To ask if you agree with term time holidays to please sign this petition...

[TermTimeHolidays]

here

It needs 100,000 signatures before it can be discussed in parliament.

and quite honestly I dont need or want sympathy - I will parent my children my way, the things that have happened to us have freed me up from being someone who conformed and thought the system was there to help, to someone who realises, as a parent, I know what is best for my children.

My life is a lot easier now I know the only people with my childrens best interests at heart are myself and my husband.

"That's 15 years out of whatever the average lifespan is, maybe 75 ish?"

You what?

Your kids ain't going to want to go on holiday with you when they're 75, mate.

That's the thing. You have a LIMITED amount of years for family holidays. After about 16/17, they won't want to go with you. Sad for a lot of people that after the toddler/pre-school days, they can kiss goodbye to taking their kids on holiday again.

LifeofPo I was going to do similar but I can't beat 'hollowed-out cadaver'.

Thats it those 15 years are the most of their entire childhood, its another stick to beat the masses with

Iv signed, I don't give a shit about what anyone thinks. I can't afford to go away in the school holidays and my kids deserve a break we go away for a fortnight once every 3 years or so. And I'll be going whether the head authorises or doesn't!

True, older teenagers often don't want to go on holiday with their parents, but that's not the governments or their schools fault.

We shouldn't need to take that into account when creating legislation about the importance of school attendance.

yep my 18 year old cousin turned down a trip to australia and new zealand because he didnt want to go on hols with dad, he has been warned he will regret it when he is older

Again you're right, Wallison, but that isn't the point I'm making. I'm fully aware of how much holiday prices are hiked in school holidays and how this makes it prohibitive for many families, for holidays both in the uk and abroad, but what I'm saying is that it's not a necessity to have a holiday, it's a luxury and if times are hard and you can't afford it, well then you can't afford it. Do other things instead. There are lots of things in life I would love to have but can't afford, but I won't go trying to change government policy or affect my children's education just to get it.

Marmalade - I don't think that's quite true - sure, older teens stop holidaying with their parents and that'll carry on for a few years but people in their 30s/40s/50s holiday with their parents all the time! My sister and I went away with our mum a couple of times in our 30s, it was lovely especially the one where she paid. Wouldn't do it now, my mum walks sooooooo slooooooowly I don't understand how she maintains any forward motion at all, you start a conversation and 5 minutes later she's 3 streets behind you dead lazy, my mum.

An all-inclusive package holiday? Who the fuck wants one of them?!

I scoped out last-minute deals in August just to see what was available and for three of us to go on a very basic holiday for one week to Greece, you're looking at over £1300. Without spending money factored in. Loads of people would struggle to afford that. And UK holidays aren't much cheaper.

Lots of things aren't "human rights", you know? Does that mean you'd still like to go without them? What a stupid argument.

Marmalade.

Well, I had a holiday that was spent in a hole, not even in my garden, but in my front room because we couldn't afford a garden!*

*In reality I grew up in the US where we never went anywhere for holiday. Except my grandmas.

"Marmalade - I don't think that's quite true - sure, older teens stop holidaying with their parents and that'll carry on for a few years but people in their 30s/40s/50s holiday with their parents all the time"

Serious?!

I think I'd rather holiday with Robert Mugabe than my parents.

Agree with fluffyraggies. Surely the industry could be regulated so that it is not possible to hike up prices during the school holidays. Even if this meant a small rise in June/July or whatever so that August prices could come down a bit, this would be fairer.

Also, I think it is important that children are not taken out of school (certainly not for as long as 10 days) so this would justify evening up the prices if those without children complained they would now miss out on a bargain.

However, I think if there is a one off family event that you really need to take your children out of school for - such as a family wedding that HAS to be abroad because the family live there, rather than they fancy a beach wedding - then this should be allowed for the minimum amount of time possible, such as maybe 4 days. Maybe only for primary children though.

some people's children clearly go to much better schools than I went to, or taught at. two weeks is nothing and easy to catch-up on missed work. obv. not a good idea for those two weeks to be during exams but otherwise i don't see why it's such a problem.
as i child i took holidays during term time and my teachers didn't have a problem with it.
my dcs are not school age yet but when they are i will feel fine about taking them out of school. being their mother and all that, i usually work on the assumption that they're my responsibility and i know what's best for them.
yes, holidays are a luxury, and what's wrong with a little luxury? life doesn't have to be rubbish.

yes that is right, when times are hard tighten your belts, go to the market for cheaper meat and fruit and bread, grown your own, make cheap nutrious food, buy sedonc hand clothes and toys, limit your petrol use as much as you can

but heaven forbid you actually try to tighten your belt on a holiday - if you have no money - your children should just go without

Capitalist Britain at its best - after all, just because you can afford a holiday in May but not in August, your children should go without.

Nor does a 2 week holiday affect their education

We live in a capitalist society and you want the government to regulate holiday company's prices?

Are you the same people who think the nanny state is out of control?

well, that kinda says a lot of about and your parents, rather than holidays with parents in general, doesn't it, Marmalade ?

We didn't go away every year, and when we did it was usually Easter rather than summer hols as a bit cheaper. Me and my sister enjoyed camping in the garden (my parents' idea of holiday hell, camping) when we'd be locked out of the house from 10pm to 8am or whenever my dad woke up - good to know that their obsession with security didn't extend to providing somewhere for their children to go should an unexpected visitor rock up in the garden . . .

YABU

I dont want the govt to regulate holiday prices - and yes I think we live in an out of control nanny state where our personal responsibility is being taken away from us

"well, that kinda says a lot of about and your parents, rather than holidays with parents in general, doesn't it, Marmalade ?"

I don't really understand your sentence. I am assuming that you mean that that says a lot about me and my parents?

I don't think so. I don't know many adults who go on holiday with their parents. Is this a new norm that I don't know about?

wallinson Yes, it was at the end of August and the park was 2 minutes walk from the beach (Cornwall) . Although admittedly it was along way from the nearest railway station.

yes is the norm for middle aged people who cannot afford their own holidays to get their parents to pay