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?

[krazy.kiwi]

I took my kids out in the late years of Primary school to travel around the country for abour 6 weeks. We took school work with us and they still finished the year among the top in the class.

But not all families do this if on an extended holiday, we also did it before they went to high school as it is harder to do then.

My kids are now in year 8 & year 9. The younger one is hoping to go to Japan with scouts in 2015, he will be in year 10 and will miss a whole month of school. I am happy for him to go as he is an A grade student, he learns Japanese, so it will help that and being a scout trip, he will gain knowledge and skills he couldn't possibly attain at school. Mind you a Scout Jamboree is nothing like your usual family holiday!

[purple_haize]

My daughter took her 7yr old son out of school last year for 2 weeks, my daughter won a trip to Disneyland so she took her son on the trip of a lifetime for him.

He caught up on what schoolwork he missed when he came home.

She had to go when she did, or lose the holiday.

[syrupsmummy]

krazy.kiwi, going to Japan for one month is a great oppotunity to brush up his Japanese. It is worth taking a month off from school.

When I was a trainee teacher in a High School in Sydney there was a group of year 10, 11 kids who went to Japan for one to six months. Their conversation skills were excellent while other students in normal Japanese class can make conversation unless it's prompted by skit practice.

[syrupsmummy]

purple_haze, I bet your grandson had great time. I love Disneyland. It was worth taking two weeks off for sure.

[krazy.kiwi]

I don't know how much practice speaking Japanese he will get - 2 weeks of it will be with scouts from all over the world (about 40 000 in total!)

There is a tour for a week or so before the Jamboree, they will be sightseeing with other Australian scouts as they get to know each other.

But afterwards they will spend a few days with a Japanese family.

The other thing he is looking forward to seeing is the Hiroshima Peace Park. (I think that's what it's called) They will be there at the 80th anniversary, so it will be a rare chance to be a part of an important remembrance.

[syrupsmummy]

I remember I attended  Scout Jamboree event when I was a kid. I remember there were kids from all over the world. I think it's worth going even if he won't learn a lot of Japanese. And he might make some friends in Japan to skype with later on.

[azureline**]

I don't think it matters, really, perhaps the parents have arranged to take work with them? In any case they would have to let the school know.

[monstersinthedungeon]

I think when kids are young missing a few weeks of school to travel is not such a big issue, especially if their parents spend a bit of time with them doing things like reading. Depending upon the kind of travel, that is a great education in itself. Education is not just about the "3R's", but life experiences as well.

When they hit high school I think it becomes more important for the kids to miss as little school as possible, but again, travel can be very educational.

[soul_art]

If it's an extended holiday and the parents take along school work then the chances are the child would learn more one on one than in the classroom.

but...if I'd had kids I wouldn't have sent them to school anyway so I'm probably biased.