Comments on: Holiday breaks http://www.geekymomblog.com/2009/12/22/holiday-breaks/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:42:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Elizabeth http://www.geekymomblog.com/2009/12/22/holiday-breaks/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Elizabeth Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:07:45 +0000 http://www.geekymomblog.com/?p=1875#comment-89 We were supposed to have school until this afternoon, but this week was snowed out. We were supposed to have school until this afternoon, but this week was snowed out.

]]> By: Laura http://www.geekymomblog.com/2009/12/22/holiday-breaks/comment-page-1/#comment-88 Laura Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:33:14 +0000 http://www.geekymomblog.com/?p=1875#comment-88 Good point, Janice. When I was a staff person, we had the week between Christmas and New Year's off without having to use up our time. And because we had use it or lose it vacation time, many people had days they needed to use before the end of the year. There were many years where I basically had most of the month of December off. We had a generous amount of vacation time, though, so that after just a year of working there, many people had 3-4 weeks of just vacation time. And because I ran a summer program, I didn't take a lot of time in the summer. But I know many places just don't give that kind of time. Daycare centers are usually open until the 23rd, of course, and barring that, for school aged kids, I'd guess that one would have to hire sitters. At least the high schoolers would be available! :) Good point, Janice. When I was a staff person, we had the week between Christmas and New Year’s off without having to use up our time. And because we had use it or lose it vacation time, many people had days they needed to use before the end of the year. There were many years where I basically had most of the month of December off. We had a generous amount of vacation time, though, so that after just a year of working there, many people had 3-4 weeks of just vacation time. And because I ran a summer program, I didn’t take a lot of time in the summer. But I know many places just don’t give that kind of time. Daycare centers are usually open until the 23rd, of course, and barring that, for school aged kids, I’d guess that one would have to hire sitters. At least the high schoolers would be available! :)

]]> By: Janice http://www.geekymomblog.com/2009/12/22/holiday-breaks/comment-page-1/#comment-87 Janice Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:17:32 +0000 http://www.geekymomblog.com/?p=1875#comment-87 Our girls' last day of school was Friday so they have two full weeks off. Even though we're not travelling anywhere, it's nice (though I would like more time on my own to tackle the grading work without interruption or to feel like less of a monster when I vacuum the house from top to bottom). But it's hard if your own work doesn't give you this flexible scheduling. If you have two weeks of vacation the entire year or even three, how will you manage? Especially with kids too young or needy to be left home alone? Our girls’ last day of school was Friday so they have two full weeks off. Even though we’re not travelling anywhere, it’s nice (though I would like more time on my own to tackle the grading work without interruption or to feel like less of a monster when I vacuum the house from top to bottom).

But it’s hard if your own work doesn’t give you this flexible scheduling. If you have two weeks of vacation the entire year or even three, how will you manage? Especially with kids too young or needy to be left home alone?

]]> By: Laura http://www.geekymomblog.com/2009/12/22/holiday-breaks/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Laura Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:41:30 +0000 http://www.geekymomblog.com/?p=1875#comment-86 That's true, Christiana. I definitely like having the time to myself. :) That’s true, Christiana. I definitely like having the time to myself. :)

]]> By: Christiana http://www.geekymomblog.com/2009/12/22/holiday-breaks/comment-page-1/#comment-85 Christiana Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:03:48 +0000 http://www.geekymomblog.com/?p=1875#comment-85 On the flip side, all I can say is thank goodness! My own work teaching and grading college just ended, and I *need* these three days with both kids (6 and 3) in elementary and pre-school so that I can do the gift shopping, cookie baking, card writing, decorating, wrapping, etc! On the flip side, all I can say is thank goodness! My own work teaching and grading college just ended, and I *need* these three days with both kids (6 and 3) in elementary and pre-school so that I can do the gift shopping, cookie baking, card writing, decorating, wrapping, etc!

]]> By: human http://www.geekymomblog.com/2009/12/22/holiday-breaks/comment-page-1/#comment-78 human Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:03:41 +0000 http://www.geekymomblog.com/?p=1875#comment-78 Yeah, my parents would have made their travel plans without regard to that schedule and pulled me out of school if necessary. Yeah, my parents would have made their travel plans without regard to that schedule and pulled me out of school if necessary.

]]> By: What Now? http://www.geekymomblog.com/2009/12/22/holiday-breaks/comment-page-1/#comment-75 What Now? Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:33:10 +0000 http://www.geekymomblog.com/?p=1875#comment-75 My nieces, in publish school in my home state, are on the same schedule as your kids. Quite frankly, as a teacher I look at that schedule and immediately anticipate major absences this short week, because anyone who's traveling for Christmas is going to want to leave earlier than Christmas Eve, and not a whole lot of instruction goes on when one must anticipate so many absences. At that point, I'd show a movie in class or something. At my independent school, glory be, we do get two full weeks of break -- hallelujah! Actually, the students get a little bit longer; their last day was the 17th and their first day back is the 5th, but I'm sure in part that's because we have international students who go back home for the break. My nieces, in publish school in my home state, are on the same schedule as your kids. Quite frankly, as a teacher I look at that schedule and immediately anticipate major absences this short week, because anyone who’s traveling for Christmas is going to want to leave earlier than Christmas Eve, and not a whole lot of instruction goes on when one must anticipate so many absences. At that point, I’d show a movie in class or something.

At my independent school, glory be, we do get two full weeks of break — hallelujah! Actually, the students get a little bit longer; their last day was the 17th and their first day back is the 5th, but I’m sure in part that’s because we have international students who go back home for the break.

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