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On the subject of school-sponsored trips, at my high school, kids that took Accounting and paid for the trip got to go to WDW for several days. They got tours of the accounting and billing departments and got tours of the utilidors.
It's all in who you know (I guess)...
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Visits:
1989: off-site
1996: Poly
6/11/2000-6/20/2000: GF
Dr. Laura should lighten up.
Tell me: What is more important? Taking a week and going to WDW as a FAMILY, building memories together that will last a lifetime, OR your child(ren) spending yet another week in class?
While school is of course important, FAMILY is more important. I know. My dad left home when I was 13, and was absent 90 percent of the time previous to that. I went to school, sure. But I was so lacking in the FAMILY sense, school was nothing but a secondary concern.
You learn the most at home, good or bad.
My point is, it's not like you're going to take your child out of school for a week a month. It's once a year, maybe. Certainly not the end of the world, and certainly not anything any bright kid can't catch up with upon their return.
Go for it. Build your memories. Take your snapshots. Because when you, and they, look back on them years from now, it will provide a warmth and depth that school just doesn't supply. Trust me.
Whoo! Didn't mean to go off like that! Guess I need to take a walk, or run, or something! http://www.intercot.com/boards/bounce.gif
Enjoy!
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Working in Trenton, daydreaming about a certain Florida resort.
Port Orleans - 1992.
Port Orleans - 1997.
Boardwalk - 1999.
Next Trip - August, 2001 at Dixie Landings - and that's just too far away, folks...
As many others have said, it's your child and you will know best if taking them out of school is OK or not. We took our oldest daughter out of school twice, but determined that she had such trouble getting back into the routine of school when coming back that it was not best for her. Since then we plan our trips around the school calendar. But that's just our daughter. Many kids take it in stride, and you really can't know until you experience it.
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Trying my hardest not to Dr. Laura bash.....but.......
She really seems to have a "do as I say not as I do attitude about her.
"Stay at home with your kids"
"Don't get Divorced"
"Respect Others"
All the while she is guilty of doing (or not) all three, as well as some other well documented "stuff".
I would say that quality time with your children at WDW is nothing to feel guilty about, listening to DR(and I use the term loosely)Laura is.
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Bryant AKA MegaDisney
[email protected]
Intercot Staff Member-Moderator Disneyland General
Check out IntercotWest for in depth Disneyland Resort information.
[This message has been edited by MegaDisney (edited January 26, 2001).]
After reading some of the other posts I wanted to echo the sentiments ..
With the way the unity of the American family has declined in the past few decades I not only think it's okay to do this, I think it's a good thing!
What's worse ... Taking your kids out of school and going on a fun, wholesome family trip to WDW or ignoring your children like some parents do?
It's like that Master Card commercial ... Quality time with your family? Priceless.
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Ian: aka WDWacky
Intercot Moderator - Collectables and Mousellaneous
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I only meant someone should feel guilty about letting someone outside their "family" tell them how to raise their kids.
As for not getting divorced, I have heard her say their are only 3 reasons to divorce:
Abuse
Addiction
Adultery
(She calls them the 3 A's)
I can think of a 1000 other reasons that someone may feel it necessary to leave an unhealthy situation. Which of her three A's applied to her situation?
As far as respecting others, she has no respect for me as I am a "biological error"
I have heard her bring women to tears calling them horrible things just because they think outside her moral parameters.
We obviously disagree about her motives, I honestly think she does't give a lick about most people, unless of course they count towards ratings of her "shows"
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Bryant AKA MegaDisney
[email protected]
Intercot Staff Member-Moderator Disneyland General
Check out IntercotWest for in depth Disneyland Resort information.
I say take them! My parents took the 3 of us out of school every may for vacation mostly to wdw. It was great family time and none of us ever fell behind or even had a teacher that seemed to mind us going. In fact most of our teachers didn't even give us work they just said have a great time and we will catch when you get back. I think they were the people that knew that it is hard to get true family time when parents are working kids are busy with school and sports. They knew that you should take that vacation when ever you can get it because what you get from spending time just with your family is much more valuable then what you may miss at a week of school.
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Just a little bit of Pixie dust is all you need!
