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Parents Complain About Longer Vacation
Categories: Holidays, Childcare, Education
Because Christmas fell on a Thursday this year and because Christmas Eve has always been a day off, the superintendent and the school board in Howard County, Maryland decided to add two days to the beginning of winter vacation and give students the entire Christmas week off. Now, you'd think that would be a good thing -- two extra days of vacation and, because Chanukah started on the 21st at sundown, students didn't have to worry about going to school the next day. The school district saved money too by not having to fire up the heaters for what surely would have been two days of very little learning and a whole lot of holiday excitement.As the vacation winds to a close, however, some parents are not thrilled about the extension. "This has been a long one," said Janet Constantino, a mother of two. "Do you feel those extra days? You'd better believe it." The county's main library in Columbia has been feeling the effects of the extra two days as well, with the parking lot filling up and higher-than-expected noise levels inside.
On the one hand, when I was in school, I would have taken any excuse for a day off. On the other hand, however, as a parent who has to scramble to find someone to watch my kids during vacations and on holidays, I can certainly understand parents' being disconcerted by two days of vacation they hadn't planned for. And on the other hand (doesn't every parent have three hands?), if I were a stay-at-home parent, I would definitely welcome the opportunity to spend more time with my kids.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jenn 1-05-2009 @ 10:45AM
I always had two weeks off for the holidays, starting at the beginning of the week of Christmas, and going back the Monday after New Years', whenever the days actually fell. Well, except when I was in private school for two years, then I had 4 weeks at home!
It would seem very weird to me if they did NOT have those days off! I do agree it's hard, though -- my 3-year-old is in preschool, and I work from home. She just went back to school today, after two weeks of me trying to work and care for her at the same time. We had a good time together, but I'll certainly get more done for my employer now that she's back in school!
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Pavlina 1-05-2009 @ 12:14PM
I am "fortunate", I had saved enough holiday time that I was able to take the entire two weeks off. It was a nice break for me, even as a working mom, I was able to spend the time with my children.
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Pavlina 1-05-2009 @ 12:19PM
Sorry, I didn't read the linked article before my above comment. I was SHOCKED by what I read there. Can't children entertain themselves? I mean, why the need to have them at the library to "waste" time until a movie starts? My children and I did chores around the house, we played games together, we saw a DVD on a few afternoons, we played video games together, we read stories, we had fun. We never even got around to doing some of the projects I had planned! I never felt like it was a chore to entertain my children. I was sorry to hear the tales of the mothers in that article who felt they had to go to such lengths to entertain their children.
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Karen 1-05-2009 @ 6:03PM
My husband and I are both fortunately enough to have the full two weeks off each year and we use the time to travel in addition to Christmas. I LOVE the time off and wish it were longer! I love having the time with the kids. I like sleeping in, snuggling in bed in pjs watching Christmas movies, making Christmas crafts, etc. We go to movies, ride bikes/scooters/new Christmas toys.
I always feel the same way about summer vacation. I'm never ready for it to end and always wonder about parents that are ready for it to be over.
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