Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child? Updated page 2 .

DD's class is going to a field trip in a couple of weeks, they are taking a school bus to an animal farm , plus they'll do pumpkin picking. parents can volunteer to go as well but I can't go since I have a NB.
OriginallyDH and I had decided she wasn't going to go, but now DD found out about it from her classmates and she is all excited, looks like everyone is going, we are the only ones who haven't responded /sent in the $ for the trip.
The are 2 parents I am good friends with who are going they have offered to keep an eye on DD if she goes. Plus all the teachers and helpers will be the. 4teachers 2 or 3 helpers, all the parents including few I know well from DD's old school...
On one hand I really don't want her to go without me, but the problem is that they will have more trips and most likely I won't be able to go to any of them with her bc of the baby, DH can't take time off for this, so unless she misses all or most of the trips this year I need to deal with it and just let her go.
I am just so anxious , actually terrified of letting her go on her own, I get heart palpitations just thinking about it.
Do you think 5 yo is too yung to do something like this without a parent being there?
Would you send your DC?

Message edited 10/6/2012 2:37:20 PM.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Is your DD in kindergarten? All parents go on trips?

My DD is 5 and in kindergarten. They have 5 trips and do a lottery to determine who gets to go. Each parent gets to go on one trip.

In preschool the parents carpooled or went bc they didn't bus them. I wouldn't let my DD miss a class trip. Do you have a family member who could watch the baby just that one time?

Message edited 10/3/2012 9:41:54 AM.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

I would definitely send my child.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Message edited 10/3/2012 9:55:28 AM.

Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

DD did the same trip in K and she was still 4! : ). The kids are pretty well behaved and they have plenty of parents, teachers and aides to watch them. I would definitely not keep DD home from any trip unless there was a valid reason. The kids will be doing activities regarding the trip the days before and after so your DC will definitely know they did not go.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

DD started field trips over the summer in daycare and I was a nervous wreck but they have a system and are experience and know what they are doing.

She has her first field trip in Kindergarten today-kind of like the one your DD is going on. DH is going but honestly even if neither of us could go I would still lether go.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

I don't know.

Last year my older DC was in K. Their class had a field trip, and I was planning on allowing him to go even if I didn't chaperone. I ended up getting to chaperone anyway.

WELL! Let me just say it was a really chaotic morning. Even though the teachers broke the kids up into small groups (lots of chaperones), we chaperones still had a hard time keeping an eye on them. All you need is one kid in your group who likes to run around the place, doesn't listen, and it ends up diverting your attention away from the rest of your group.

After that trip I decided that at least for the next year or so, I was going to opt out of field trips unless either DH or I could be there.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Message edited 10/3/2012 10:55:34 AM.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Posted by KartveliT

Posted by computergirl

All you need is one kid in your group who likes to run around the place, doesn't listen, and it ends up diverting your attention away from the rest of your group.

exactly my thoughts.
I actually just found out that my MIL is home on the day of the trip so technically I could volunteer to go and leave the baby w her, but I don't know, I don't feel very comfortable leaving a breastfeeding NB for few hours even though he sleeps most of the time. Plus my MIL has mentioned that she is not comfortable holding/changing a NB , it makes her nervous and of course that doesn't make me feel very good about anything.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

I would definitely send my child. I wouldn't want them to miss out because I couldn't go.

The teachers pair each child with a chaperone, so ask if your friend could help out. The best thing you can do is to reinforce to your daughter that she must stay with her chaperone & not run off.

Also for the record, I've had to chaperone several times. It's hard if the kids aren't close friends because each kid wants to be with their own friends.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

I would definitely let her go! My DD went on a few field trips in Kindergarten and her favorite one was at White Post Farms pumpkin picking! I am sure there will be plenty of supervision and she will really enjoy it! I am running into the same issues now since I have a baby at home, I can't volunteer for field trips that much. But I still let them go.

As a child, my mom had 6 of us in a Catholic school and trying to make ends meet was tough. I understood that at a young age. But when it came time for a field trip that would have cost her $10 (x2 since my brother was in the same grade), she didn't think it was necessary and didn't let us go (we were in 1st grade). At 40 years old, I still remember how hurt I felt when all the kids were talking about how great it was days later in school. I felt so isolated at 6 years old

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

DD is in K also. They are going apple picking next week. I can't go because I'm doing a training session at work but I'm still sending her. Last year in Pre-K they also did numerous bus trips and I always sent her even if I couldn't go. Sometimes DH went with her sometimes her babysitter but there were times no one went.

IME there are always a lot of parents that end up going to these trips and usually they look out for all the kids. I know I did. I would send her.

Sidenote: but DD's teacher also mentioned that each school trip planned this year is connected to the curriculum they are learning. Not sure if the same applies for your DD.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

I wouldn't be comfortable with it unless I was a chaperone. I realize that is not how most people feel though.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

in Kindergarten, yes I would send my 5 year old. I've been on many school trips and its always broken down into groups. If you have 24 kids 6 adults- each adult has 4 kids they are responsible for. It's usually really organized and the kids all listen because in our school, if they don't behave well, they're not allowed to go on field trips.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

can you go and wear the newborn? she'd be shielded by the carrier and could nurse and nap whenever she wants.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Posted by Lillykat

Posted by KartveliT

Posted by computergirl

All you need is one kid in your group who likes to run around the place, doesn't listen, and it ends up diverting your attention away from the rest of your group.

exactly my thoughts.
I actually just found out that my MIL is home on the day of the trip so technically I could volunteer to go and leave the baby w her, but I don't know, I don't feel very comfortable leaving a breastfeeding NB for few hours even though he sleeps most of the time. Plus my MIL has mentioned that she is not comfortable holding/changing a NB , it makes her nervous and of course that doesn't make me feel very good about anything.

Could you have your MIL go this way you are comfortable that she has a chaperone and the baby is with you.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

It sounds like a wonderful trip. I would most definitely send my child.

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?

I wouldn't keep my child from something like that just because I couldn't go. They are properly supervised, she'll have a blast, why wouldn't you send her?

Re: Field trip and 5yo - would you send your child?