As the school holidays kick in throughout the year, we as parents are forced to decide whether or not we use these times to take time off work and go abroad or wait for the off-periods of the year.
Holidays, especially if you have family living in exotic countries, can cost a cost an arm, leg and a liver just to spend a couple weeks in the place you hold dearest to you. I for one would love my children to experience the background behind their upbringing and if this means that they have to experience this time during the school term, then so be it. But, here is where the problem lies, as if I want to take my child out of school to give her a real-life geographical trip, I am not able to.
The Government has now made it so they pretty much dictate every aspect of the way in which we raise ourselves and our children. We are told how much we should eat and drink, the weight we should be carrying and whether or not we are allowed to take our children out of school for a short period of time.
At the school’s discretion, they are able to authorise your child’s absence for 10 days, depending on the circumstances but, as my colleague recently experienced, even if you are going away for a family emergency, it still doesn’t mean that the school will authorise the time off! I’m not saying that we should take our children out of school without any purpose but how dare the Government dictate what we are able to do within the upbringing of OUR children!
When I speak to many young people about geography, half of them couldn’t even tell you where certain places in the world are and it’s very disappointing to think that many kids within our generation are just not acknowledging basic general knowledge. With fines being issued of up to £2500 for unauthorised absences and the economy making life’s little pleasures rise dramatically, is there any wonder why people can’t afford to go abroad on the dedicated school holidays? Let’s be realistic if a trip to Spain costs £70 in off-peak times, why would anyone want to pay £300 in peak times for the same experience?
I know there’s always the argument that if school teachers were to take time off for holidays during term-time, there would be an almighty uproar from all the parents but, considering teachers are able to have exactly the same holidays as their students, it would be rather cheeky for them to take a trip for anything other than an emergency.
There are still many schools who do not offer students the chance to go abroad within their studies and the likelihood is, depending on their financial situation, they may not be able to get a taste of the other side of the world. By incorporating a mini educational holiday into the school curriculum, could help to discourage those parents who frequently take time off.
You know those ones, where the child has had time off for every problem under the sun, which in turn makes it difficult for those with genuine issues to get authorisation.
If the Government could allocate a maximum of say 10 days per year annual leave, it would mean that both parties will be reaping the benefits, as the school will have a child who knows where they stand in terms of time off and the child will be able to get firsthand experience in regard to geography. The bottom line is, if I raise, feed and water the child until at least 18, I should be able to make decisions that can only benefit their life. Considering that the school is able to authorise 10 days off at their own discretion, why not make it a standard inclusion for parents to use?
Personally, I think the Government need to focus on getting the youths within our generation back on track instead of penalising the parents who take time to try and raise their children properly. Allowing children to acknowledge cultures and lifestyles from other communities and countries, can only add to their intelligence and will hopefully allow them to grow up become a responsible citizen.
Dr. Diahanne Rhiney's Blog 