Summer vacation is ending and the kids are heading back to school. But going back to school have to mean the end of family vacations until next summer? Not necessarily, according to the people who joined our Aug. 23 TravelingMom Monday Twitter Party, #TMOM.

Is it okay to take kids out of school for family vacations? Turning trips into learning experiences, visiting educational places and taking advantage of off season travel are reasons enough to continue traveling during the school year for mom’s everywhere

Can you still travel once kids are in school?

@LibbyDowd: Travel is the number one priority for me for my kids…school is a close number two.

Our moms say that the older the kids get, the harder it gets to take them out of school…

@NomadicKids: We take the kids out all of the time to travel but they are little. I’m sure it gets tougher when they are older.

@TheWorldCalls: Gets more complicated now though. With high school kid in the mix it’s a little more challenging. She wants her own life! The nerve!

Do you take your kids out of school to travel?

 

@ramblingstump: Have never taken my 6 year old out of school to travel. We usually just do long weekends or vacations and a lot of summer travel!

@waterbluffy: No. Unless it’s an educational trip.

 

@collegevisit: Now that my kids are older, I wish I had taken them out of school for travel more often. They become young adults way too soon!

Traveling during the school year may mean less crowds and lower prices…

@GoBIG_GoHome: I won’t do Disney any other way. Must be while everyone else is in school!

 

What’s your favorite fall weekend trip?

@GoBIG_GoHome: Corn, apples, fall foliage…love it all! A nearby farm has world’s largest garden gnome, “Chomsky.”

@Lorraine_TLA: The apple orchard! Especially ones with pony rides, hay rides, jungle gyms, apple donuts, cider, pie, caramel apples and plain old apples.

@EscapeMaker: Leaving kids with husband, getting girlfriends to join me on the trail of flea markets and antique shows.

 

At what ages is it easiest is it easiest to take kids out of school to travel?

 

The moms all agree the younger the kids, the easier it is to take out of school…

@waterbluffy: Guessing K-3 is easiest.

@collegevisit: Taking kids out of school for travel is easiest before they start middle school. More complicated later.

@WeekendInParis: I would not take them out when in high school- they miss too much info & hard to recover. Only when little w/out homework.

Should travel be educational if kids are missing school?

 

Our moms are definitely up for having learning experiences on vacation…

@EscapeMaker: Some “educational” destinations are really fun, like Williamsburg, VA or Sturbridge Village, MA.

@cruise_slinger: All travel is educational. Even a trip to the Caribbean to snorkel can be educational even if the kids don’t know about it.

@CascadiaKids: We’re huge fans of museums, history, etc. So it’s never a problem.

Do you take girlfriend tips when kids are in school? Where and for how long?

@CruizeBuzz: Any excuse to travel is a great one.

@LibbyDowd: GF trips are essential. Fitting them in is not easy but make it happen for sanity sake.

But sometimes being a mom means not having much time for a social life…

 

@bctripletmom: Nope…what ‘girlfriends’? At least I have a couple friends in kids friends’ mom now. J

How do you book affordable trips during school vacays?

@collegevisit: Book early!

@kimorlando: Off season is the best way to get deals on travel. You pay in making up work but get to really relax. No crowds.

@travelingmoms: Do the research. There are deals to be had. But you have to look around.

 

How do your kids travel back and forth to college?

 

@travlersbarista: Thank goodness I’ve got a ways to before thinking about that! Although college isn’t a requirement for my kids.

@CindyRichards: No kids in college yet, but I expect we’ll be driving since they’ll be going to state schools…

Do you book vacation around taking your kids to college?

@travelingmoms: I would book a vacay around anything. Don’t even need a reason….

@kimorlando: Knowing myself, yes, I will likely book vacays around college visits.

@EscapeMaker: Too early w/ my own kids, but I remember after my grad, traveling to VT and Quebec with my family. Good times!

 Join us every Monday at 9 p.m. ET on Twitter for TravelingMom Monday. Aug. 30 topic: Labor Day and 3-day weekend trips.

< Prev		Next >