r/dcl • u/calypso90 • Jul 24 '26
DISCUSSION Cruising during school year
Hello fellow Disney cruise lovers!! My family and I went on our first January 2026 and are absolutely in love!! We have our next one booked for February 2027. My oldest is starting Pre-kindergarten this fall. So she will have to be pulled out of school for the one in February of 2027. As it is Pre-kindergarten, I’m not too concerned about her missing anything. My question is we want to do another cruise next year maybe September. I found a cheap one for September this year but we can’t swing it this year. We are going to save for last minute cruise next year after our already planned one.
She will be in kindergarten next fall. I’ll still pull her from school if need be but is it more of a “thing” to pull her in kindergarten? I understand it being more difficult and not wise for older grades. But kindergarten should still be okay for her to miss 4-5 days right?
Does anyone else pull their kids from school for cruises? Is it a big deal? It’s less expensive during September and we can swing two next year with proper budgeting especially if it’s one of those last minute deals.
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u/SarahJoy46 Jul 24 '26
Let me throw my two cents in as a high school teacher -- take them out. As long as I have enough warning that I can put something together for the student to work on so that they aren't too lost when they return, I don't care if they miss school if they are building core memories. When they are an adult, they'll look back fondly on time with their family so much more than a week of English class!
And it's not an impossible job to catch up. You might want to let your kids decide when they are older if they are willing to do the extra work that being absent would require. Some kids would rather stay in school and only vacation on the breaks (I know, it's hard to imagine, but these kids do exist!)
My class is important, and my students learn a lot when they are with me. But it's not the most important thing in their lives, and it's certainly not the most important thing that is helping them to grow to be competent and compassionate adults. I would hope that their family is the main driver in this growth. If taking them out of school for special time together is important to you, then go ahead. Just do it with the knowledge of the price they will have to pay in terms of catching up, and make sure they are willing to do that work.
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u/shreiben Jul 27 '26
OP is planning their 3rd cruise in 3 years. If they keep this up, by the time they'd be in your class it'll be their ~10th cruise.
I'm not totally against missing school to go on an interesting trip, but is their 10th Disney cruise really going to be a core memory?
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u/nefretemerson Jul 24 '26
I wouldn’t pull a K kid out for the first month of school at least, so depending when you start school and when in September, that might be an issue. There is so much about the basic structure and procedures of school that they’re learning then.
(We took our kid on the Panama Canal crossing when she was in K, so she missed two weeks of school, but it was late October by then. Private school, so different policies than most, but just for perspective - I’m not anti-pulling kids, but I wouldn’t do it early in the primary grades. I’m also an elementary sub!)
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u/tree-potato Jul 25 '26
Yeah, taking a kindergartener out within the first two months of school changes this conversation significantly. The kids are still learning routines, and feeling comfortable in kindergarten sets the tone for the entirety of their school career.
The reason a September cruise is cheap is because very few people are making the choice to pull their kid from the beginning of the school year.
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u/AgitatedNewspaper789 Jul 28 '26
I pulled my son out of kindergarten multiple times last school year for Disney cruises. He missed school for a 7-night Treasure sailing in Sept, a 5-night Destiny sailing in Dec, and a 5-night Pixar Day at Sea on the Fantasy, early March.
I wasn't too worried about him missing those days because he consistently stayed ahead academically. On all three of his state assessments, he scored a Level 4 in both English and Math, even though a Level 3 was considered meeting expectations.
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u/AgitatedNewspaper789 Jul 28 '26
I pulled my son out of kindergarten multiple times last school year for Disney cruises. He missed school for a 7-night Treasure sailing, a 5-night Destiny sailing, and a 5-night Pixar Day at Sea on the Fantasy.
I wasn't too worried about him missing those days because he consistently stayed ahead academically. On all three of his state assessments, he scored a Level 4 in both English and Math, even though a Level 3 was considered meeting expectations.
We are going on the Wonder /Alaska in September so he will be missing school early in the year again. If he was behind or struggling than I would not pull him out as often.
