I used to let my kids miss school for family travel. It's harder to pull off now that they're older.

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• I started pulling my kids out of school for travel when they were little.
• Traveling out of regular vacation meant I spent less money on tickets and hotels.
• Now that they are in high school, academics and sports are more important.

Growing up, I did not miss school. Maladies like Chickenpox and raging stomach bugs that didn't respond to ginger ale...