We will agree to disagree. I never had holidays growing up, hardly ever a trip to the beach. My mother brought four of us up on her own and there was certainly no money for days out. I'll be damned if I'm going to let my kids miss out on family vacations if I can afford it by going during school terms. Kids see everything. How do you think they feel when they see other kids going on vacations and they get none, simply because their family cannot afford the scandalous prices during the holiday period.
As long as my kids are hitting their targets in school (their attendance is already exemplary) I would have no hesitation in allowing them some time off at a well chosen time of the year.
Price up a centre parks holiday during school holidays, they are all but as expensive as a holiday abroad and it could be lashing down with rain for the whole time you are there. No thanks. You seem to be a guy who only sees in black and white in this issue. Thankfully, Huw Lewis the Education Minister for Wales doesn't share your opinion.
Last edited by jaytip; 14th May 2016 at 14:37.
Edit: quoted the wrong post.
Are they or are they for the benefit of those who rule the sheeple.
One way of looking at it is that you sign over your kids to the State when you register their birth.
You are subsequently obliged to look after them out of your pocket following their rules.
That starts with vaccinations and goes on the obligation to subject them to the State approved schooling/education. Yes, I know there is home schooling as I have looked into the discouragement system coming with that and than STILL you need to pass the State exams.
Basically you are held responsible to stick to their rules without having a say in those.
Nothing you can do about it though, so adapt and be creative
With more than 30 yrs in front of the classroom, I can tell you that this is nonsense! It's the period before they actually staying at home that's most important when it comes to spreading a virus!At our school children aren't allowed to return to the classroom until 48 hours after sickness, even if they're absolutely fine. So half of a child's absence can be down to the school not allowing them to return.
^^^ this ^^^I have taken my kids out of school for the odd day or two, but, was persuaded by a comment made my little brother (a teacher) that, although it probably wouldn't do them any direct harm taking them out of school, it sends a message to your child about how much you do/ do not value education...
But.. having said that, it's up to the teachers how to spend the last day(s) before a holiday. Some of them raid the movie box, or their Netflix account and show a movie in class. Or, the day before Christmas holidays... a Christmassy breakfast with the class. Really, is that why you send your kid to school? In the past, I have been flamed by colleagues because I wouldn't accept the freewheeling style the days before the holidays.
Some Dutch schools tried to find a way out of that: allowing kids to 5 days off during the school year, but those days have to be 'earned back' during a regular holiday or bank holiday. Finland has a similar system.
Finally this: Maurice, one of my boys attends a school with (other) potential top athletes (he's a sailor). One of the school management team members is a liaison between parents & kids, the regional branch of Dutch Olympic Committee and the school teachers. My son attended a national sailing event during the Easter weekend. During the days before and after the event, there were mid term tests at his school. He went up to see the liaison-teacher and asked her for advice. She allowed him to take the test (geography) before the Easter Event, allowing him to stay at home the day after the event. That way he could take a rest, do some physical exercises and repair & maintain his boat.
The only downside: the sports associations + the olympic committee have to point you out as a potential top athlete. When you're not, things are not so easy.
Kids in his class, have the same experience (soccer, volleyball, BMX-racing - all Olympic sports). His school very helpful with that! And school is very proud about the achievements.
Menno
No problem with that at all mate, I was just giving my point of view not trying to dictate how others should live their lives! .
If other people are happy disrupting their own child's education as well as the other however many kids are in their class and the teachers who'll then have to spend extra time with their child to catch up and less with everyone elses kids but hey who cares about them right?, totally worth it becuase the parents wanted a cheap holiday then that's entirely up to them. Personally I wouldn't becuase I'm not that selfish and would value my childs education and showing them that we can't just follow the rules that suit us and igonre the ones that don't for something as trivial as a cheaper holiday. I would live within my means and do stuff with my kids that I could afford to do so in the holidays they are already given
That's maybe just my "black and white" opinion on the matter but that's how I genuinely feel about it.
I wouldn't mind so much if people WERE paying for their kids out of their own pocket but as a tax payer I'm having to pay for them too!! I feel the very LEAST people can do is send their kids to school to get the education that I'm forced to pay for, not take them out so they can get a cheap holiday (probably paid for out of the child tax credits that guess what? my tax money pays for!!) whenever it suits them.
