Monday, February 16, 2009

This may or may not be a blog post

I'm really really busy and my small humans are on vacation from school.

Somebody explain to me why they can't have 2 weeks off at the holidays instead of a week in February? They have no time off in March and then a week again in April. School is out in mid-June. I've been told that 1) the teachers need the February break and 2) the break is necessary to avoid seasonal illnesses. I'm not a teacher so I don't know if they really NEED a week off in February. I know that teaching is a very challenging and difficult job. But if we go by that criteria lots of people should have a lot more vacations! I was also unaware that seasonal illnesses peaked in the 3rd week of February each year. I find that argument for a February break to be a bit on the suspect side. I've never seen anything that backs this up. My experience is, with just 2 kids in school, that seasonal illnesses are around for the entire season. But I'm not an epidemiologist, so really don't know what illness distribution is during the winter season.

And while I don't understand why my small humans have a vacation this week, I have to say that I'm glad they are home! Even with all the noise, distraction, bickering, not listening (this list is endless!), I like having them home. I feel joy when they are around.

So now that I have not blogged, I'm going to go see what the small humans are doing (it's noisy, whatever it is), give them some hugs, and take them to the bookstore. I'll bring them back home with me also. ;)

Some recent pictures of the small humans:

Daughter with Sherrilyn Kenyon at NYCC (notice the horns)


Son on the train to NYCC

Qwill's Qwestions: Do your small humans have an odd vacation schedule? or Just leave a comment!

16 comments:

  1. Being a homeschool family I think we may have the oddest, or at least most irregular, schedule.

    We didn't take as many breaks when the kids were little, then arranged our schedule so that when their friends were out of school they would have some free time, and now that most of their friends are older and heading out on their own it is a mix of the two.

    So to answer your question.... I don't know.

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  2. Oh and wanted to tell you how CUTE you kidlets are! Very cute!!

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  3. Thanks, Eva! The schedules vary so much from school system to school system, I've rarely been able to coordinate vacations, especially with my friends in Europe. We just wait for summer break!

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  4. Thanks!! I think that they are cute too. :) Although we all know that son uses that to his advantage!

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  5. My small human (who in reality is taller than I am) has today off from school for a teacher in service, but he has to attend the rest of the week.

    He will get a week for spring break, but then nothing until the summer.

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  6. Like Eva, we're homeschooling, so our schedule is what we want it to be.
    The kids around us are in school today to make up for the second week of being out due to Ike. We continued schoolwork during that time, so I'm not too worried about it. Heck, I might go for another week of no power, they get more done around here, lol.
    Hope you have a wonderful week with your small humans home, they are adorable...

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  7. I'll never understand the way the school districts do things. However, my girls attend a year-round school so because of their track, they got out of school on Dec 19 and went back Jan 26. I think your schedule is better! ROFL So glad you're enjoying your time with them, even if they're driving you nuts. And great pics as well!

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  8. When we lived in Las Vegas, our kids were in a year-round school, which gave us a really weird vacation schedule. The up side, they went to school in the summer! The down side, they were home for a week here and there throughout the whole year.

    Reid has today off from school. I appreciated not having to drag my carcass outta bed to take him to school. Working while he's home ... yeah, not so much.

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  9. Hi, Sandi. I'm always amazed by the variations in school schedules. My kids have one extra day off most months for teacher in service days. This is new this year and extends the school year a bit.

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  10. Thank you, Redheaded Mama! It should be a good week except for the part when they have to clean their rooms! :)

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  11. Wow, Crazy Lady. I don't think I could take them being couped up in the house for a month+ long winter break. Summer is better for those long breaks. I don't think we'll ever go to a year round schedule here.

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  12. Hi, Michele. I'm looking forward to not having to get anyone ready for school for the week. I'll still be up early but it will certainly be less hectic. I may even sleep late one or two days!

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  13. My small human (though at barely 7 y.o. and already 4'8" tall, this is a relative term…) had today off for President's Day. Though I didn't get paid time-and-a-half for working today, which is freaking unfair if you ask me. They've also had a half-hour early release the past two Wednesdays in a row "to allow teachers time to assess their writing portfolios." If first-graders HAVE writing portfolios, it's news to me. *rolling eyes* But yeah, I'm with you on that seasonal illness BS. I'm no epidemiologist myself, but coming from a long line of asthmatics I can tell you that flu season is from November through April, generally speaking. Nothing special about the third week of February that I know of. Anyhoo, your small humans are adorable, Qwill, enjoy having them home.

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  14. Love the pics, your kids are adorable.

    That is just a weird time to have a vacation. I'd think 2 weeks at christmas/new year would be better, but what do I know lol.

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  15. My DH is a highschool teacher, he is off this week. Our two kids (11 &13) go to school in the same district and are also off this week. We will also get the week before Easter off. School will end in mid-june. My Dh was glad to get this week off. We are not doing anything special, just catching up on dr and dentist visits.

    Lisa

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  16. My small grand-human doesn't get a winter break. She gets spring break in March or april this year, I forget which. And it's only 5 days, not 2 weeks. I'd better find out which month it is because she's TOLD me I'm taking her to Florida for spring break. She is eight going on twenty-eight. LOL

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