child’s extracurricular activities. “Avoid planning a vacation
during performances for drama students or playoff season for
student athletes.”
And of course, do as my family did—review the school-year
calendar and plan a vacation around teacher workdays and
student holidays.

• Consider the child’s age and grade level. Elementary-school
students will be less affected by absences than middle-school
students. Once kids are in high school, Goodwill warns, “They
can miss a significant amount of curriculum in only a few days.”
• Think about the student’s personality and grades. “If the child’s
academic record is not satisfactory or he or she does not have
good organizational skills, parents should reconsider placing
additional stress on the child to make up work,” Joseph says.

• Discuss travel plans with older kids. Goodwill herself is a mother
of three, including two teenagers. “The idea of missing several
days of school is a source of anxiety for the teens,” she says. So,
if you can, involve older kids in trip planning and talk with them
about whether they’d even want to miss school.

• Give teachers as much notice as possible. That way, they’ll be
able to get your child any materials they’ll need in advance. If
you want to be proactive, check to see if their teachers post
classwork on a website such as Schoology. The more work your
child can do ahead of time, the less behind he or she will fall
during the trip. But be realistic about asking teachers for extra
work. Sometimes, they just don’t have time to prepare extra
assignments for your child to complete before or during the trip.

Fall Ahead This Autumn!
Move your children forward—toward school readiness,
social-emotional growth, stronger literacy, friends
and fun—with Ashburn and Sterling Early Learning
Academies. We have programs for children
ages 6 months to 12 years.

SCHEDULE A TOUR TODAY!
elacommunity.com Early Learning
Academies Maximizing the Learning Potential of a
School-Year Vacation
PALM TREES: MAGLYVI / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS;
SUITCASE: BIBIGON / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS
• Allow kids to help plan the trip. This can be a great opportunity
to teach children about organization, time management
and budgeting.

• Make connections to your child’s curriculum. Museums, historic
sites, and national parks are all great places to visit. During our
Hawaii trip, we visited Pearl Harbor, learned how pineapples
and other fruits grow at the Dole Plantation and observed rock
formations on a mountain hike—all things my kids had learned
about in school and could now see in real life.

• Find learning opportunities wherever you can. Traveling
mishaps such as delayed flights, lost luggage, language barriers
and more can teach kids flexibility, patience and resilience.

Seeing how other cultures live can increase empathy and
tolerance. Even a trip to the beach can teach kids about topics
such as sea life, ecology and conservation.

Most of all, remember to have fun. The biggest travel benefit of
all is the opportunity to spend time together as a family, de-stress
and recharge your batteries. School—and work—will be there
waiting when you return! T
WashingtonFAMILY.com 17