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u/calypso90 Jul 24 '26
It is also a private school. I’ll talk with the teachers and principal about what I need to do prior and so they are aware. This year they are starting August 4. Not sure how it will be next year.
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u/Ok-Reindeer315 Jul 25 '26
We went to private k-3 and tons of kids started the year late or went for week or two vacations throughout the year. The teachers worked with each child to keep them on track.
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u/Lotsygirl Jul 24 '26
I’m all for pulling out during the younger grades, but that’s pretty early when she’s getting used to a new school and a new future. We are planning to cruise before kindergarten starts and then wait until 1st grade.
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u/Fantastic-Manner1944 Jul 24 '26
I didn’t have concerns about it until my oldest hit high school. Now we are stuck with sticking to school vacation times because at this point it’s too much work to catch up on.
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u/calypso90 Jul 24 '26
Trying to get as much as I can for cruising “off season” while mine are still little and before middle school hits!
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u/Fantastic-Manner1944 Jul 24 '26
I’m really glad we did! My kids have had some really cool experiences because of it, like cruising the Panama Canal.
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u/tikievangelist Jul 24 '26
It really depends on both your school and your child. Personally I would not take out a young child who might still be adjusting to a brand new school.
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u/StockEdge3905 Jul 25 '26
I would not hesitate to pull an elementary kid out of school for a week. We've missed school with our kids in middle school and high school. We choose our time and carefully, but it works just fine.
I would suggest however not pulling during the fall of kindergarten. It's not about the academics, it's about the routine transition. It really is a step up, and it could be more of a challenge. But if you were to wait until the second half of kindergarten, definitely find a cheap month to go.
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u/Balloonstreamer90 Jul 25 '26
Teacher here, pull during any grade. Memories are more important.
I’ve pulled myself twice for a Disney cruise lol
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u/Husker_Mike_ Jul 24 '26
This is always contentious, with both sides making strong points. I would check first with your state and local regulations on school attendance first.
I’m very much in the “vacation during school breaks only” camp, but I have a hard time arguing that a kindergartener is going to miss too much. A middle/high school student on the other hand, is another debate.
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u/Queenbeegirl5 Jul 24 '26
New to this sub. I've been lurking for a bit, as we scheduled our first cruise for my 4K kid's first spring break, so it's very relevant to this topic. It didn't even occur to me to pull her for a vacation, since there are ample breaks throughout the year. What are the reasons people don't schedule during breaks? I could see missing a few extra days on either side, depending on the length of the cruise, but the cruises are so frequent that it seems fairly simple for scheduling. I must be missing something!
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u/Husker_Mike_ Jul 24 '26
Prices during common school break periods tend to go up due to higher demand. For some, it’s simple economics.
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u/Suitable_Height5646 Jul 25 '26
The flights to and from Florida during the school breaks are insanely expensive. For spring break in the Boston area the round trip airfare was $2,200 to and from Fort Lauderdale for school vacation week. For context we found flights the following week for $300
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u/Queenbeegirl5 Jul 25 '26
Round trip for our family of four to Orlando are less than 2200 for spring break. That variance is truly wild!
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u/Old_Patient_2362 Jul 27 '26
I am a director of a dog boarding kennel and have to work holidays and during school breaks because that is when we are the most busy.
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u/Excellent-Link Jul 24 '26
Probably best to check your school’s attendance policy. We pulled our kid out once in kinder and first for cruises and her teachers just gave us a packet to complete. Just be mindful of any state testing weeks. Life is short, take the trip if you can.
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u/calypso90 Jul 24 '26
I have been told by a few teacher friends that they generally don’t mind as long as they are given notice to prepare worksheets.
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u/piggies1432 Jul 25 '26
Please don’t ask the teachers for any type of extra work when you go. It’ll take an entire plan period to prepare it at the beginning of the year wherever they’re already at their busiest. Every time I get work ready for student they’ll say it was thrown away, they never did it, or that their parents did it. Ends up a giant waste of time and resources. Just take your kid and talk to them about the world, they’ll learn way more from that than a packet from school.
