They’ll cancel school over some ice on the roads. Or a weather report. They won’t hesitate to announce a teacher development day. They’ll stretch the holiday break to three weeks. They’ll send your kid home for a cough.

And then here you are, stressed and guilty, for thinking about giving them an extra day with their grandparents. Or at the beach. Or bringing the family along on a work trip. Or to recover from a cold?

Coaches will cancel practice because they have a work conflict. Or because it’s too windy or they’d have to share the court with another team. And you won’t let them skip one to spend an afternoon hiking with you?

As we’ve said, commitments are important. Consistency matters. Learning matters. But your family is also a commitment! The whole world is a classroom! Trust your gut here. Value spending time together. You almost certainly will not look back and regret those days you skipped for family time, for adventures, for self-care. Don’t hesitate to take it.