As schools break for half term, parents are eager to get the family away on a nice holiday, giving the little ones some well needed time off.
But package prices during the peak season often skyrocket, tempting parents to book at quieter times. Some may even have no choice but to book during term time when their kids should be in school.
One mum thought this was the answer to her holiday troubles, but her plan sparked debate when she shared it online. In a recently re-surfaced post on parenting forum Netmums, the woman explained that she could not afford to take her family away unless they made a term-time trip.
But responders were quick to remind the mum that parents can face fines for taking children out of school without permission and that absences can disrupt a child's education. As such, she had come up with a plan in the hope of getting around the problem, the Mirror reports.
The mum's post read: "My son is four 1/2 and in foundation year at school. We want to take a holiday in June for two reasons.
"1 - we simply cant afford a holiday out of term time. 2 -husband and myself work full time and this is the only time we can both take time off work.
"My question is how do I go about wording a request for absence [sic] from the school? Are our reasons enough to get it authorised? Or should we just call him in sick that week?
"He started in the attached nursery 18 months ago and since then has only taken 2 days off."
However, parents could not agree on the right course of action.
One commenter thought: "I have taken my kids out of school for holidays and I don't see a problem with it, I only do it the week or two before the start of the summer hols - they don't do much before they break up anyway and they both have high attendance so even if we get a letter stating it's unauthorised absence, nothing will come of it due to their good attendance.
"As for saving up to go in the school holidays......why should we pay more to go to the same place????"
But another said: "What if everyone did that though? The schools would be mostly empty in the last 2 weeks before school holidays .... They might as well just extend the summer holidays by 2 weeks and then the holiday companies would put the prices up for those two weeks as well."
However, others suggested age plays a factor.
"At four, your child will mostly be playing at school anyway. I would have no problem taking a primary school child out of school in term time, perhaps different when at high school," read one such reply.
And someone pointed out: "If he's not yet five, then legally he doesn't have to be in school, so no authorisation will be required. Just a letter telling the school when he is going to be off on holiday."
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