D-Backs Dilemma

It depends on what's going in school that day....I tend to think a day of hooky every now and then does no great harm.
I let my son stay home from school the last day his aunt and cousin were here visiting with us......we didn't do anything special, but I thought since he only sees them once a year or so, and he's not really close to his other cousins that are in town, the time spent with family was more important. He made up what he missed the next day.....so it had no negative impact.

LET HIM GO TO THE GAME! You're not teaching him anything except his Uncle wants to take him to a ballgame. How sweet is that? We make such an issue out of things anymore. It's just a ballgame. He'll miss 3 maybe 4 hours of school. Hours! Out of how many YEARS of school?

Paz

I would let him go to the game. You can make sure he does his homework ahead of time so he won't get behind.

We just took our 2 boys to the D-backs last night and they had a blast.

You might want to check with his school to make sure it will be an excused absence. Personally, I think a parent has a right to say "I'm taking my child for the afternoon for this or that", but some schools may not agree. You don't want a mark on his record.

But, other that that, let the boy go to the game. He has an uncle that wants to spend time with him and that should be encouraged. I wish my brothers paid that much attention to their niece. Just let him know that this is something special and that he has to catch up the work.

Go D-Backs!

Let him go to the game with the uncle. The moms on this site advised me to let my 9-year-old miss a day of school to go to the Grand Canyon, and they were so right. The memories will last forever - and it was a great time for our family. Just make sure he's not missing anything big at school.

Karina Bland is raising her 9-year-old son in Tempe with a lot of love, humor and support from her friends and family. A longtime journalist covering child welfare and education issues for The Arizona Republic, she blogs about raising good kids.

Let him go to the game. Considering you're going to be making any and all future decisions as well regarding when it's okay and not okay to take off of school I don't think you're necessarily teaching him it's okay to take off from school for frivilous things. It's not like you're making a habit of it and he's taking a half a day off every other week to do "fun things" so I'm sure he's not going to get the impression that he can take off for fun things all the time.

Since he is a season ticket holder, are you able to ask him if he could take him to another game that wouldnt have to miss school? Its worth a shot at asking. If not...then...Yes, I would agree to let him go to the game as well. I just feel bad about the make up work. We took our two oldest kids out of school to go to Disneyland and the time it took to make up for those two days was crazy. Nonetheless, I would do it again. Good luck!

There is no way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one!

ok, my first thought was...it's a school day, no! But then i thought about it a little more and figure this could be a good lesson for your son. I say let him go to the game and have fun. But he also needs to know that he is still responsible for the school work he will miss while he is at the game.

The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and content with your knowledge.
~ Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)

I'm in the minority on this one. My parents taught us that you only missed school for illness, and I have carried that through to adulthood. If it was my child, I would say no thanks, he can't miss school for a baseball game.

I'd ask to see if he can go on another day. I know school's almost out, but going on an alternate date will show your son school is important.

Arizona Moms Editor Yvette Armendariz shares stories about raising her kids and tips for busy parents in her Time-starved (goddess) Mom blog. She and her husband are raising two children, ages 8 and 11.

I agree with letting him go. I give my daughter 1 "hookey" day a year. She can use it however she wants. Whenever she says she doesn't want to go to school (unless she's sick) I remind her she can use her day. It's amazing how many times she choses to go to school instead. Each year she's waited until the last month of school to use it.

Positive life experiences are never "non-essentials". The fact that your son has an Uncle that WANTS to, not only take him to a baseball game but bend the rules a little to do it, will make the day even more special.

I bet a few years from now your son will remember the special day with his Uncle and not the make up work he had to do.

I would let him go. That time spend with his uncle is something that he'll never forget.

jesshod is a mommy to 2 girls (ages 6 and 1) and is an arizonamoms.com discussion leader living in Surprise.

My son ended up with the flu and didn't go to school or the game... maybe next time?!?!?

Lovemy4 is a discussion leader for North Central Phoenix, tired mother of 4 great kids and wife to one great husband.

Life Lessons and time spent with family cannot all happen in a classroom. If he is doing well in school and this is a special event, I would allow my child to go. I would also be sure to include in the discussion that it is because of a special event and not an every day/week/month occurance.

soccermom of a 12 yr old boy and 15 yr old young lady