Comments on: What summer does to brain cells

By: Leslie

Leslie — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 05:36:17 +0000

Vacations are definitely necessary, but I can tell you, my husband and my mother are both in the percentage of employees who don’t take all the vacation they have. And when they do schedule some, the guilt they feel is horrendous. It is a good day or two into it before they actually feel “on vacation.” But, with the company issued laptops and cell phones…a vacation is never really a vacation. It really is a sad trend, especially for families.

By: yolanda

yolanda — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:20:09 +0000

I just found your blog and will be returning again. We are from similar backgrounds and ages .

By: SusieJ

SusieJ — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:19:29 +0000

Maybe the teachers don't know "everything." I'm glad to hear so many of you think vacations are still a way to learn about life. And yes, maybe they fall behind in the classroom -- but the classroom is not life.

But that said, I do put a strong emphasis on education in our family -- and we spend lots of time reading, and I through them math problems in terms of what we are spending, versus how much we have, etc. So, yes, you have to work on it.

But, parents and children are seeing a huge shrink in vacation.

By: Mommy off the Record

Mommy off the Record — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:16:18 +0000

I’m with you on this! I have long been perturbed by the fact that adults get far less vacation time and work longer hours than adults in other industrialized countries. It just doesn’t seem right. Now they’re trying to scale back school vacations too! I totally agree with you that kids and families need a good break from school and work to be together. It’s more imporant than a few extra days in the office or the classroom.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:01:13 +0000

Susie you are so therapeutic to me and you don’t even know it!
My daughter is incredibly gifted-her writing amazes me, her drawing astounds me, her words…well, I don’t have words for them. But one teacher once gave her a negative complex about math and she’s struggled with it ever since. Even though when I work on it with her, she catches up easily. So when her teachers suggested summer school and it was going to involve lots of rushing around, and cut into kid play time…well, I said no way. I told them that I’d work with her this summer-and I have. Not nearly as much as I should have mind you, but we sure have been enjoying our summer vacation! I’ve felt a bit guilty that she may struggle and be even more behind in the fall-but you know what-we’ll work on that then. Our relationship and her childhood mean more to me-the Math facts will come. Thanks for this post.

By: MotherPie

MotherPie — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:46:53 +0000

I think vacations are so healthy. We should all be like the French and take a month, visit with family and have real down time. You are lucky to give this sort of break to your family.

By: creative-type dad

creative-type dad — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:36:08 +0000

I’m a big believer in summer vacations. Those were my happiest times growing up, and definitely something I want my daughter to experience too.

By: slouching mom

slouching mom — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:09:49 +0000

that should read their families’ farms, oops

By: slouching mom

slouching mom — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:08:33 +0000

What a gorgeous and happy picture!

This is a confusing issue. I think the summer as it is is maybe too long — it was originally set at 10 or so weeks because children were needed to work on their family’s farms.

I think the European model has some merit — 4 or 5 two-week vacations spaced throughout the year…

By: louann

louann — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:49:49 +0000

I am always on vacation – so maybe I should be the model employee then?
As I continue to learn, I have realized that a lot of things are learned outside the confines of the classroom.
And I love the picture of the cousins – how does the little girl catch up with all the activities of the boys?