy · 04/05/2019 23:44

Your kids, your decision, and as a teacher I've no massive objection (although two or three weeks is taking the piss unless it's a trip to Australia to see Granny). But I do find the comments on here along the lines of 'they're not doing anything important anyway at the end of term/in reception/in primary school' etc etc highly irritating. Don't try and defend your decision to save money on those grounds please, and particularly not to your kids.

tabulahrasa · 04/05/2019 23:44

Why do you not see if it’s cheaper to fly from Scotland? We have airports and usually a different February week off...

AJPTaylor · 05/05/2019 08:12

Depends on the child.
We took dds 1 And 2 out without a second thought cos in those days you could. It meant they had hols and experiences they wouldn't have had otherwise. And I never had hols as a child!
With dd3 we haven't apart from once a few days at the start of term. She has SEN and works hard at school every day so we have avoided it. But we are also more comfortable with only 1 child to pay for now so that probably plays a part!

Original poster

ScatteredMama82 · 05/05/2019 11:00

Decision made - after much searching of flight combinations we have opted to take the kids out 1 day early. It's cost twice what it would in term time, but half what it would if we flew out the following day. Given that the last day of term usually involves games or a film I'm not going to lose too much sleep over it. I really begrudge the extra money though, the airlines have really stitched parents up!

OP posts:

applesarerroundandshiny · 05/05/2019 11:11

Good compromise! Enjoy your holiday

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