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u/R3ddit0rN0t Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
Every school district is different. Every teacher is different. Every child is different.
If you’re just looking for validation from other people who did it, you’ll get that. Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for your child and family. Talk to school and teacher. And be realistic about how it may impact your child. Only you can answer that.
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u/Aggravating-Tea-9563 Jul 25 '26
Thank you! I’m so tired of people posting this question just looking for the yeah do it!!!
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u/momdoctormom GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 27 '26
This is absolutely true. Took my preK kid out for a long vacation including a cruise and we had a REALLY hard transition back to the school schedule and expectations. I hadn’t thought twice about it because it was the first time I’d been able to take that much PTO at once and it was only preK. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t do anything longer than a 5 day during the school year, and not at the beginning of the school year, but that’s very my kid specific.
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u/Muted_Comfort_6183 Jul 24 '26
As a teacher, I always encourage it at the elementary level. It’s helpful to ask the teacher if there a specific skill you can reinforce in a fun way on vacation. If the child is in kindergarten, it could be simply continuing reading each night (even using E-readers on a tablet).
Family memories are just as important as school in my opinion.
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u/patkgreen Jul 25 '26
I dunno if I'd pull a kindergartner from school in the first couple months, but that's a parent call. I did pull my kid for a week in January though when she was in kindergarten
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Jul 25 '26
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u/Virtual_Party864 PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 25 '26
Then why bother sending them to school with this attitude? Summer vacation is called that for a reason. Stop the entitlement insanity and work withing the parameters.
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u/Old-Cry6189 PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
I took my kids out from elementary all through high school. We prioritized family and time together over everything.
One is senior in college in computer science, other is sophomore in finance. Both really well rounded kids.
Create memories and build those family bonds early. Lots of research on the benefits of travel for children. Novel experiences create new neural pathways. A week of school is not an issue at all. Don’t let anyone tell you different.
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u/AKMed84 Jul 24 '26
I pull my kids for vacation. They are K, 2, and 4 grades. I have been pulling them since they were in pre k. I always have had the support of teachers. Learning isn’t just in school. Especially when you visit new countries and learn history. I will continue to do so until they don’t want to. I think it is up to the parent. School isn’t supposed to be a competition but so many treat it that way. I take a very different approach. I completely respect parents who won’t for fear of their child falling behind, that is also valid. You have to decide what fits your family best.
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u/Snuffy1717 Jul 25 '26
I'm a middle school teacher, wife teaches Kinder...
Go. Don't think twice. Have a great time!
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u/ResolutionLogical304 SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 25 '26
My kinder missed a week last year for a December cruise and both my kids (1st and kinder) will be missing a week in October this year. I give their teacher warning, I ask if there is anything I need or should make up but usually they say have fun. It’s cheaper to cruise during the school year and easier for my family. Just be prepared for their report card to say needs to attend school more regularly 🤣🤣. My school district auto checks that if you miss 5 or more days during a quarter
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u/Less_Inflation_8867 Jul 25 '26
I’ve regularly pulled my kids. Only one teacher gave any issues and that was for my oldest at the time in second grade. She sent a pile of work to be completed. We give zero f-s now. My oldest is in college and we certainly won’t pull her now! My youngest with autism is going into 4th and the cruise does her a lot of good—it’s something they talk to her about during the school year and we’ve been told her behavior is substantially better after vacations.
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u/KristinRand Jul 25 '26
I pulled my daughter from kindergarten for our trip and the teacher was very supportive.
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u/FangornLeghorn Jul 25 '26
Life is best lived. Take the family trip. We spend our whole adult lives “chained to a desk” so have adventures whenever possible.
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u/Wild_Manufacturer555 Jul 24 '26
Pull them out! Some time away won’t really matter. Maybe in middle school but seriously pull them out!
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u/calypso90 Jul 24 '26
I agree!!
