What Would You Do? Holidays and Half Term

[FrockHorror]

Dh and I have been discussing the possibility of taking the DC on holiday in October. I said great, I'll go online and get a quote for half term week as DD has just started in Reception.

Went online, got a quote and it is just too expensive for us. DH said to look at the prices the week before half term which I did. The holiday was was literally £300 cheaper for the week before .

DH then says, we can take DD out of school the week before and go on holiday for the cheaper week because at least that way, we would have some spending money to go with.

I told DH that I'm not happy to be pulling DD out of her new school the week before half term because she is still settling into it all, building relationships with other kids in her class, learning about the school etc etc. DH said I was being unreasonable, all that DD would be doing is playing so wouldn't miss much. Working with this age group of children myself, I know that although the curriculum is play based, there will be learning taking place which she will be missing out on.

As a compromise, I told DH that I would go the week before half term, if he wrote to the school and requested the time off for DD. If they allowed it, fine, if not, she would go to school and half term it would have to be.

DH agreed to it initially, but has since changed his mind as he doesn't think the school will authorise a week off before HT. What he actually means is, he can't be bothered to contact the school and arrange it. I know this because he asked me to do it. I refused on the grounds that I was unhappy for DD to be taking time off school for no real reason and that as I was being so miserable about it, I would leave it for the school to decide, but as I am against it, I don't see why I should make the arrangements.

So, what would you have done ?

Frockhorror - you're in Penge, not far from me then.

We took dd out for the last 3 days of the summer term. She started in Reception in January and was 5 and 1 day when we took her away.

I wrote a letter to the Headteacher, who said that she gave permission, but warned in a letter that I might hear from LBB education dept because they have a new "every day counts' policy of generally not approving of hols. The headteacher had already said that informally, provided permission was sought in advance and hols not in sats years, she felt that up to 10 days away during term time is reasonable.

I didn't hear from the ed dept.

We were going on a holiday with extended family - couldn't be at any other time, and I explained that in my letter.

I personally would take her out. She is not yet 5 and while I appreciate that friendship building is important, IME (limited as dd only in yr1) friendships change almost on a daily basis anyway. She doesn't legally have to be in school until she is 5, is probably pretty tired, and could do with a longer break to recover, and you have the factor (if you're in LBB) that the January starters haven't even begun yet.

I wouldn't do it, more because it sets a precedent. Like someone else said, if you're only considering it now because she's 'only' in reception, you might as well get used to not taking term-time holidays, because that's going to be the pattern for the next 14-ish number of years!

As to the cost, there are ways and means. We always holiday in summer holidays, usually in August, and I've found self-catering holidays for a family of five for as little as £350-500 in lovely places. By contrast, most of the people I know who take their children out of school because they 'can't afford' holidays in holiday time are taking much more expensive holidays than that. Not in your case obviously, but even then there are cheaper holidays than Butlins!

Perhaps you could have a less expensive holiday this year and save a bit more and go for Butlins if you want to next year.

Although it doesn't sound like your husband is that bothered about the extra cost if he can't be fussed to sort it all out himself!

I wouldn't do it before they had settled in properly. The schools in my area have no choice, they wouldn't be allowed to authorise it.

This is interesting because I honestly thought that I was right about this. I'm pleased that there is a different perspective being offered though, so thanks for all your input.

As it stands at the moment, I am trawling the internet trying to find a cheaper alternative but for the half term week. I really am against DD being taken out of school for this but having read some of the responses, I can also see to a point how DH would feel.

If we were going somewhere completely different and not at all like Butlins, I would still not be happy but would probably come round to the idea because of day trips to different places. As it is, whenever we go to Butlins we literally spend all week in the resort, never going anywhere and after a couple of days, it gets a bit boring.

Well if the holiday isn't going to be great, then perhaps not a brill idea to miss school for it. You could perhaps spend the money you would have spent on the holiday on fantastic days out.

But the thing I've found hardest since dd started school was the fact that whenever we're having a day out, so is the rest of the world because it's always limited now to school holiday.time. But then that's life! Grrrr.

i have taken ds6 out of school for a holiday when it meant we wouldnt have had one if we didn't. we've been lucky in that hes had about 2 days off sick since nursery.

we love butlins but would find it hard going for a whole week. have you thought about just doing the monday to friday or even a long weekend. i find when speaking to people thats what most do. for ds and i half term week with breakfast and dinner is only £170 at bognor.

this coming from someone who originally booked butlins for the week before w/c 20th oct through a newspaper and could get no refund. ive had to give the holiday to a friend.

good luck whatever you decide.