First Day of School

[cknorr28]

Okay I have a question. We are going to Disney August 26th to take advantage of the free dining. My Wife is going to Peru with her Mother the week before and I said I would take our boys somewhere for our vacation. We decided on Disney, I made the reservations and then checked the school calender. My oldest son's (11) first day in middle school is the 27th. My DW thinks I should change the dates. My son naturally says it is okay with him. I used free flight vouchers also so the trip is virtually not costing anything. My question is "should I change our reservations even if I could because of the free airline vouchers"?

[Disney Doll]

I would change the dates if it were me. The transition from elementary to middle school is a bigger deal than it may seem. The first week is the time to familiarize yourself with the building, learn your locker combo, memorize your schedule, figure out which lunch period you have and who you will eat with, etc. Plus, that first week is when teachers go over all the expectations and syllabi. It can be overwhelming enough as it is, but starting late after everyone else has it all figured out may be more stressful.

[crazeedizneefinatic]

I think it depends on your son as a student and the willingness and cooperation of the school to let your son miss. I am fortunate to have a wonderful school to work with. We do vacation during school without any problems. My son is also just in the 1st grade going into 2nd for our upcoming trip in September so he is a bit younger which right now makes it easier. I think at your sons age the best time to miss would probably be when things are slow. I am sure a 20 page paper will not be due the first week of school. Be open with your sons school. Talk with them before the trip and ask them what is he going to miss and judge from there. See how responsive they are, will they work with you and allow your son to catch up without a problem? Also your son needs to know that any make up work is a must when you return. I think school is a responsibility and a priority but teaching your child to handle a healthy balance is also important. Afterall Disney can be very educational depending upon how you look at it. Good luck with your decision and hopefully the school will work with you.

[Mom2princesses]

Well if it was me I would change the dates. There is no way I would let my dd miss her first days of Middle school. I agree with the first poster the transition is stressful when they are moving to a new environment. My dd is an excellent student but she would not want to miss the first day of middle school. Those first few days could be important socially and kids need to fit in at this age.

As a mom I would agree with your wife. But I am sure you'll get lots of different opinions. I guess you guys know your son better than any of us and I am sure you'll make the best decision for you and your family.

Good luck not an easy decision.

[cknorr28]

The decision was easier than I thought. After reading the first post (thank you for everyones thoughts) I made the changes to our reservations. We lost the free dining and I had to pay $200.00 to change the flights but after thinking about it it was the right decision. I agree he may miss alot in that first week. Plus we get to go two weeks earlier. Thanks for everyones help.

[BronxTigger]

I think you made the right decision. You know that feeling you get when you are running late in the morning, and it feels like your whole day is off? Imagine feeling that way for the whole year because you missed the first day!