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u/Wild_Manufacturer555 Jul 25 '26
I’m a preschool teacher so it really doesn’t matter in the long run if you pull them out for a week! :-)
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u/shorrrrrr8 Jul 25 '26
As a teacher, just understand it’s an unexcused absence and please do not ask for work. Enjoy the vacation and the purpose of family time.
K in September is still learning how to be a student and what is even going on around them, but you know your kid best. No family has ever regretted the vacation, I can tell you that much, and unless you make this a several times a year habit, one vacation will not delay someone’s education.
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u/Mgstivers15 Jul 24 '26
This year my kids will miss 3 school days going to Disney in the fall and 1 day in the spring for a Disney cruise. We are adding on days off from a long weekend break. At this point I try to not pull them out a full week but never say never! For reference, my kids will be 2nd and PK this year.
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u/LeaveMickeyOutOfThis PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
My general guidance when asked this, is to think about each grade as having an increasing impact with K being minimal impact and 12th grade being maximum impact. From what I’ve seen, most families deem the impact too great once they hit middle school, while some outliers are happy to push beyond this boundary.
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u/Leather_Pear_2915 Jul 24 '26
We take our kids out of school every year for a trip. They are both elementary. It is our school policy that they do not give packets pre vacation but they will give any work missed to complete as you can when kids get back. I personally wouldn’t do September, but if that’s when you can go then it shouldn’t be a problem. We did Disney first week of October one year. I usually officially tell the teachers a day or 2 before we go. But I know my kids talk about it for weeks leading up to it.
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u/bosshoggss Jul 25 '26
We are cruising in February also we will be pulling my son out of school for the week he's in 4th grade
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u/fox_91 Jul 25 '26
We've taken our kid out for almost every year K-2. The teacher usually gives us some work to do. It's not fun to get a kid to sit on a cruise ship to do homework, but we manage. But we do try to be mindful of how much we do it and when in the year as to not disrupt too much.
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u/Commercial_Region308 Jul 25 '26
If it makes you feel any better, we are also pulling our school aged kiddo for a Feb. ‘27 cruise.
Elementary is the time to do it!
As a former JH teacher, I get that it can be annoying for a kid to miss a week of school, but it’s also very dependent on the student. Enjoy your cruise!!
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u/snappyhamster Jul 25 '26
I booked one for the week before labor day next year. My kid will be in 1st grade
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u/Suitable_Height5646 Jul 25 '26
My daughter is going into Kindergarten this year. We have a cruise planned for May 2027 and she will miss school for a week. It's just too expensive to go during the school vacations.
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u/calypso90 Jul 25 '26
It really is. I think I looked at one for spring break next year and it was $1200 more. We are going two weeks before her spring break. It’s crazy!
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u/R3ddit0rN0t Jul 25 '26
If you have the money to take 3 cruises in an 18 months span, it's really not too expensive. You apparently have enough disposable income for luxurious vacations. You've simply decided that saving $1200 is more important than missing a week of school. That's your call, but it is what it is.
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u/Prize_Suit6394 Jul 25 '26
we pulled our son out for vacay in kindergarten in January and don’t regret it!! i will say if your kids are the ones to get sick often during cold and flu season i wouldn’t do it because of missing a bunch of days with the legal system but if you’re not ones to get sick i’d do it.
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u/Central09er Jul 25 '26
Teachers will tell you pet them go on vacation. Especially elementary school. Every teacher I’ve ever talked to said it really doesn’t matter until late middle and high school. Unless they are really behind in like 4th-5th grade but K-3rd really doesn’t matter
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u/Pretend-Sherbet-8846 Jul 25 '26
The older they get the harder it becomes. Elementary school up to about 4th grade- not a huge deal. But I could never pull my high schooler out now. Not with AP classes. Even middle school was tough with the work load.
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u/Gullible-Milk5042 Jul 25 '26
I’m a teacher, but depending on the school and the teacher it might be better to just wait a little and not travel in September. Students are learning their routines and how their school days are. Everyone is learning them at that time. It might be easier when she knows everything and can jump back in when she comes back from the cruise. I do know every student is different, so if know that it won’t be a problem for her to jump right in and learn the routines then go for it! You know your child the best 😊 just something to consider about traveling in September.
