Overseas travel with a child in primary school

[Xrayspice]

I've been going to Pattaya since 2003 and I really do not see what you see.

I see lots of organised golf, plenty of western restaurants, Thai street food, western street food, markets everywhere you look. Oh and there's a sex scene that's gradually pushed out past Second Road to Soi Buakhow and even Third Road and if tourism picks up and is successful it may even get pushed out to Sukhumvit Highway.

I'm stunned that all you saw was sex tourists.

Define sex tourists? My first 2 visits to Pattaya were for work and then a visit to Bangkok for work. Went back to Pattaya twice after to spend time with my then Thai girlfriend and discovered golf. I was hooked. A few failed relationships along the way, 1st time marriage at 51, first child at 52. What more could I ask?

By the way I've lost count but I've easily been to Thailand 70-80 times with most of those visits including Pattaya. I'm not a sex tourist am I?

My friend is 64 years old and he plays golf and he's now retired in Thailand. He lived in Pattaya, then Jomtien and now built a house out Ban Chang way. He's been with a Thai caddie for the past 5-6 years. Sex tourists?

Another friend is 74. He's been with a Thai lady 15 years. He has made so many friends there that there's usually a decent size group at the Aussie bar drinking and telling yarns. Sex tourists?

The guy that used to own the golf bar where I play golf came to Thailand nearly 30 years ago with GBP 2000 and he built a successful business that's still going today. He passed away a few years ago. Sex tourist?

Pattaya can be a very lovely place if you know where to go.

If you and your friends are paying for sex, then you are sex tourists.

 

[JohnK]

If you and your friends are paying for sex, then you are sex tourists.

Who said any of us pay for sex? My wife was a housekeeper. One client was US missionaries, another the wife of a high US Consul official and another a rich Scottish investor for 1 day a week.

I remember one of the first times I was working in Thailand one of the office workers took a fancy to me. People see Farangs with Thai ladies and all of a sudden assume paying for sex.

When you see a place like Pattaya bar girls a small percentage of the people there.

Business owners, shop and office staff, street food, hotel staff, dentists, optometrists, pharmacies, laundries, hospitals, market stalls, beauty salon, barbers, tattoo parlours, restaurants, bistros, taxi drivers etc. These are the overwhelming majority.

To say Pattaya is full of sex tourists is naive. It shows a lack of understanding of the place.

Chiang Mai is boring. The village where I am building house is boring.

What I enjoy is walking past where all the bars are located. I love walking on the street with my family, beer in hand and seeing the place alive. I love the noise. I love the music. We sit on the beach, my daughter plays with the sand and there are 3 bars across the road with live music and we choose which one has music we like.

This is my ideal holiday. Doesn't mean I won't visit other places but this is my go to place.

 

[love_the_life]

If you and your friends are paying for sex, then you are sex tourists.

I didn't see any indication at all that JohnK or friends were paying for sex and the comment is a somewhat derogatory assertion IMO.

 

[Gladstone Tim]

I read Xrayspice’s comment as simply being a definition, not referring to JohnK or any other poster particularly.

 

[Xrayspice]

I didn't see any indication at all that JohnK or friends were paying for sex and the comment is a somewhat derogatory assertion IMO.
[/QUOTE

Not derogatory, JohnK asked several time if his friend were sex tourists.

I clarified what sex tourists were, I didn’t accuse anyone.

 

[Xrayspice]

I didn't see any indication at all that JohnK or friends were paying for sex and the comment is a somewhat derogatory assertion IMO.

My friend is 64 years old and he plays golf and he's now retired in Thailand. He lived in Pattaya, then Jomtien and now built a house out Ban Chang way. He's been with a Thai caddie for the past 5-6 years. Sex tourists?

Another friend is 74. He's been with a Thai lady 15 years. He has made so many friends there that there's usually a decent size group at the Aussie bar drinking and telling yarns. Sex tourists?

The guy that used to own the golf bar where I play golf came to Thailand nearly 30 years ago with GBP 2000 and he built a successful business that's still going today. He passed away a few years ago. Sex tourist?

My reply was to these questions regarding sex tourists?

 

[love_the_life]

My friend is 64 years old and he plays golf and he's now retired in Thailand. He lived in Pattaya, then Jomtien and now built a house out Ban Chang way. He's been with a Thai caddie for the past 5-6 years. Sex tourists?

Another friend is 74. He's been with a Thai lady 15 years. He has made so many friends there that there's usually a decent size group at the Aussie bar drinking and telling yarns. Sex tourists?

The guy that used to own the golf bar where I play golf came to Thailand nearly 30 years ago with GBP 2000 and he built a successful business that's still going today. He passed away a few years ago. Sex tourist?

My reply was to these questions regarding sex tourists?

I really don't understand where you get the idea that these people are sex tourists. I think it is a totally unfounded assertion. There is no indication that any of these people have ever paid for sex (as you state makes them a sex tourist). I can't see why you are keeping on with the statement particularly as it has nothing to do with the topic under discussion in this thread.

 

[serfty]

[Moderator hat]

This thread is about the topics as described in the title, and nothing else.​

​

Any further references to subjects outside those topics may be subject to sanction.​

​

With that, the quote below is pertinent.​

[/Moderator hat]

JohnK understands Thai culture very well - they often go there for a break so I wouldn't have any worries about him not knowing how to manage with their daughter as she goes with them as well. Thailand is where they visit as they are raising their daughter in their 2 cultures.

 

[harvyk]

So back on topic, my number one suggestion is talk with the school about what you’re planning.

