To take DS out of school for two weeks for holidays?

[DimplesEverywhere]

When Covid settles down and we can get into Florida without too much hassle. Hopefully later this year or early next year. We haven’t gone away for the last two years so have been waiting to do a big holiday.

He is starting secondary school in September but he’s well above average in all subjects so I don’t think it’ll impact him that much.

I’d also rather go on hols outside of school hols, as it’s less busy now, that DS is the only DC we’ll potentially get fined for (other DC out of school). It’ll be cheaper so we’ll save more than the £120 anyway!

Thinking of doing it every year from now actually.

Would it BU?

@plodalong12 I'm just saying that your time that you are restricted to school holidays is a lot longer when you have 4 DC than if you have one or tow, and the cost is obviously a lot higher too

Children are off all the time!

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@plodalong12 I'm just saying that your time that you are restricted to school holidays is a lot longer when you have 4 DC than if you have one or tow, and the cost is obviously a lot higher too[/quote]
I was just making a joke about your post…because it’s the school holidays, and your username…

@lavenderandwisteria

It literally affects no one else if the child goes on holiday! What a bonkers statement!

Actually that's not true. Groupwork in drama or music where a child disappears off or joins a group late. Having to have teacher attention to catch up on other practical work that requires specialist equipment (eg textiles). Needing help because despite trying to catch up they didn't quite understand the work they missed properly.

It does affect other people though. Because when little Johnny gets back from his trip to Florida and returns to school, when the teacher is teaching the rest of class complicated algebra (the basics of which were taught 2 weeks ago), or they are several chapters on in their English literature book, or they are discussing the differences between animal and plant mitochondria (and they covered plants whilst Johnny was on holiday). He'll have his hand up permanently, saying "miss I don't understand that" or "miss you did that whilst I was away". And the whole class will be held up whilst the teacher explains it again, (meaning they may not finish the syllabus by year end) or the teacher will have to tell Johnny to see her in her lunch break. All because OP doesn't like people much. It's selfish behaviour.

I’d do it. My brother had asthma as a child and missed loads of school. Made no difference as he was bright and motivated to catch up. If possible I’d tack it on to half term holiday, to minimise time missed.

YABU

2 weeks out of school every year is pretty excessive. If you were to do it as a one-off it would be more forgiving.

Since your DC is "well above average" does that mean they're an academic type and/or enjoy school? I would honestly have been pissed off at my parents if they tried to pull me out of school 2 weeks every year for a holiday. Have you asked your child what they think of it or is there an assumption there that he'd like that idea?

We’re taking the kids out next year to go to Florida. Missing just over a week of school.
Florida in the summer months is too hot and we like to go for more than two weeks so there has to be some time off school included.

We’ve done it before , the kids were fine and so were the teachers.

Ridiculous after so much school has been missed.

I never understand these threads.

OP won't change her mind, little Johnny will still miss 2 weeks and be an absolute pain for the rest of the class, what's the point?

From what I have seen, it's the people most vocal on needing a "key worker" spot and refusing to be involved with their children during the lockdown that are in the stongest rush to make their kids miss school as soon as they can.

@edwinbear, But little Johnny can probably just tag along with little Tommy who also missed the week because he had flu. You don’t stick your hand up anyway as you look stupid , you just borrow a friend’s books, copy the work and ask mum or dad or sibling to explain it, and it takes a fraction of the time to catch up if your child is smart as class teaching is not efficient or aimed at teaching at the pace of the brighter kids, typically.

@Feenie am so sorry my typo caused you offense. i was only explaining my experience.

I’m lost with this though.

I missed a block of school twice, both for illness.

As far as I’m aware no one even noticed i wasn’t in apart from my friends! I certainly wasn’t a pain in the arse! And while I probably didn’t understand algebra I wouldn’t if I’d attended the lessons either!

We haven’t done it as dd is an only and going in peak time ensure there are kids for her to hang round with. In your situation and with your ds being comfortable with learning, I’d say why not. I would, however, let him settle for a while, longer than November. Secondary is a big step and it takes a long time to orient yourself around a school and acclimatise especially if it is big. I’d therefore wait until next year.

I'd always said no to term time holidays but as the message has been for the last 2 years that actually being in school doesn't matter I'm now taking term time holidays.

We’ve done it a couple of times and will do it again. Not every year though, maybe every other year and not in exam years. At the moment my dc are younger and just going into yr2 and 5.

We also go to Florida. People who haven’t been before may not fully comprehend the difference it makes going at different times of the year. I also work at a primary school and as long as the child is otherwise doing ok and has good attendance I know no teacher who is bothered.

This is something that I thought I'd be fine with until my children actually started school. I don't know I'd just feel wrong doing it and I know my children wouldn't want to miss two weeks of school (different when we were in lockdown and majority of children were off too). Two weeks seems too long. I'd maybe consider a week or a few days but not 2 weeks.
We go abroad every August and it does grate on me how much more expensive it is. But we always say we'll be in a private swim up room in the Caribbean for less than a fortnight in Spain once they're older!

It sounds like you've already made up your mind so I'm not sure why you've bothered asking? Not like they've missed enough school lately eh what's another couple of weeks to avoid the queues for the log flume 🤷‍♀️

@ilovesooty

You've decided to do it so why bother posting?

Exactly. How pointless…

@MarcelineMissouri

We’ve done it a couple of times and will do it again. Not every year though, maybe every other year and not in exam years. At the moment my dc are younger and just going into yr2 and 5.

We also go to Florida. People who haven’t been before may not fully comprehend the difference it makes going at different times of the year. I also work at a primary school and as long as the child is otherwise doing ok and has good attendance I know no teacher who is bothered.

School is quite a bit different when you’re 7.

I wouldn’t even question yep. Go at that age. But in secondary school it’s much different.

I do it in y7 and 8, not 9, 10 and 11 though. I’d also probably try and tack an extra week on to the feb half term so they would be only missing a week.

Ugh - I wouldn't go near Florida aka covid-central any time soon, even if it were possible for UK citizens to get into the US.

I was always taken out of school when I was younger and can’t honestly say I ‘resent’ my parents for the quality family time we had together. Infact. I now take my DC out in September every year (Scotland so we don’t incur fines just unauthorised absence) because my partner can’t get holidays in the summer holidays and life experiences are to me on par with academic education. Take him and enjoy your time together 😍

I would do it op. Definitely. I’d love to go to Florida but the thought of going in school hols really really puts me off. Just go for it.

@JamieFrasersLover

I don't think it's unreasonable. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to afford to go away in the school holidays. When I was at school my parents always took us away in term time as that's all they could afford. It didn't make me resent my parents, nor did it affect me in later life with work etc. I'm the same, I work but don't earn a lot, I don't see why my daughter should miss out on holidays because I can't afford a grand for a caravan in the school holidays. Too many people saying how we should be dealing with our own children, can't holiday in term time, packed lunch rules. It's ridiculous. I'm sure your child will love a good holiday. I'd go and enjoy every minute.

Nor did it affect me in later life with work etc. I'm the same, I work but don't earn a lot

No link between the 2 items??