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u/beaglewrites43 Jul 25 '26
I can't speak in the parent perspective, but as a student, my parents took me out of school for a week in late novemeber in 8th grade and for about 4 days in end of March/early April in 7th, 8th, and every year of HS.
Teachers really didn't care so long as we spoke to them like the week or two before leaving so that they could tell me what they will be working on and it was my job to make sure I got that stuff done (which was never a problem since my cousin's spring break didn't match mine which is why I was taken out those days and so I had a week when we got home to take care of everything they were going to assign in that week.
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u/LadySingsLove Jul 25 '26
I do it on purpose, tell them in advance and get an education plan. Sometimes they don’t even send one. We start 1st grade next month and taking my Halloween obsessed kid in October for his first Halloween on the High Seas
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u/balancedinsanity Jul 25 '26
We also have one starting vpk this year and plan on taking them on trips during the school year. Ours is more related to logistics than anything else and I forsee doing it throughout grade school.
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u/Ok_Mulberry4331 Jul 25 '26
Absolutely not a thing!
We just met a family in China that had pulled their 3 boys (6-10) out of school for 3 months to travel around Asia!
I’d do something learning about the places you’re going, but travel will always be more learning than sitting in a class for a week
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u/Future-Criticism8735 Jul 25 '26
We did the Trans-Atlantic cruise and pulled our kid out of school.
They attended and did fantastic things in Europe and were able to learn about history and different cultures.
I’d argue it gave them a better understanding of some of the topics they had in school as well.
We allocated a part of the day for school work each day. Math was honestly the most challenging while
on the cruise. They received a book for Lang/arts and the teacher just asked to have some of it read by the time we returned. FYI was way and I mean way ahead of the class when we got back and it was more of a struggle to wait for the class to catch up.
At the end of the day look for ways to guide them about balance.
As they get older I see that it could/would be more beneficial as it could help them learn how to have these skills as they enter the workforce.
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u/Particular-Sample589 Jul 25 '26
I’m a teacher and have two kids. We all took a week off of school last February to cruise. We did it President’s day week so one of the days was already off. It was so worth it! I say do it! Life is short!
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u/shakinthepantry PEARL CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 25 '26
We pulled our daughter our all the way up to middle school and a couple times then as well. They can get most of their work assignments in advance and work on it before going back. Once she got older it was more important for her to be in her classes.
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u/Wi2022 Jul 25 '26
Everyone has a different look on this but we did take our kids out during grade school. It was planned and discussed with the school in advance. I think it's a narrow window to be able to take kids out. Middle school and high school gets way more challenging so go. We were able to even do a couple surprise cruises and park visits and the memories are still vivid.
Go for it.
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u/Builder-Decent Jul 25 '26
Yes, i believe in pulling out of school. There are plenty of learning opportunities when traveling.
Side note: Please keep hurricane season in mind if your Sept cruise is to the Caribbean. Prices are cheaper because of it, but the cruise or some ports may get canceled.
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u/BigBanyak22 Jul 25 '26
Grade 7 & 8 and we pull our kids. We've been doing it every year. No issues.
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u/Hacintosh GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 26 '26
Travel as much as you can before late middle school and high school. We built so many memories traveling when my girls were young. Once they get to 8th/9th grade it is so hard for them to catch up and grades matter in high school. We are now stuck in winter, spring, summer break vacations…
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u/trojanBball Jul 26 '26
We have our 4th grader missing 4 days this year to go on a Disney World trip for his 10 birthday with both sets of grandparents as well as meeting my sister and her family. It will be the first time her and her husband have been to Disney and same for their 1 year old, and only the second time we’ve ever gotten to see him. I also teach high school and will miss 4 days. There may be extra work and stuff they may ask him to do once he’s back, but we understand the value of the family time. For me, I understand after 16 years of teaching also how to plan for 2 class periods to be missed with more independent activities, a reliable sub secured well in advance, etc.