I probably don't have anything new to say here, but I just wanted to echo the sentiments of almost everyone else. I took my kids out of school last year for a trip to WDW (they were in 1st grade) and I'll be taking them out this March for a surprise trip. My parents never took my brothers and me out of school for a vacation, we always went in the summer and I hated it - the heat, the crowds etc (even though I loved WDW and anywhere else we went). Now I am in medical school, and I have to fit any vacations around my really tight schedule, which means going either during spring break or over Christmas-New Years. Last year, the girls teachers didn't have any problem, and they did make-up work on the airplane. We went the 1st week of April, and the temperature was wonderful, crowds were bearable (only the most popular rides had long lines), and my girls and I had the most wonderful time! I wouldn't have traded that for anything. I do make education a major priority all other times during the year, but I won't be a freak about perfect attendance - what 30 year old brags about perfect attendance in grade school? As for Dr. Laura, I respect her personal opinions (everyone's entitled to theirs), but I won't let anyone make me feel guilty about my decisions in life. She would probably disapprove of my choices in life - I'm a single parent, I'm not at home every day cooking and cleaning, and I take my kids out of school for vacations (gasp!). However, I have 2 wonderful children and I think I'm doing a good job, and when it comes to such personal decisions, The final word I'll listen to is what my heart says (and right now, it's saying I can't wait until March 3rd and WDW!!!).
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TTFN...ta ta for now
7/81
8/88
7/95
4/00
...and hopefully 3/01!
When in the 4th grade, I was out of school for 3 weeks due to severe illness. Yes, it took me time to catch up, but I eventually did. Sure, things have changed. Computers vs strings of beads, but learning is learning.
Aerobics probably said it best. If your kid is struggling at this time, it might not be a good idea.
But if they are doing fine, Dr. Laura is wrong to say kids will think an education is not important.
Sheesh. Kids are a heck of a lot smarter to think that.
They will think mom and pop care more about family bonding/relationships.
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All that Glitters is Suspect.
Not to get off topic but...
Jimmy...string of beads, I thought you did the cave drawing's thing!!!
http://www.intercot.com/boards/rollsmile.gif
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...the most wonderful things about Tiggers, is I'm the only one.
Ray(aka TiggerRPh)
Intercot Staff : Disney & Orlando Dining; The Water Cooler
My 8yo daughter is a straight A student. My 9yo son is a A & B student. They both catch up in about a week. They miss about 7 to 8 school days a year due to WDW trips. We do plan on long weekends so as to minimize the school days they do miss. Also, we go in the winter and often the school is closed 1 or 2 days due to snow. http://www.intercot.com/boards/smile.gif
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Don ....... WDW, been there, done that. Going back!......8 trips and counting!!
Offsite 4/90
Beach Club 1/95
Wilderness Lodge 1/97
Contemporary 1/98 & 1/99
Polynesian 12/99
Dixie Landings 2/00
Carribean Beach 12/00
Upcoming:
Villas at Wilderness Lodge: 11/01 & 1/02
I'm a junior in high school and I'm going to WDW in 18 days. (I can't wait!) I will be missing 4 days of school. My parents know the pressures that lie ahead of me,(SAT's and college) and they figured they would give me one last break. Since I'm about a B average student the teachers and my parents trust me in making up the work after the vacation is through. And believe me I could use a break from school.
As for the younger students in elementary school, I'd say to definately go. I can't really remember the days of school from third and fourth grade, but I can remember closing my eyes in the HM and the Potc. Those memories as Wacky put it are Priceless.
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"Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money." Walt Disney
I'm a teacher, my wife is a teacher. We both say - "take the kids and go have a great time". We would take our daughter and go during the school year but obviously, that is not an option for us.
We go each summer but would love to take a week and go in January or November.
GO! GO! GO! and feel no guilt. Your kids will remember the trip thier entire lives - I bet they won't miss what was taught that week at school.
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It's funny. After I wrote and posted the above comment I read a column in the Sunday paper about this. A teacher wrote against taking the kids out for trips to Florida to see the "Mouse" as she put it. She also complained about parents taking the kids out for dentist and doctors appointments. She reminded me of a cousin of mines wife. She teaches younger elementary school. They do not have any kids as she says she already has "23". When we visit it's obvious she doesn't have clue about kids outside of a class room. She would not even hold our kids as infants.
My daughters third grade teacher (no kids of her own) told us that "it is an unfortunate side effect of a good economy that parents can afford these vacations." I thought the CP/USA was out of business!
I grow tired of someone else trying to tell me how to raise my kids.
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Don ....... WDW, been there, done that. Going back!......8 trips and counting!!
Offsite 4/90
Beach Club 1/95
Wilderness Lodge 1/97
Contemporary 1/98 & 1/99
Polynesian 12/99
Dixie Landings 2/00
Carribean Beach 12/00
Upcoming:
Villas at Wilderness Lodge: 11/01 & 1/02
[This message has been edited by DonLefNY (edited January 28, 2001).]
