Why is winter vacation a full week?

amother

Topaz

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 3:39 am

Ds asd was off Dec 23- Jan 2. Dh and I were also off, since we're both on DOE schedule, but the first day back after every vacation, ds wakes up 3-4 am eager to go to school. It's not good to be off for so long. Some kids really need structure. I ended up taking him to my parents and grandparents almost every day.

amother

↑ Mustard

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 3:44 am

amother OP wrote:

How old are your kids and what are you doing for winter break?

They're not older than 7 so maybe easier to please but it can get exhausting but I made a plan. We're staying home as usual but we try to go out every day for at least an hour. At the end of the day, they're my kids and I try to create pleasant memories amid the unstructured long days. We end up having a good time.

I understand the frustration but it makes no sense to ask the school to change their plans or other parents to forego their vacation just because it might not suit us.

School is there for education, not to keep your kids entertained whilst you work. If you do work, take time off if you can like I'm doing, get hired help like others or family can pitch in if you have any. We don't have family nearby but people who do can help each other out.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 3:50 am

amother Mustard wrote:

It’s very different when your kids are older. I also try to create good memories but it’s a lot harder with so many ages and stages

And yes I can work and get hired help but then it’s even longer unstructured time for my teens.
I’m not asking the school to babysit my kids (my teens don’t need babysitting), I’m saying that the parent body comprises of more than just those going away and it puts an undue pressure on those families. The other school in our area has Thursday- Monday. An unstructured week is really hard for teens too, not only parents

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 4:03 am

amother Trillium wrote:

In the UK, we have 2 weeks

I feel for you. I was once listening to a speech by Esther Hamilton and she was saying how there is so much time off in the schools she moved to Miami, much more than in England. So I assumed England has less. Maybe it was the between camp/ school.

What do people do for those 2 full weeks?

amother

↑ Antiquewhite ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:20 am

Honestly, op you want to complain and vent which is ok but you need to take some ownership too. An unstructured week is great for kids and it’s your job as a parent to take care of your kids and give them good memories.

You can’t outsource everything to schools. If you don’t have a week together when are you spending time together. A lot of people aren’t going away and have no extra funds but are looking forward to this time. You need to stop complaining and try to make this better.

Not for us, but for your kids sake who deserve a vacation from school.

You can throw tomatoes, I’m making a salad for lunch. Hiding

amother

Broom ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:21 am

If your kids make a mess but are happy playing what’s the big deal. My kids made crazy messes when little now I wish they played not always on devices. Mid winter does not have to cost a lot my kids are in a school that everyone goes to Florida (and Israel) guess what we don’t . Sometimes we do a small trip when my teens were younger I would find all the kids who were also home and we would do play dates and sleepovers . Sometimes my kid would be invited on a day trip sometimes I would take an extra kid. Every thing is what you make of it yes I believe kids need brakes if your kids needs structure then you do that for them . We have pictures of us going on vacations which I always get creative with and pics of us doing fun things at home . By the way taking turns making of helping make dinner is always a hit .

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:28 am

amother Antiquewhite wrote:

Why is it great for kids? Of course it’s my job to take care of my kids but it doesn’t mean I need to be ok with them having a whole week off.
Maybe some kids do well with no structure. 3 of mine do not. I’m not trying to outsource everything, I’m wondering why vacation needs to be so long that’s all!
Why can’t I be not ok with this situation?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:29 am

amother Broom wrote:

Thanks a mess is ok but when it’s an entire week of mess after mess it’s overwhelming. Unfortunately my kids literally have no friends around, everyone is away. Literally. So they’re home with no friends and no structure. Sure they can help make dinner but a whole week of this is just too much

amother

↑ Antiquewhite

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:35 am

amother OP wrote:

It’s great for kids! To spend time together and create memories and have a break from school. School is hard and long, vacation is nice. Please change your mindset fast for your kids.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:38 am

amother NeonPurple wrote:

Can your teens entertain your little ones while you work, and then you take them on a smaller trip in the evenings? (Toboggoning, chuck e cheese, bowling...)

Their necessary vacation that everyone here is saying is so important should be them waking up early and babysitting for half the day? Why is that important for them?

amother

Honeydew ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:38 am

I feel like this thread is split between working mothers with no time off snd mothers that either don’t work or have lots of flexibility or can just take time off with no repercussions.

Ppl are struggling to see the other side.

Saying just deal with it is like telling a hard working mother struggling financially to ‘let them eat cake’

amother

↑ Chestnut

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:40 am

amother Antiquewhite wrote:

Or schools can do what works for many of us who only have 2-3 days off. And it’s a great break for our kids and longer is completely not necessary.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:42 am

amother Antiquewhite wrote:

It’s great for kids! To spend time together and create memories and have a break from school. School is hard and long, vacation is nice. Please change your mindset fast for your kids.

What if I’m working, what kind of memories are we having then?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:48 am

amother Antiquewhite wrote:

It’s great for kids! To spend time together and create memories and have a break from school. School is hard and long, vacation is nice. Please change your mindset fast for your kids.

Where is the research that kids who have an unstructured week off actually fare better than kids with an extended weekend?
Extended weekend at least if you go away for shabbos most of vacation is already filled. Or you can one thing Thursday, then it’s shabbos and then one thing Monday and then back to school. There is no need for a week.
Especially for working Moms- in that week kids are just home with nothing to do. Why is that good?

amother

↑ Broom

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 6:00 am

amother OP wrote:

sometimes it good do just do nothing not to wake up not to be sitting at a desk not to be on all day. don’t you like days off from work? I think it’s good for people to learn and be comfortable having some chill days . For my kids not being in school is a breath of fresh air yes some parts of my day are harder but it’s nice for them.and I already know which kid will drive me insane but no hw is a party .
my hs girls basically have no school now for 3 weeks they go in take a midterm have study days but they go in for like 3 hours and come back yes there is a lot of work but they are home and I work from home I think they have 5-6 midterms

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 6:07 am

amother Broom wrote:

The key here is some. I like a day off here and there. A whole week is not the same