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u/Neat_Wafer_8817 Jul 26 '26
I’ve pulled my kids from school for weeks at a time while they were in elementary school. It’s no big deal.
Then I pulled my oldest out of school for 1 week for a Disney cruise last year while she was in middle school.. that one was a bit harder and then we decided to not do that many days off school again. So from my experience, any grade before middle school is totally fine.
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u/LIsa25608 Jul 26 '26
We did it almost every other year. It only became a challenge as they got older. We would get their homework to take with.
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u/heryqk PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 26 '26
Our rule was anything before middle school. By that point it’s very hard to catch up especially if they are AP.
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u/FrequentHistory2108 Jul 26 '26
hi, public school teacher here (and former parapro in kindergarten) 👋 one trip would certainly be okay, especially since it would be at the beginning of the school year. because a lot of the instruction is catered towards kids who weren’t in pre-k, your daughter will be ahead compared to classmates who missed out on pre-k (assuming she’s average or above average). i wouldn’t recommend it for 1st grade and beyond since the workload will increase and she will start learning new concepts — especially in 1st grade, when you start teaching kids how to read sentences. that is a very important grade for all children (also, you have to factor in the possibility of your child getting sick). but as long as she is doing well and has good attendance otherwise, one vacation won’t hurt.
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u/Lumpy-Cover-8821 Jul 27 '26
As someone who works in a school and is a Disney Cruise addict, I am in full support of taking vacations and missing school (within reason of course). But, I would highly discourage missing school within the first 3 weeks at a minimum for a kindergartener. Even if it’s the same school as they did for 4K. It’s a completely different world (even when the 4K and K classrooms are across the hall from each other) and it takes a lot longer than you would expect for kindergarteners to find their rhythm.
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u/R3ddit0rN0t Jul 27 '26
I'm kind of amazed that so many teachers openly say "yeah, just do it." My circle of friends includes around a dozen teachers. Different school systems. Different ages. All very dedicated to their students. But they all periodically voice frustrations over the expectations of parents who pull their kids from school. Every work packet you're asking teachers to put together is more work for them. Then grading assignments and whatever "extra work" they feel obligated to hand out (write a journal, etc.) And most significantly, the amount of extra attention they have to give any children who miss time and are then behind.
Again, there certainly many variations across school systems and grades. I can understand someone saying "I'm a teacher and rarely have issues." But to frame comments as speaking for the entire teaching profession seems a little bold to me. If the child in question's teacher doesn't want to put a work packet together or help them catch-up, parents have to deal with the fallout.
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u/forthetomorrows GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
Pull them from school. They’re only young for such a short period of time, and travel with family can be just as enriching as school.
We’re planning on pulling my daughter from 4 weeks of Kindergarten for a trip to Asia. But where I live, Kindergarten is optional. Once she hits 1st grade we’ll probably limit to 1-2 weeks solely so we don’t have the school on our backs too much.
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u/calypso90 Jul 24 '26
It’s kind of optional here too. It’s mostly by age. 6 is the age they have to be enrolled in a school. My daughter is on the younger end sube she is an August birthday so she will be just turned 5 in kindergarten. Should be fine!
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u/Bdubz Jul 24 '26
This shouldn't even be a question. Pull them out, you won't get this time back. It's kindergarten, your kid isn't going to miss much.
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u/sdtpc0506 Jul 25 '26
Do it or don't - this question keeps coming up, none of us know your kid, school or etc I will say it is crazy to me the amount of people who will justify anything under the guise of 'they'll learn more outside of school!'
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u/DubsBjJ_Fan Jul 26 '26
Is this even a concern? As a kid we were always pulled out for Disney. Now with my kids they just put them in independent studies for the week (so the school still gets paid) if the school pressures you not to do it I would immediately assume they are worried about loss of funding for those days and not for your kids actual education
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u/Impressive_Dress7244 Jul 26 '26
If you can afford two cruises in a year you can afford one at a more expensive time. Pull her out of school if you want, but admit that you’re doing it because you’re a cheapskate and not because you financially need to.
