When to keep kids home from school

[wona]

Hi, I am new here so please bear with me. My fiancee and I just had a beautiful baby girl August 11 2010. My fiancee has 2 older kids, one boy (10) and one girl (12). Sometimes my fiancee lets her kids stay home from school "just because" and I do not feel like it is right. Every teacher I have ever asked whether or not they think keeping your kid home from school "just because" is ok or not has told me more or less "absolutely not!". I want to talk to my fiancee about this since I feel it is very important to go to school every day unless you are sick and or contagious. The subject came up this morning and I feel like she is going to push back and not respect my feelings on the subject. I told her I don't mind what she does with her kids since they are her's but I do not want my daughter to miss days "just because" even if she is getting straight A's. Does anyone out there have some thoughts good or bad to share on the subject?

[addies_mom22]

my mom used to let us stay home in extreme weather (sweltering heat, thunderstorm, or snow) or if we were sick, but not just because. I think kids should go to school every day unless one of the aforementioned circumstances doesn't permit it. the kids'll mis school, not get caught up, fall behind, and learn that whenever they don't feel like doing something, it's okay to not do it.

[Newmom!]

I am a teacher and it is very hard to have a child absent. There is more work on the teacher when a child is absent. School funding is based not only on enrollment numbers, but on the percent of children who attend on any given day. In our school, if we increase the number of children who attend on an average day by 1% we could get enough funding to be equivalent to hiring another teacher - reducing the crowding in the classrooms. So, the schools have these and more reasons to want children to come to school (when healthy of course).

Also, on the children's side, being allowed to stay home "just because" instills a terrible work ethic. In many respects schooling needs to be treated like a job. Employees can't miss work "just cuz" or they would be laid off. There are many valid reasons to miss school, but just not wanting to go is not one of them.

If the children are frequently avoiding school, then it is time to see if there is another problem that needs to be addressed, maybe their is a bully, or the child doesn't feel like they fit in, or maybe a fight with a friend, or a test to take or a project to do. All of these are problems that need to be addressed in order to continue to raise a well adjusted child. Good luck in figuring out what to do when in your household.