How long is OK to be absent from school for family holiday?

[syrupsmummy]

My year 8 daughter told me yesterday that one of her friend is having 4 weeks off from school for family holiday. I thought I heard it wrong first but she confirmed it is 4 weeks.

Too me it's way too long to miss school. And just wondering what other people think about it.

How long is ok to be absent from school for family holiday?

[purple_haize]

OH and me took his 16yr. old daughter with us when we went to the USA in 2008 for 5 weeks, she is very brainy, and was able to catch up very quickly with her school work, when we came back.

So, it was no problem for her to catch up.

[everything*that*i*ever*wanted]

This will throw the cat amongst the pigeons.

My eldest daughter only attended 4 days of second semester Year 10 last year. She returned to school first day of school this year. She went straight into Year 11...Chemistry, Physics, Japanese, Legal Studies and Extension English !

She was off due to severe illness / disability and was unable to do schoolwork. Even without meeting with the Principal...she met all requirements to satisfy the ROSA to be awarded her Year 10 Competancy. Scary huh.

Havind said that, she is sailing through this year.

[just_me_karen]

My kid missed 3 months of school when we went backpacking around Java. It was kindergarten so he didn't miss too much work, but he learned an amazing amount on the trip, including a pretty good grasp of Indonesian. He kept a travel diary, it's so cute reading it now.

He also took a month off to travel to UK & France when he was in yr 6... and again learned more than he would have at school.

I think an exciting experience like a holiday can be excellent for a child's education, if the parents treat it as a time to learn new things. 

[aspie*mum]

I don't think it matters much in Primary School (I'm a Primary School teacher).  Four weeks isn't much, especially at the beginning or end of term.  Kids can learn a lot by travelling experiences.  An 8 year old wont miss out on much.

I took off 2 weeks in year 12 to go overseas with my family.  I had to have all my assignments in 2 weeks early, which wasn't so bad anyways.   Didn't do me any harm!

[i-need-a-martini]

My kids go to an internationally focused private school where they are encouraged to travel. The school says the experience of travel is essential in broadening their outlook in life.

They start doing exchanges in Year 6 and private travel is recommended. The only time travel is not encouraged is during high school exam time. But on saying that we took our Year 8 boy out for 3 weeks last year to go to the US and it was in the middle of exams - the school simply gave him estimated marks based on his assessments through the year.

Travel is a must for kids on so many levels. Not just in what they see and learn about other cultures but also what learn about the family unit away from home (and away from TV, computers, playstations etc).

[mlor16]

I see it constantly. I often have students going overseas for 5 or 6 weeks. I think it is OK if it is a one off type of thing every couple of years. I'm planning to take long service leave next year and will be taking my child out of school for about 6 weeks.

[far*canal*]

Education doesn't happen only in a classroom environment. Our kids have missed weeks upon weeks of school just from moving around the country. Right now, they are entering their 3rd month of not being at school because of our most recent move (and for the record, it's doing my head in!). But the things they have seen, experienced and learned about on the way could never have been done in a classroom.

[dalyssmum]

School is not the only way to learn.  Life experiences are just as valuable.  I have a child in year 8 and we are off to Canada for 3 weeks on tuesday.  You can catch up on school work but sometimes an oppportunity is missed that you can never catch up on.