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?

@OnNaturesCourse

And the people that don't agree are the ones raising kids who chuck them in a old folks home as soon they can and barely ever visit cos they have hardly any family values.

What a disgusting comment. I think youll find that the fact we want our children to finish the term is because we value their education, we want them to appreciate it, we appreciate the school and their teacher and that we are happy as a family to not see extended loved ones BECAUSE we love them, and want them to stay well. Theyre proper family values.

@OnNaturesCourse

And the people that don't agree are the ones raising kids who chuck them in a old folks home as soon they can and barely ever visit cos they have hardly any family values.

What a thick, nasty thing to say.

@EachDubh

Nit all learning takes place in a classroom. Family is important as are traditions. As a teacher i would fully support what you are doing. If the work that I am doing in that last week is really important then i can give it as homework to be done when off, this wouldn't be extra it would just be what the others are getting. I will certainly not be starting any high demand learning in the last week of term, pointless as it would be forgotten by the time they return. We always have high sickness rates in kids before Christmas due to colds etc and shattered kids. Have a wondeful Christmas, do what works for your family.

As a teacher will you be happy explaining to my child why she is at school and her friends are not - because theyre going to see their grandparents and she isnt?

@OnNaturesCourse

And the people that don't agree are the ones raising kids who chuck them in a old folks home as soon they can and barely ever visit cos they have hardly any family values.

Family values 🤣🤣🤣🤣 dont make me laugh maybe we hold our families health and safety above one day of a posh roast dinner with too many people crammed around the dining table all so we can say we "lived our best lives" and "made memories " for show on Instagram

As long as you don't then expect me to set work for your kid or provide catch up or interventions. Because I won't.

And I will be running normal lessons in primary year 6 right up to the very last day because we have so much content to catch up on. By my year 6 I really only bother with Xmas on the last day. Plus there will be no carol services or church this year, praise be!

As a teacher will you be happy explaining to my child why she is at school and her friends are not - because theyre going to see their grandparents and she isnt?

Why would the teacher be explaining anything of the sort to your child? "Yes, x isn't in. Hopefully we'll see them soon". Job done, no need to go into someone else's specifics.

And I do agree with pp saying that as a teacher, I wouldn't provide work/catch up sessions etc. If you choose to be out, you choose to be out.

@3littlewords it's not about a "posh roast dinner" at least not for us. In order to isolate for 14 days and then have time to visit grandparents whilst minimising time off school the Christmas holidays are our best bet. And we do have to visit. 3 out of 4 are shielding, we haven't seen them in months. My dad has dementia and is in the last stages of recognising anyone. My FiL has bowel cancer. He's playing Russian roulette bw chemo and COVID at the moment. School is important but it's not everything.

@EachDubh

Nit all learning takes place in a classroom. Family is important as are traditions. As a teacher i would fully support what you are doing. If the work that I am doing in that last week is really important then i can give it as homework to be done when off, this wouldn't be extra it would just be what the others are getting. I will certainly not be starting any high demand learning in the last week of term, pointless as it would be forgotten by the time they return. We always have high sickness rates in kids before Christmas due to colds etc and shattered kids. Have a wondeful Christmas, do what works for your family.

Thank you for posting. I really appreciate the balanced and understanding responses from a number of teachers on here.

I entirely anticipate that parents will do this IF visiting relatives is allowed (remember that we will emerge from lockdown into tiers, probably including an even stricter Tier 4, so only in Tier 1 areas will it be possible to visit anyone in their home).

I will, as a teacher, of course wish them very well. As a human, with elderly parents, I will weep. My parents live in another UK country, with different and generally stricter laws. My own Christmas holiday is not long enough for me to completely socially isolate from everyone - including my older teenage children, who I would not want to deprive of the few occasions they may have to see their peers - in order to travel safely to see my parents, even if i am allowed to. I have seen my parents for one 48 hour period in 2020, after a full 14 day isolation period after the end of the summer term.

I cannot decide to 'take an extra week off', whatever my pupils do.

**palacegirl77

EachDubh**

As a teacher will you be happy explaining to my child why she is at school and her friends are not - because theyre going to see their grandparents and she isnt?

Simply, no.
I tend not to discuss pupils and their families with other pupils. It is no one elses business. Would you expect me to explain in detail why other children are off school? Or why some can afford holidays whilst others can't?

As a teacher i would fully support what you are doing.

No, as a person as entitled to an opinion you would.

As a teacher I don’t think it is up to you to encourage parents to take their children out of school.

My Mum is overseas and not seen her since last Christmas and - if I can find flights and local restrictions are lifted - have been seriously contemplating taking my 2 primary aged children out a week early so we can have an early Christmas overseas then isolate for 2 weeks on return so they're back as "normal" in Jan.

@MrsFezziwig

As a teacher i would fully support what you are doing.

No, as a person as entitled to an opinion you would.

As a teacher I don’t think it is up to you to encourage parents to take their children out of school.

I don't think the poster was suggested they would encourage a parent to take their child from school.

Offering support would be...
'Thank you for sharing that you are keeping your child off school for the final week of term. I understand your reasons.'

Encouraging would be...
'Have you heard some parents are keeping their children off school on the last week of term. I think you should do the same.

@EachDubh

**palacegirl77

EachDubh**

As a teacher will you be happy explaining to my child why she is at school and her friends are not - because theyre going to see their grandparents and she isnt?

Simply, no.
I tend not to discuss pupils and their families with other pupils. It is no one elses business. Would you expect me to explain in detail why other children are off school? Or why some can afford holidays whilst others can't?

Wish you were my daughers teacher then. She comes home with all sorts of information. Who is isolating, who is waiting for a covid test, whose on holiday, whose been sick, whose gone to their grandads funeral! Ultimately I was sticking up for teachers and valuing them and the education they give our children.