Its not tolerated by the people who choose not to pay the money, those that choose to do so under their own free will. Its a business model that will continue to work as long as there are customers, as soon as demand falls, so will prices, so yes, capitalism.
( I don't like it either but the consumer holds the key to the solution, no one else )
Last edited by JasonM; 14th May 2016 at 16:45.
Well, up to a point as in this case many consumers are held over a barrel because they have kids.
The key to their choice is thrown away by the State obliging them to stick to school holidays.
The really bugging aspect is that the bona fide parents are the ones easiest to rap on the knuckles. The least so are basically untouchable because the alternative is child services taking over parenting which is rather costly.
We are called to school if there is a dot failing on an i but when repeating gitano kids stay home for a week or two that is seen as a relief from their disruptive behavior.
Here's an idea.....
Each school should take all inset days in one stretch, allowing every school to have a extra week off during any period within the school year allowing children the chance to go away when other schools are still in term and hopefully paying in term hotel prices.
I guess inset days in one hit won't work for teachers.
And many parents would complain about an extra week of child care.
Ok bad idea.
I have no knowledge of such system being in use in Finland.
Here every municipality can within some boundaries decide how to allocate the yearly school days. Basically this means that the usual holiday week in autumn and the other holiday week in early spring are nationally spread out over two or three weeks both. As for off-season holidays, the accountable teacher can authorise up to a week of absence, headmaster can authorise longer periods.
I don't know, it's not down to me to solve, I'm simply flagging where I see the problem, like many others are. Are you disagreeing with me or do you feel that the travel companies are not at fault and are justified in hiking prices in this way, and that it is not a factor in this whole issue?
This blatant overpricing affects everyone who might want to take a holiday during the school holiday periods, not just parents and their kids, so the knock on affect of that is particularly disagreeable to the rest of us!
There is a monopolies commission which may be a stepping stone to addressing the issue.
So, I'd like to hear your take on the issue, and your solution...?
Last edited by pinpull; 14th May 2016 at 18:48.
I think there should be a credit system, so that so many flexible holiday days are awarded per pupil based on their attendance at school. At the same time, the sanctions for taking children out of school without the required credit should be made more severe. That would give some parents who lack it a bit of motivation for seeing that their kids do actually turn up at school. Most parents don't lack said motivation, I'm sure.
That guy Platt was an odious little turd. He had all the swaggering, self righteousness of a small man who'd found a loophole.
They are a business and so are justified to charge what they like, if people are willing to pay inflated prices in holiday times they will charge those prices. Are they exploiting the timetable, of course, but as I keep saying, don't like it, don't pay, they will adjust when they don't get the business, why would they if they don't need to?
We as a family haven't been abroad in 3 years due to costs, I choose not to go and holiday in the Uk. Actually, it's not just the holiday companies, the whole holiday industry is the same, from B and Bs to holiday lets to caravan parks.
Last edited by JasonM; 14th May 2016 at 19:23.
I'm an Anglo-Maltese dual national. Within living memory the Maltese government controlled or attempted to control the markets for a number of things, although in practice the free market often found ways to prevail, via loopholes or simple noncompliance. So yes, I do know a little about the subject. As this is G&D I don't want to get into a political debate. All I will say is, be careful what you wish for.
How's the UK government going to influence what hotels in other countries charge?
I don't doubt what you say but there's probably thousands of parents up and down the country who think and say the same thing yet their actions would probably demonstrate otherwise. Standards in modern society have eroded considerably and, logically, you have to lay the blame at the feet of many parents for the way they raise their children for that.
For me, I think many parents want it all. They want kids but don't want to sacrifice their lifestyle. They still want holidays but, because of the extra costs involved in holiday time, start thinking about taking their kids on holiday outside term time. Everyone knows these days that holidays are more expensive in school holiday periods so, if you have kids and want holidays, then that's the price you pay. Taking your kids out of school for a holiday is rarely because it's best for the kids but because it's best for the parents.
The fella has got his 15 minutes of fame.
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
A holiday is not a basic human right.
It galls (and costs) me. But I would think long and hard before taking my kids out of school to go somewhere warmer.
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