ROMULUS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Mid-winter break is only a couple weeks away for many students. Still, it's common to see families getting away now, even if it means skipping a few days of school.
Watch Jolie's report below
While some families are just gone for a week, one family we spoke to will be gone longer than that.
"I’ve really been looking forward to this for a while," said a member of the Newhook family (right)
“I’m taking a sabbatical, so I’m taking a semester off from teaching, so we’re taking the kids along with us," said Nora Newhook. “We’re a taking a month-long trip, a family trip."
We looked closer, asking families on social media whether they usually go on trips during the school year or wait for the breaks. The response was huge; our post got over 1,400 comments, with some saying they keep their kids in school, but most say they take the trip.
That's how we met the Stratton family.
“I have a 3rd, a 5th, and a 7th grader, so taking them out of school early isn’t a decision we came to lightly," said Melissa Stratton.
Melissa and her family just came back from a 10-day trip to Hawaii.
“There’s a little more stress and anxiety when you take kids on a vacation with everybody else in the world. So when you take them during an off-peak time, you get to experience the culture and the vibes, way more authentically," she said.
For many families, a key factor is cost. Traveling outside of school breaks tends to be much more affordable. In fact, a travel pro we spoke to says off-peak travel can save you thousands.
Rachel Butcher is both a travel agent and a preschool teacher. Because she can't travel outside her school's scheduled breaks, she says she's paying nearly three times more for her trip.
“Price and lower crowds are huge reasons why people book during off season," Butcher said. “We had to modify our cruise to go on Spring Break… We’re paying $6,800 for a cruise for three as opposed to going in February, when we did want to go, for a little under $3,000.”
But is going away during school days disruptive? Educators we spoke to say no.
“There’s no real disruption. They want them to go spend this time with their family and to have these experiences," Butcher said.
"They were completely on board," Newhook, a college professor, said of her kids' teachers. "They were fine with not giving them any work. We're just going to take a little break and see the world."
