Is the US summer break too long?
By jonesy123
@jonesy123 (3948)
United States
June 9, 2008 8:06am CST
It looks like the summer breaks here in the US are usually somewhere around ten weeks. I think that is extremely long. I know some school districts have moved towards shorter breaks. It is certainly testing my patience as a parent, lol. But it is also difficult to get them used to going back to school and learning again. They tend to forget so much over the break and we have to work with them throughout the break to maintain their level of learning.
I'm originally from Germany and we only had six weeks summer break. As a child I even found that too long. I liked school;)
I would think six weeks is plenty. What do you think?
4 responses
@william2233 (225)
• Concord, California
28 Jun 08
As a resident of California, and a School custodian we need this time for summer cleaning of rooms, washing walls, lights doors and stripping floors and waxing them., then washing windows inside and out. We have 30 rooms and I and another person take care of this. only us two.
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
29 Jun 08
That's done elsewhere, too, even with the break being just six weeks for the summer. They just hire extra help sometimes or move some of the work to other breaks, which are usually a bit longer like two weeks of spring break instead of one. It can be done. My high/middle school had 36 classrooms and several other ones for specialty fields. There was only one custodian who took care of all. He got the work done and everything was always in top shape.
@embattledsparkle (1072)
• United States
3 Jul 08
As a kid, I didn't mind how long they were but as a parent, man....they sure are long! lol. I have two school age children, and one not. But then on the other hand, when school starts I start volunteering there so it is nice for me to have a break as well.
@nanayangel (7877)
• Philippines
12 Jun 08
Hi there Jonesy!
I am not really sure. It's also like that here in the Philippines. We get two months of summer vacation.
@ladym33 (10978)
• United States
3 Jul 08
I think the break time is fine. They only have a short time in their life to be kids. After that they will have work and responsibility until they die or are two old to do so. Why not let them have these short years to enjoy life a little bit. As a parent I relish having a couple of months with them, as soon they will be grown up and not around so much anymore.
