Thoughts on taking your DC out of school to enjoy the sunshine?

[Dorsetdelight211]

DD is 14, year 9. She's just had a message off her best friend to say she won't be in school today as her mum is taking her and her younger sister to the beach for the day. Que DD saying how cool the mum is and how unfair it is that I never let her miss school for fun stuff. I've got to work and even if I didn't I still wouldn't let her do it.

YABU-its a beautiful day, one day off school won't make a difference
YANBU-school is important and you can't skive off just because the weathers nice.

I wouldn’t worry too much about music gcse. There are a LOT of lessons that are earmarked as practicals ie. not doing much and all of the theory they have to learn should be given to them in a booklet.

@Dorsetdelight211 I live near the beach too, now, but you do realise lots of people can't just nip the beach?

I really wouldn’t do this. They have time after school, weekends and holidays. Sets a bad precedent IMO- if you do this why not next (and every) time the weather is good? I also think it starts to develop bad habits- possibly lazy habits. Sends a message that having fun is more important than education or other commitments and if you can’t be bothered to do those because the weather is nice/snowy/insert other excuse here, then it’s fine.

it isn’t something I would do. If you have a particular event to keep a child off school for- a family wedding/funeral or to take part in organised competition, for example, then fine. But on a whim to go to the beach because it is nice weather? No, that’s not a good precedent to set.

SweetSakura I live near the beach too, now, but you do realise lots of people can't just nip the beach?

Oh really? I thought everyone lived within 10 minutes of the coast!

What's with all the stupid replies today? The heat possibly? It doesn't matter how far you live from the beach the principle is the same. Switch it to something we couldn't get to after school and I'd still feel the same about it.

That's great for her, but lots of children don't live anywhere near the beach and can't just go there for six hours after school 🙄

I live maybe two minutes drive from the nearest beach, but as a child it was well over an hour in the car and that's only if the roads were clear. It wasn't a journey you could just decide to do after school.

coffeecupsandfairylights it's irrelevant how far away from the coast you live, the principle is the same, there's also other ways to enjoy the sunshine after school. I grew up 2 hours away from the coast-we'd have water fights, my mum would put the paddling pool up, we'd go down to the local river, have a picnic in the park. All enjoyed without skiving.

Meh, good for you.

I still can't get worked up about it.

They all sound great activities for a fourteen year old.
It’s one day.

coffeecupsandfairylights Meh, good for you excellent response 👏 😄

GrinAndVomit They all sound great activities for a fourteen year old

With the exception of the paddling pool, they are all great activities for a 14 year old. I dont see that hanging out by the river/park/having a water fight with your mates is any less suitable for a teenager than going to the beach with your mum.

OP, your definition of skiving is other peoples definition of living. People have different ideas of what's most important. Who knew?
You don't get to decide that other posters replies are 'silly' because they don't conform to your notion of what is right. You do you!

I still think that you are just sore because you have to use your leave to cover school holidays and other people have more flexibility

I haven't done exactly this but I may do in the future. I have taken the kids out for holidays a few days either side of school holidays before. I wouldn't do this regularly but occasionally I would be fine with.
I wouldn't lie and say they were unwell, I would just say the truth.
We don't get many glorious days in the UK so it does seem a shame to waste them sweltering inside.

My sincerest apologies, I didn't realise I was expected to write a detailed essay in reply 😉

Life is just way too short to be bothered about a few kids missing school once a year, it really is.

I do not think this is a good reason for missing school. It is this kind of pick and choose attitude that devalues education, in my opinion

YABU, just because you can't do something it doesn't mean others should live with the restrictions you have. You can't control what other people do. It's not something I could do today due to work but we have gone to the park after school and my 15 year old son has gone to the beach, should we return to the house because it is unfair on others who have to work full time?

The kids in my class who have done this are also the ones whose attendance is terrible to begin with. I think their parents just can't be arsed to parent really. They miss a day every week nearly or come in an hour late every day. Yet on picture day and school fete day, they are all miraculously there in the correct clothing and on time. 🙄

Covid has taught us that my DC school dropped them like a hot potato in the first lock down and it's only me and private tutors that covered what was missed.
Do what is right for you and your family.
If you feel your DC will fall behind or crumble with a day missing then there is a far bigger problems at hand.

I have two DC at both ends of the spectrum, one a high achiever in secondarythe other needs intervention.
I have learned the hard way their education is in my hands.
They both stayed off today. Both will be absolutely fine.

Goldenbear

YABU just because you can't do something it doesn't mean others should live with the restrictions you have what do you mean i cant do it? Of course I can, skiving off is a choice. I could very easily do it if I wanted to. I dont want to.

This is why I wish all parents had to contribute to their children’s education other than by tax.
People really don’t value what they perceive as free.

• if I was also off work I would have taken them somewhat yes. They are in no doubt whatsoever how highly I value educated. 🙂

See, I kind of think the opposite.

Nobody values something they're forced to do everyday, IMO. Missing the odd day of school because we have a rare day of glorious sunshine isn't going to make the blindest bit of difference in the long-run, and if the education system is so fragile that missing one day causes someone's life to be ruined, then we have bigger problems than a few kids going to the beach occasionally.

ImAvingOops

OP, your definition of skiving is other peoples definition of living. People have different ideas of what's most important

I really disagree. Skiving is skiving. I live a lovely, full, happy life. I value education and the choices it can provide you with as an adult. Yes one day will make no difference but its the principle. Its the same with work, I have a great work life balance but I've never skived a day in my life and I never would. Its just not in my nature, I don't see why you would, my reputation in work means a lot to me, my employers value me. I would get no pleasure in phoning in to lie that I was sick so that I could go to the beach for the day. I've just had a week off with my DC, we had a fantastic long bank holiday.

I expect the teachers can think of a few things they'd rather be doing than standing in a hot classroom of tetchy teens,

👏🏻

Adults get to book leave, choose to go part time, choose what type of job they want - kids have no such flexibility, so the comparisons to work are pretty reductive and pointless. And yes, if one day is going to make such a distance, schools must be failing kids with SEN and chronic illnesses even more horrifically than we thought.

Summerwhereareyou sorry you had a bad experience during lockdown, thankfully my DDs school were amazing throughout.

If you feel your DC will fall behind or crumble with a day missing then there is a far bigger problems at hand no, that's not a concern, DD is top set for every subject. She had a lot of time off last year due to health problems and even then didn't fall behind, no signs of crumbling either thankfully!