So what is left?
The school year.
Some families choose to pull their children out of school so that the family can take vacations together, and take advantages of conveniences and prices not found during "traditional" vacation times.
Do you do it? We asked our parenting friends on Facebook. Here are some responses.
Nancy Silbert Mitchell of Middletown, Delaware says it's a game-time decision:
"It depends on the ages of the kids. Younger kids are easier to pull out because they don't have as much to make up. Once my kids were in middle school, I only pulled them out if the vacation deal was too good to pass up."
Stacey Remolde Finashe of Collegeville, Pennsylvania feels the opposite way:
"It's hard. I'm not a fan, and my husband is definitely not a fan of the kids missing school... I get upset when teachers take off a large amount of time during the year when they get eight weeks in the summer, so why should my child take a large amount of time off for a vacation?"
Sherry Clark of Newark, Delaware (and University of Delaware grad!) was a teacher herself, and has an interesting perspective:
"I was a teacher for 37 years and unfortunately found that most of the students pulled for family vacations or outings did not ever turn the work in and it affected their grades. I also found many parents did not think their children should be required to make up the work and were vociferous in stating that the school should be more lenient and allow students to miss the work without penalty."
Lisa Teats Hartmann of Bordentown, New Jersey says go ahead, but make the trip worthwhile for the children:
"If the trip is educational why not? They learn a lot about what they study in school actually being in the places. My daughter had to do a report on Princess Di. She could honestly say 'I have been to her home.'"
So, can you do it, and should you do it?
I called a few schools in the region. One says a student can be pulled out of class for up to five days for family vacations. After that, they will be marked as unexcused absences. Another school said it would be up to the principal, depending on how many absences the child already has.
To find out your school's policy is as simple as that, just call the administrative office and ask.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education reminds parents that it is "essential that students receive the number of education days set forth" by the state. However, at the same time, spokeswoman Leah Harris realizes there are times when families will need to take children out of school for reasons other than sickness and doctor appointments.
In those cases, Harris suggests what was mentioned above: make the trip an educational one.
For more information, read this parenting site. It offers advice on what to do if you want to take a vacation during the school year: http://www.familyvacationcritic.com/taking-your-kids-out-of-school-to-travel/art/
And to find out what other parents are saying, here is a link to the comments offered on my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matt-ODonnell/92168272835?ref=s#!/pages/Matt-ODonnell/92168272835?v=wall&story_fbid=123476611001554
And on the Action News Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/6abc.ActionNews?ref=ts#!/6abc.ActionNews?v=wall&story_fbid=120033701349134
Bon voyage!
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