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The reason why we decided to take a week off from school is two fold. 1) we are new to a cold climate and know we are going to need a warm respite in the depths of winter 2) both my daughter and myself hate crowds. So taking vacations at times school is out is torture for us. I figure it's one of the perks of private school because they really don't seem to care as long as the child is doing fine in class.
I remember a girl going on a big out of state ski trip and missing a whole week in middle school. Now that I'm an adult, I can see how things can come up. Some jobs don't allow for time off at certain times of the year. People are more likely to live far from family than they were a generation or 2 ago. I can see how it makes sense in some circumstances, but not just for a "fun" vacation that could be taken any time.
For us, we had an opportunity to have a vacation that we never would have been able to afford if we did it during prime vacation time. Once in a lifetime, we took a look at the real impact to the kids' education and progress during the school year and made the correct decision to go on vacation.
I don't think people are saying "don't go on vacation" but what the data shows is that every time a child misses class their performance is impacted. You're also sending clear messages about the value of school.
For us this was a significant issue because our girls missed days of school for school sporting events and tournaments. Our younger daughter is an auditory learner and so absences affect her more than others because she hasn't heard the info.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that if a student misses 10% of the school days they are at risk of academic problems. Now of course, I'll never find that reference again! But that's not many days, about 1 every two weeks.
That would mean missing 18 days of school, or over 3 full weeks. That's quite a bit, if you ask me...
That would mean missing 18 days of school, or over 3 full weeks. That's quite a bit, if you ask me...
If you look at some attendance records, lots of kids do miss that much. A few sick days here, a few "vacation" days there, a few "mental health" days somewhere else, and it adds up fast. 10% is a day every 10 days, one every two weeks.
I am wondering how other parents deal with "sick days"?
For us, a kid sick enough to come home from school went straight to bed on their own. If they feel good enough to sit on the couch and play with their phone and watch TV, they're going back to school.
My kids have been awarded perfect attendance certificates in some school years. Thankfully they are not very prone to sickness so it is very rare for them to be out due to it. Also, they really truly love going to school so even if they are feeling a bit off still insist on attending. I have only had to pick up any of them from school due to sickness maybe twice.
Now, when we took them to Disney World the best time we could fit it in that worked for all of us included them missing school. They missed 3 days of school that year. I made sure to inform all the teachers before hand and none of them had a problem with it. We came back and they got caught up pretty quickly.
I would not let my child just stay home because they want to. I see many parents not sending their kids to school because it is snowing or it is going to snow. If the school is open my kids are going.
If they're contagious, you keep them home. Seriously. My mom made me go to school throwing up. You helicopter parents really need to think about the effect you are having on others (and your own kid).
If they're contagious, you keep them home. Seriously. My mom made me go to school throwing up. You helicopter parents really need to think about the effect you are having on others (and your own kid).
Im confused...we do or do not send them to school throwing up? What makes a helicopter parent here? Keeping them home sick? Or sending them? So confused
Im confused...we do or do not send them to school throwing up? What makes a helicopter parent here? Keeping them home sick? Or sending them? So confused
I think the kid means his mom made him go to school when he didn't want to. And also believes that throwing up means you are automatically contagious, which isn't true.
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