If your relatives lives abroad, how often do you visit - and when?

[Mercy]

I have just been told that from now on, no holidays will be authorised during term-time at the dc school (I understand why) but was wondering what other people with school-age children do about visiting their families.

(I mean relatives who live further afield than Europe or N. America btw!)

Just bite the bullet & pay the jaw-dropping prices!!
Or wait for them to come home in the summer when it's too hot to stay there.
(my sis & BIL live in Cairo)

BA do have a summer sale & you sometimes can get tickets cheaper in advance.

It's a bummer but then it's the perfect excuse not to visit the in-laws if you need one!! We've only been over twice inth e5 years they've been there. My Mujm goes out about 5 times a year but BL gets air miles so can cover Grandmas one ticket from his surplus!

Where are your family Mercy?

We live abroad (not through choice!) and have just been told that we are not allowed to take holidays in term time too (school comes under UK law). A bit worried as my brother is getting married next year and DD is bridesmaid, he's not set a date so it could be in the school holidays....we will be going whenever it is!!!

I haven't been back since 2003 .

We simply cannot do it in school holidays.

Mc Dreamy I think the rule has been made to stop peeps taking their kids out for 2 weeks mid-term to Marbella which can really booger up their learning. I'm sure if you made an appt to see the head & explained the special family occasion he would be agreable?

My dh's family is from NZ - pretty much as far away as anyone can get from the UK!

Our problem is that Christmas is soooooo expensive and dh can't take more than 2 weeks hols (if he's lucky) either then or during the summer hols ('winter' in NZ). Plus the combination of air fares and distance makes it so difficult - 2 weeks is nothing.

bil has never seen our children, sil last saw dd when she was just overe 2. She's now 6.5.

Yup that's a helluva long way. Might be cheaper to invest in a good quallity web-cam & get on Skype for free!!

They visit us.

From what I understand, visiting family abroad does not constitute a holiay.

we visit my parents in the US twice a year (my parents pay for half) but ds is only three (4 in october) and I'm begining to worry about school and holidays too, not so much a holiday though to visit my parents... they wont fly.. also dh is a photographer and with summers being the wedding season we don't go anywhere in summer as a family. or any holidays really as there are normally loads of portraits and weddings around x-mas and easter too.