Give her a break?
New Jersey mom Noel LaPalomento posted a TikTok last week explaining that she lets her daughter Giada, 6, take a day off from school once a month — and not because she’s sick.
The viral video is sparking a debate among parents about letting kids take unofficial days off from school.
“I told my daughter she can pick one day each month to stay home without being sick,” LaPalomento, 26, wrote on her TikTok, which has scored 6.2 million views.
In the 12-second clip, LaPalomento and Giada spend the day playing, drinking bubble tea, and eating cotton candy at a shopping center.
“Honestly, it was because her days are just so long — it’s a lot for not only her (between travel time getting ready for school pickup to coming home and doing pages of homework),” LaPalomento told The Post in an email Wednesday about her inspiration.
“I just came up with the idea because I don’t think she should have to be sick to have a day off, and can feel comfortable just simply saying ‘I don’t feel like going,'” she added. “As long as all her work is done, I don’t see the problem with a day and I enjoy being able to spend more time with her as well.”
LaPalomento told The Post that Giada once said her day off was “the best day ever.”
Her TikTok video caption says, “Mind your business,” but surprisingly, many of her followers shared their support for her parenting practice.
Several of them likened Giada’s day off to a “mental health day.”
“A mental health day off would have done so much good for my hurting brain and heart when I was growing up. This is amazing!” one TikToker exclaimed.
“I’m a teacher and I’m not even mad about it. Especially if she’s so little!! Mental health days are super important and let kids be kids!” shared another.
Giada spends the day playing instead of going to school. TikTok/@_the1stnoel“My dad called it a ‘snow day’ even tho it was like 80 degrees,” laughed a third.
Some were more skeptical of LaPalomento’s decision to take her daughter out of school so often.
“This is nice but don’t most schools only have so many days you can be out without a doctors note?” one wondered.
“Once a month? We do maybe 3 a school year,” offered another.
“Honestly I would hate this cause in the schools I went to, the work would just like up and they would teach something important which would mess with my grades making me feel even worse, but I’m so glad she loves it,” enthused a third.
LaPalomento told The Post the days off haven’t negatively affected Giada’s grades, and she isn’t in trouble with the school.
“It only accounts for 9 days out of an 181-day school year. I don’t see the problem if the student is doing well in school, which in that case she is doing great!” she reasoned.
