Taking kids out of school early to have Christmas with Grandparents

[Backyard72]

Last day of school is December 18th, but we're thinking of taking our son out a week earlier so we can keep ourselves to ourselves for a bit and then feel safe having Christmas with my parents who are in their 70s.

I presume there're quite a lot of other people in this situation?

I'm taking dd1 out of school this Friday for a long weekend at my parents, who we are finally able to see my after 4 months of lockdown.

I'm in Melbourne and feel confident no one has C19 otherwise I'd be tempted to do the same OP to be sure.

Has C19 not taught people to seize the day when lockdown is lifted 🤷

I’ve posted on a few threads to say this is our plan - we’re completely isolating from the 10th and heading to grandparents on 24th. I think it’s a perfectly sensible plan from a Covid perspective and tbh I think sacrificing a family Xmas for the sake of a week of crafts for a 10yo seems a bit off to me. My dd is only a baby though so full disclosure maybe I don’t appreciate the importance?

We'll figure something out if he's desperate to be in school for the last week. Get a tested the following week I guess.

At a time when they’ve missed months of school, some kids will be impacted for years, and if school sent them hone to isolate it would be challenging, then you’re totally unreasonable.
Them Bering at home adds pressure to teachers who are expected to also teach them too
It’s Christmas I know, but it’s a lunch. Make your Christmas Day New Year’s Day instead and then you’ve the 2 week window

Also- TY Christmas won’t be as Christmas at school- no nativities etc and teachers are under pressure to nail English and maths. I’m linked to education.

@Backyard72

We'll figure something out if he's desperate to be in school for the last week. Get a tested the following week I guess.

I guess as long as he doesn’t feel pressured to isolate for a week instead of being with his friends, that sounds a good plan.

Can't imagine any of the usual primary school end of term stuff, nativity, carol singing in old people's homes, school play etc. will be going ahead anyway.

I'm just planning to see relatives after Christmas. I'd feel a bit silly if I took them out of school myself and then moaned if they shut the school/end up self isolating next term.

Understand why you're considering it though. Suspect the government might do it anyway. Some notice would be nice for working parents but we all know that won't happen.

Every single day at school counts at the moment, and my children’s primary, although also doing a nativity and Christmas things, will be working on the curriculum until the last day of term. I’d be fairly horrified if my child’s teacher announced he was packing up early so he could see family, so we won’t be either. We will see Grandparents at the end of the holidays if it’s allowed, although we’re planning and expecting that it won’t be and the holidays will be our nuclear family. But everyone will have different priorities and so long as you don’t expect school to do anything special for you in the way of home learning etc it’s up to you.

I wouldn't expect the teacher to provide us with any home teaching, I'd do that. I'm a qualified TA (but not working right now). Totally understand this may work for some kids but not others.

@PinkFondantFancy

I'm just planning to see relatives after Christmas. I'd feel a bit silly if I took them out of school myself and then moaned if they shut the school/end up self isolating next term.

Understand why you're considering it though. Suspect the government might do it anyway. Some notice would be nice for working parents but we all know that won't happen.

Hoping some threads along these lines might prompt the Govt to make an announcement either way sooner rather than later so everyone can plan ahead.

I have two children and have been thinking about this, how to ensure my dad can come for Christmas.

I think it's easy to say "see the grandparents after Christmas / NYE". What about if that grandparent is a widow and lives alone? It's hard to do the right thing by everyone.

I'm completely torn. I'm hoping they home-school for the last week of term for this reason, then I can keep everyone safe and not leave my elderly dad on his own for Christmas.

Keep them in school and pay for a private test?

@OpEd

Keep them in school and pay for a private test?

An option, yes.

I’m doing this with pre-school. I’m isolating us for the week before & leading up to Christmas bar a daily walk in the countryside next to our house. Then we can enjoy Christmas with family 😊 I’m a huge supporter in schools remaining open & education being very important but as an ex-primary teacher, there was very little in the way of education going on in the last week. It was all the lovely stuff, arts, crafts, DVD’s, singing, parties.. now, that’s all brilliant for children but nothing you can’t do at home as a family!

The difference in my two dc since being back at school is hugely noticeable op

For mine it's the structure of the day and the social side of things.

Having missed months of that it's been some kind of Norma for them being back at school.

Currently practicing for their Xmas play and class party and card making etc as well as normal curriculum.

My eldest is currently working her bum off as for the last two weeks of term they have their mock or maybe not mock exams so there's no way secondary schools will close early especially seeing as they are now thinking the main exams may well be cancelled like wales.

I'm pretty sure if schools were going to be closing early for Xmas they wouldn't be staying open now during the second lockdown. The main aim was to keep education going so I can't see how Xmas would be so important to the government to close early.

Bear in mind that not all religions celebrate so where would that leave the children that don't?

It would cause uproar I would imagine.

I want my dc to stay in school till the end of term as long as there are no isolation or bubble bursting incidents.

I want them to enjoy that last two weeks of excitement with their friends.

Not sure why you would voluntarily take your children out of school when the chances of them being forced to miss school (self isolating/school closures) are quite high anyway.

Christmas is a 2 week holiday, so can't you just go and see grandparents slightly later?

I'm half hoping my son will have to have the last week of school for some legitimate reason so we can do this. It's going to be an odd Christmas Day.

This totally makes sense. Imagine if some child tested positive in the last week before Christmas? The whole class will have to isolate for two weeks. I'm not Christian, and we don't do gifts over the festive season, but Christmas is still a lovely way to end the year with some cosy family time, and it would be miserable to not even be able to go to the park then. Just for that I would totally do it.

Imo if your dc are lucky enough to have fab gps then go for it!!
So many families don't - and less so of late..
Surely dgp can accommodate doing fun Xmas activities??

I will probably get flamed for saying this but I don't understand the obsession people have with 100% attendance at primary school level. Yes, education is important - but most people hopefully do educational things with their kids when they're at home that aren't on the national curriculum? Maybe not every day, but lots of stuff is educational and can be beneficial for children without it being formally taught. Baking, going to the shops and helping to figure out how much things cost, learning how to do housework, going out for a walk and learning about trees or nature or animals. Etc etc. And there's plenty of educational TV shows and games if none of the above appeals. Not everyone is in the position to offer all of this to their children but for the vast majority of kids, a week out of school is not going to have a detrimental effect on their lives. Memories with grandparents are just as important.

(as a side note, my DB and SIL asked for my nephew - aged 9- to be allowed 3 days off school to be able to join a trip to Rome with extended family. They wrote a letter to the school and outlined all of the educational activities he would be doing, visiting art galleries, places of history etc and they said no as every child should aim for 100% attendance)

I will be doing this too, my mum has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and my lids haven't seen her for about 4 weeks since she was told, she lives up the road and usually see her everyday have sleep overs etc. This could be my mums last xmas and there is no way she is spending it on her own (my dad died 12 years ago) i will be taking them out and will explain why.
They are all where they should be at school or above i have absolutely no worries of them falling behind.

Erm no, I wouldn't.
Education isn't something optional to dip in and out of whenever the whim takes you.

Me and my kids haven’t seen my family since last Christmas due to covid and the need for significant cross country travel to get there it wouldn’t even crossed my mind to try it.
I suspect your 10-year-old would rather be in school with their friends why can’t you go later in the holidays?
I suppose if you’re willing to take your kids out of school for a whole week for this you’re not going to give a shit if the guidance by Christmas remains not to travel and not to mingle separate households? Will you go anyway?

I would.

However you'll probably be told repeatedly you're a terrible mother and your child will be able to trace all his adult issues back to missing that one week of school before Christmas in 2020.