I DEFINATLY SAW GO FOR IT!! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, AND IF URE ON A TIGHT BUDGET ITS MUCH CHEAPER TO GO DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. DONT LET SCHOOL OFFICIALS TRY TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, IT IS URE LIFE, AND THEY ARE YOUR KIDS. MISSING A WEEK OF SCHOOL WONT HURT THEM, THEY ARE STILL YOUNG TOO. LIFES SHORT, ENJOY DISNEY WORLD WHENEVER YOU CAN!
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" TO the Youngsters of Today, I Say Believe In the Future..." Walt Disney
first trip: 4 years old, 1988(polynesian)
second trip: 10 years old, 1994(contempory)
third trip: 14 years old, 1998(dolphin)
fourth trip:14 years old, 1999(dolphin)
fifth trip: 15 years old, 2000(dolphin)
sixth trip: 16 years old, 2000(whyndham)
next trip: July 2001!!!
1st- Everyone is right, Dr. Laura is not a Dr.
2nd- I also agree, do what is right for your own children. I have 2, 12 and 9, and I have taken them out for 3 years now. They have no problem making up the lost time. The middle school here will not give any work in advance, so that is alittle difficult. But the elementary will.
DonLefNY- That article that you are talking about in the Gazette, I also read. That teacher sounded very angry, I think she needs a vacation. I was going to write her a letter and ask her how an owner of a construction co. that thrives in the summer is supposed to take the kids on vacation in the summer? Not everyone is fortunate enough to have summers off.
It is a tough decision, but I would rather spend valuable time with my children now, because they are going to grow and not spend vacations with us.
http://www.intercot.com/boards/ksmile.gif Giants in 2002 http://www.intercot.com/boards/ksmile.gif
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Down here in Florida, half the counties scheduled their '00 and '01 Christmas holidays (calling them Winter Recess, hogwash!!!), for the 2 weeks AFTER Christmas. WOW what thoughtful scheduling. Hell with the Jews, who celebrate their holidays starting about 3 day before Christmas, and hell with families who travel to be with each other BEFORE the holidays (Jewish and Christians alike).
And what use is having a week off in January AFTER all the holiday decorations have been taken down and the cold season has begun to dig in. Luckily we had Annual passes and could see the decorated MK one last time 1/1, and the Osborne Lights stayed lit until the 7th, as we struggled against the sub-freezing temps.
I tried to raise some hell but to no avail.
I felt quite good when we voted out one of the members of the school board last November. Ironically the members name was 'Church'.
I'm sorry, there is NO reason for 'Winter Recess' except to celebrate the holidays, so the 'rename' does not cover it.
Oh, and my wonderful ex-wife refused to allow me to take Tasha out of school for the week BEFORE Christmas, to celebrate Christmas at WDW like we do every year.
We did still get a lot of Christmas, with the Osborne lights sneak preview, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and the week in January. So it wasn't a total loss...just not a week at WDW during the holidays like we are used to.
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I'd rather be at Walt Disney World http://www.intercot.com/boards/smile.gif
Planned/possible trips in 2001: (7)1/1-7; 4/9-15,4/27-29,5/11-13,6/7-12,12/7-9,12/25-28
Days at WDW in 2000: (36) 3/24, 4/14-20, 4/29-30, 6/4-11, 7/14-15, 8/4-7, 9/30, 10/27-29, 11/10-12, 11/18-19, 12/8-10
Days at WDW in 1999: (46)
Total days @WDW >400
[This message has been edited by Jeff Handshaw 100+visits (edited January 29, 2001).]
Ok, as far as I'm concerned, Laura can take a hike to the second star to the right and keep on going. Ask most Cast Members and you'll find a fairly common opinion about her and her beliefs.
Her opinion means NOTHING and you have every right to take your children wherever you want. A healthy family life, including special vacation time spent together, can far outweigh a few days drudging through Mrs. Smith's boring classes....working on coloring exercises or word searches - ESPECIALLY a place like WDW, where, believe it or not, kids learn a lot.
Take Dr. Laura's little radio show and turn it to Radio Disney.
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Tommy
°o°
WDW Cast Member
Epcot Entertainment
My mom once said to me, "If I cannot say anything nice... don't say anything at all..."
Hence the reason I cannot say anything about Dr. Laura...
Guess what? She doesn't rule the world... and she doesn't rule your family. Do what YOU want!
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Kiahrah
WDW Addict
1st Year Wedding Anniv. - May 2001 All Star Resort
Honeymoon Boardwalk Villas May '00
Disneyland '95
Off-site '92, '87
Contemporary '81 & '78
You know sometimes you can't put things off. You should do things while you can.
how many times do you hear people say...if I only had done..... or if I had only said this. We have to take the time now not just when the schools are on a break!!!
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jenni b
" if you can shape it in your mind, you can find it in your life."