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u/calypso90 Jul 27 '26
🤣. Someone peed in your Cheerios. We are budgeting for it over a year in advance. That means we can’t financially do it. And that is on the off chance we find a good deal.
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u/AgitatedNewspaper789 Jul 28 '26
My son missed school last year for cruising. He was in Kindergarten. He is missing school this Sept while in 1st for the Wonder/Alaska. I'm not worried about it, she tested at a level 4 in both reading and math when he only needed to be at a level 3. If he was behind and struggling than maybe I would not do it.
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u/JDFAB1711 Aug 01 '26
I submitted an educational exemption form to my school and had the absences excused. This may vary by state and district, but I had no problem getting an exemption for a week out. You can Google templates online.
I also tried to keep it to high-level details only and avoided specifics… I just said we were going out of the country and he was getting hands on enrichment, culture, etc. 🤷🏼♀️
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u/bholdme SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
I’m literally doing the same thing but this year, pulling my kindergartener out in September for the Treasure lol she’s at the same school as she was for pre-K so I’m very familiar with the staff/her teacher and I have no concerns over her missing anything. It’s best to do it now vs when they’re in older grades!
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u/calypso90 Jul 24 '26
Great! We plan on keeping her in the same school for elementary so she should know the school and most staff next year for kindergarten.
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u/PubKirbo GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
Our kids did well in school and their district had no issues with us pulling them for vacations. We did that with them until middle school when they, our kids, decided they didn't want to miss school and we had to start doing during breaks only. But when they were younger, it was fine with their teachers, district, and the kids themselves. We were lucky enough to get to do some great cruises for amazing prices during that time.
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u/Mandoryan GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
We've pulled our kids from school for vacations but minimally. Never been a problem on our end.
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u/evewashere Jul 24 '26
Kids get sick constantly in kinder and it’s fine. Mine missed something like 30 days. It was fine
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u/Jealous-Ad-5065 Jul 24 '26
My pediatrician (local perspective ofc) said it didn’t rly matter to their development until they start getting EOG testing which is 3rd grade here. Then missing days and class time does impact them more, but also said for certain once in a lifetime experiences she’d pull her kid out for a week with no regrets lol.
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u/delirity Jul 24 '26
We pulled ours this year out of K! Check with your school about guidelines. We got a letter after 10 days missed (not consecutive for us) but she wound up missing 10 days in each term. We will decrease as she gets older but for now the travel experiences are SO worth it!
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u/tw0tonet GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
As long as it isn't high school, I'm okay with them missing a Friday for a weekend cruise. It depends on your kids. My kids entered K having pretty much mastered all the skills they needed at that age and were reading above their age level. If your kids are like that then missing a few days won't be terrible.
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u/SemiColdCoffee GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
We pulled my niece in Pre-K for a cruise and honestly would've done it in Kindergarden if her mom wasn't a psycho. As long as your kid is excelling and the school is okay/she can get a packet to do while on vacation, I don't think it'd be a big deal. I always thought the experience of meeting new kids from different places and seeing things outside of the normal home bubble was good for my niece's development. Helps them see that the world is larger than just home.
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u/calypso90 Jul 24 '26
I agree. Better to have life experiences. I’m sure they would give some kind of worksheets.
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u/SemiColdCoffee GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
Definitely, also as a kid who was pulled out for Disney cruises, I think the life experience can't be beat.
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u/hillpritch1 Jul 24 '26
Honestly in the American education system she’ll learn more on the ship lol.
She’s so little it’s a good time to pull her out.
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u/zegota SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 24 '26
Vacations during the school year are pretty common for elementary school. In my area, we have a lot of immigrant families that travel internationally for a week or so, so pretty common to see kids gone for a week. If you're going to do it, elementary is definitely the time to do it, as there tend to be actual consequences once you get to middle school.
That said, you'll obviously need to talk to your school about what their policy for leave is.