# should a 16 yr old be allowed to skip school because their hamster died? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2007, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523 "2007-11-15T12:42:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/21 "2007-11-15T14:07:56Z")
I agree. Even if there is real grief over the hamster (and I’m not suggesting there’s not) by that time I knew my schedule, knew when I could absolutely miss a day, and took a day or two off. It wasn’t often, even though I was often taking at least one class a day that was a waste of time. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/22 "2007-11-15T14:11:32Z")
One day? Not a big deal really. Seems a bit much for a hamster, but then if there’s a bond, there’s a bond. I sure wouldn’t criticize it. Two years ago, we put a 20 year old female cat to sleep, and my wife couldn’t go to work the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/23 "2007-11-15T14:14:08Z")
No ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/24 "2007-11-15T14:17:49Z")
The thing is, it’s high school. Yeah, it’s important, but the kid has gotta slog through his whole life with uncaring unsympathetic bosses. I reiterate - as long as it’s not a totally transparent excuse and the kid is a good kid, why not let him have a day off? Let him enjoy being young - it only happens once. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/25 "2007-11-15T14:24:08Z")
No. ETA: Not because he or she shouldn’t be allowed to skip a day just because – but because he or she shouldn’t learn the lesson that you can duck responsibility by making up bogus excuses. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/26 "2007-11-15T14:24:30Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] …the family gerbil… [/QUOTE] There’s something about those three words that is going to prevent me from sleeping well tonight… :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/27 "2007-11-15T14:31:59Z")
A 16 year old with good grades who hardly misses school should be allowed to skip school now and then, with or without reason. As a kid I would have to be near death to be allowed to miss a day, and then you grow up and realize that perfect attendance in 10th grade gets you what, a piece of paper from the principal saying good job? What does blowing off a day every now and then hurt? I would wonder though about someone that age being tramuatized by the death of a small mammal- I mean I’ve always had hamsters and have two rats now and like them a lot, but would be upset for about ten minutes if they died. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/28 "2007-11-15T14:32:32Z")
Only if you are going to have a Viking funeral for the hamster. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/29 "2007-11-15T14:35:31Z")
I’d say now would probably be a good time to start putting the responsibility for the choice on the 16 year old. That’s what my parents did at that age. I could choose not to go (within reason), but it was all on me if I ran into trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/30 "2007-11-15T14:45:28Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] A 16 year old with good grades who hardly misses school should be allowed to skip school now and then, with or without reason. As a kid I would have to be near death to be allowed to miss a day, and then you grow up and realize that perfect attendance in 10th grade gets you what, a piece of paper from the principal saying good job? What does blowing off a day every now and then hurt? [/QUOTE] Exactly. But no one ever said the kid was traumatized! We are reading into it. I had a baby bird I rescued once, I loved her, and when she died, trembling in my hands (she was very sickly, but we gave her a few good weeks in a loving home) I wasn’t traumatized, but I did cry. I was upset. I don’t love hamsters, I think they’re smelly, but I can certainly understand being upset over something other people don’t care a whit about. **Scumpup** made me laugh out loud though. What would be his enemies I wonder? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/31 "2007-11-15T14:48:25Z")
I had a co-worker miss a day of work because he was grieving after Jerry Garcia died. Compared to that, a kid missing a day of school 'cause his hamster died is no big thing. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/32 "2007-11-15T14:52:58Z")
I think a 16 year old who is a good kid and at least a fair student can afford to take a day off if he needs it. Heck, at that age you’re probably lucky if the kid doesn’t just ditch school without permission. StG ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/33 "2007-11-15T14:53:48Z")
No. But if the teen was truly distraught, then one day. I understand being upset over the loss of a pet. But one of life’s lessons is also learning how to carry on when things are tough. Routine can be good for an aching soul, to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/34 "2007-11-15T14:57:00Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] A 16 year old with good grades who hardly misses school should be allowed to skip school now and then, with or without reason. As a kid I would have to be near death to be allowed to miss a day, and then you grow up and realize that perfect attendance in 10th grade gets you what, a piece of paper from the principal saying good job? What does blowing off a day every now and then hurt? [/QUOTE] Agree. Cut the kid a break. My grandmother once ran over my kitten just as I was leaving for school. (Ninth grade?) My brother and I were hysterical with grief, but Grandma insisted that we go to school anyway. I did a lot of crying that day and I sure as hell didn’t learn anything. I was mad at Grandma for a long time and I still don’t understand why she couldn’t have bent the rules that day. I obviously wasn’t just blowing off school to play video games! ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/35 "2007-11-15T15:02:36Z")
[QUOTE=CrankyAsAnOldMan] Routine can be good for an aching soul, to boot. [/QUOTE] Hear, hear. I nearly mentioned that myself in my first post. And I should have. Glad you did. If he truly is upset over this creature’s death, a busy and bright schoolroom with a strong social component is infinitely preferable to moping alone in a teenager’s bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/36 "2007-11-15T15:09:09Z")
I was going to join the “No, come on, it’s a freaking hamster” chorus, but it’s true - it’s one day of high school, and nobody’s harmed. Give the kid a day off if he/she needs it. Still, hamsters are gross and I second the Viking funeral idea. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/37 "2007-11-15T15:27:00Z")
Is this their first experience with death? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/38 "2007-11-15T15:35:57Z")
I’m liking that so many people think letting teens take the day off school once in a while is a good thing. My mom felt so, too, and it did me a world of good. Nothing excessive, and I was top of my class, but she knew I didn’t have to be physically ill to be feeling like crap. If the teen in question wants the day off because she’s sad, it probably has to do with much mroe than the hamster’s death. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/39 "2007-11-15T15:40:18Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] Hear, hear. I nearly mentioned that myself in my first post. And I should have. Glad you did. If he truly is upset over this creature’s death, a busy and bright schoolroom with a strong social component is infinitely preferable to moping alone in a teenager’s bedroom. [/QUOTE] Yes, in time (and, I have to admit, that time should come rather quickly for a hamster) but we do allow ourselves time to grieve first. Put me in the “one day, if he’s a good student who doesn’t make up bullshit excuses to miss school” camp. If he’s still distraught enough to miss school on Day Two, then that’s fine, too. But we’re using that day to go to a grief counselor or therapist, 'cause it is, after all, just a freaking hamster. If he’s still that upset about it, he needs help managing his grief in more appropriate and functional ways. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523/40 "2007-11-15T15:41:04Z")
No. Suck it up and do what you are supposed to do. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-16-yr-old-be-allowed-to-skip-school-because-their-hamster-died/426523.md?page=3)