Once in a lifetime trip - 3 weeks off school

[XMissPlacedX]

My daughter has always wanted to go to Disney world Florida, but due to funds I've not been able to afford it. She is 14.

Her aunty who is quite well off and has a daughter the same age (my dd's cousin ) goes to Disney world Florida every 2 years and has offered to take my dd next year for 3 weeks.

The problem is it's the first 3 weeks of the school term ( September 2024). I've asked her if there was anyway of going in the summer holidays and she said it would double their cost and it would be cheaper for them to pay the school fine .

What do I do ? Do I say yes or no ? I would love for my dd to go but am not sure how much the fine would be and what impact missing that amount of school would cause.

I'm really torn

That's the message I would want a child to have, that school is not the most important thing, that education , can happen anywhere, that their well-being and mental health matters more.That they do have choices in life.

Yup. It's not just what she'd miss, but the piss poor message you send her about the importance of school. Can't believe you're considering it OP.

With attitudes like the one a couple of posts above it’s sadly going to be really hard to get the productivity of this country back where we all want it to be.

@DragonFly98 Not sure you understood my sentiments. I do think school is important. I don’t believe education happens at Disney. I do believe there’s a time and a place to do broader educational things outside of school. Why not go at Easterir as a treat after exams?

Why not go at Easterir as a treat after exams?

Exams are in June in year 10, not before Easter.

Yes I know but who works every minute of the holidays? My DDs had breaks at Easter to recharge. 1 week works well. Then off you go into exams. Not suggesting 3 weeks.

Easter is mega busy and flights and hotel are probably double September cost.
Late August is quiet as US schools are back.

She will catch up that work in replace for a lifetime's worth of memories

If you do ask for work then I hope that the teachers who take time to set it demand it done on return and invoke the missed homework policy if it's not done. Such parents are a pita to be honest, we all know we're wasting time.

I took my kids out for this. 2 just graduated Cambridge.

A lifetime's worth of memories... Some people have such low aspirations.

Op's dd is 14. She literally has a lifetime in front of her to generate memories.
Please God Disney at 14 won't be the peak.

@Proudmum17 your DC are clearly extremely able. We can't assume that all DC starting their GCSE course are gong to be as able as yours.

Travel opens their minds to exploration other cultures adventure and I believe encourages them to work harder to continue experiencing it.

Travel opens their minds to exploration other cultures adventure and I believe encourages them to work harder to continue experiencing it.

It depends on th type of travel though. A 10 day holiday to Orlando to theme parks doesn't really fit your narrative though, does it?

@Proudmum17 I breezed through school and my children look set to do the same. My older son misses a lot of school for medical appointments and is still comfortably top of the top set. But the majority of children need to work at studying. Op needs to think about her daughter, not random other children and how they coped/would cope.

And while I agree memories are important and life can be unpredictably short (I lost several close friends before we were out of our teens) I also see people who have had to battle really hard because they underachieved at school. There's a happy medium, and 3 weeks at a theme park at the start of GCSEs doesn't seem like the right balance.

Oh,stop your nonsense. It's a Disney theme park. There is no culture involved.

Trust me my daughter wasn't even in the top 5 at her school. But she was the most determined and hard working and having experienced travel early I honestly believe this is what made her determined to continue and more rounded.

Making herself able to explore all opportunities for herself and also set herself apart in those weird interviews these colleges set. I understand everyone is different but she was by no means ' the most able' pupil at any point in GCSE's or a level. State school she had no tuition or private funding. My other daughter just graduated Rose Bruford Drama school. Harder than oxbridge to gain a place.

Your daughter is clearly the exception though @Proudmum17.
Statistical evidence has repeatedly shown that low attendance results in lower achievement. Anecdata from parents of very bright or very determined DC is just that.

@starlightlime my son literally thought tinker bell was travelling with him ( light on the plane wing tip) amazing exotic beaches (st Pete's ) the moon rocks and Saturn 5 rocket in Kennedy BLEW their minds.

These are council house kids. It might not be life changing for some of you but my kids were shown another world.

3 Meeks is not low attendance at the very beginning of a course. My kids are not exceptional they're just open minded

*weeks

They are the exception though. Most DC don't go to Oxbridge.

Anecdata at its best.

I really don't think so. I'm just relaying a really normal council house state school experience. I truly believe travel made the difference and broadened their minds. I reiterate they were NEVER the top kids at school that teachers invested in.