I personally would avoid the first couple of weeks of the year, as others have said those few weeks kind of sets the tone for the rest of the year, and allow your child to get into the rhythm of learning, but again talk with the school they might have different ideas on better or worse times.

When talking with the school, emphasize the hands-on learning that your child will have over there. At a grand total of 2 weeks missing don’t take school work with you. Instead focus on the aspects of the culture and customs which you can only get there. I believe it was mentioned that you’re visiting family and friends, so what better way of being exposed to the culture than to meet with people who are actually living it.

(Sorry, some of the posts where going silly, so I stopped reading part way through, but I'm pretty sure it was mentioned you're visiting family and friends).

I’ve taken my school aged kids overseas a couple of times during school term. In each instance the teachers just asked my kids to keep a journal of what they were doing / seeing. Even at a young age (ie pre-reading and writing), they can still draw pictures of what they are doing / feeling / experiencing.

Finally, schools themselves often offer domestic and international trips as part of the school curriculum, so they do know the value of travel when it comes to your child’s education.

Enjoy.

 

[JohnK]

(Sorry, some of the posts where going silly, so I stopped reading part way through, but I'm pretty sure it was mentioned you're visiting family and friends).

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes we did go off the rails temporarily.

The plan is

- 1 week Pattaya (or at a later stage visit Khao Yai, various parts of Esaan for 1 week at a time, Kanchanaburi, Krabi, Songkla and South Thailand, various parts of central Thailand)
- 2 weeks Chiang Mai where we now have house next to my in laws
- 1 week Pattaya

For the time being I can stay visa free for 30 days and I will maximise that time on each trip.

Wife and daughter currently there and daughter is going to school in prep there.

They will more than likely return sometime in October hopefully for last term of prep here.

From here on in there is quite a bit of work that needs to be done on the house and I am going to try to do myself with help from brother in law. I'm not a handyman so this should be interesting.

My original plan was January and July for Thai trips and for July trip daughter will miss 2 weeks of school. The end of year trip can be during the 6-7 week school break and I can join them for the last 4 weeks but airfares and accommodation can be very expensive at that time and the place can be overcrowded with tourists which we try to avoid.

The perfect time I think is February and August to stay away from crowds but that means daughter will be out of school too long.

So next year we will more than likely go March/April and daughter will miss last week of term 1 and first week of term 2. Next trip will more than likely be September 2023 but nothing planned.

Many things to consider.

 

[Dr Bob]

JohnK don't forget your kid is travelling with the two BEST teachers she will ever have and everything being normal she will come out way on top. Go for it and make adjustments as required is my 2 bobs worth.

 

[ramsesgerber]

I had an idea that in some states it was becoming more difficult for parents to take students out of term time.

Nox Vidmate VLC​

 

[mrsterryn]

Will she be going to school here or in Thailand?
I agree with the previous poster that I believe schools are definitely making it an issue if a child misses quite a bit of school .

 

[JohnK]

Will she be going to school here or in Thailand?
I agree with the previous poster that I believe schools are definitely making it an issue if a child misses quite a bit of school .

She'll be going to school here.

Plans can change but current thinking is she'll be missing ~4 weeks a year.

I haven't done much research other than what is posted here. Unfortunately school is not going to have much say in the matter. If there's no impact on her ability to cope I am not sure why that would be an issue?

Plus I need to do what's in the best interests of my family including my daughter.

 

[mrsterryn]

I thought I would have a sticky beak about absences, didn't realise it could actually end up in children's court Compulsory school attendance
Well here in NSW at least

 

[Lynda2475]

Something to consider is that in general kids attend ~40 weeks of school per year at public schools (or 36-38 at private schools where the school day is generally 45mins to 1hr longer). So if your daughter consistently misses 4 weeks of school per year for the next 12 years, she is missing more than the equivalent of 1 entire year (a whole grade).

Lots of teachers in my family, and all agree the early years are key for laying strong foundations and start of school year for forming friendship networks, girls tend to be more social too. And yes frequent absences are being cracked down on and can result in kids not meeting state requirements for progression or graduation.

Travel offers educational opportunities for sure (my sister a teacher makes sure kids travelling during term keep a journal and have work to take with them), but extended repeated absences (given there might be others for illness) can be more of a disadvantage long term. It can be challenging and isolating always trying to catch up to peers, and possibly missing milestones like camp, carinvals or end of term concert or award ceremonies.

Kids get 12+ weeks holiday a year, sure its more expensive to travel at those times but that is a sacrifice you make for having kids. Some advance planning booking flights well ahead and using points can help.

Iif you have an academically gifted child then they may not be phased, but sounds like your daughter has already missed a great deal of Prep/Kindergarten (not sure what its called in Qld) and already behind on reading skills. The savings you make on flights might ultimately be eroded by the need to hire a tutor to ensure she meets the grade.

At the end of the day it is your choice, but you may also find she does not want to miss so much school.

 

[JohnK]

Note this response from an ex-teacher. The last sentence pretty much says it all.

 

[Vic]

Well, I see there was some mention of taking sides. I'm not going to take sides. just share my thoughts into the melting pot.
1. Talk to the school
2. Applying for leave is easy, and the couple of times we did it the school was supportive because of the different learning experiences - 3 to 4 weeks in europe. Journal submitted on return
3. First term start - I agree that's important for getting established in class, and years 1 to 3 for being established in the school.
4. Changing class groups in later years of primary school was a bit challenging. But the child is now at uni and maintains friendship with 3 others who were in the class in years 1 to 3. Those are the best friends.
5. I'm not sure about end of term - there might be assessments in that time period. Again talk to the teacher/school.
6. agree, read to your daughter.