Is this the norm in your preschool too?

MomEads

DD's class goes on about 5 field trips a year and there are 9 kids and 2 teachers (and 1 assistant) in her class.  They always invite/welcome parent chaperons, and what usually happens is that ALL of the parents go.  I have no issues with what others do, but my DD likes going to school, being with her friends, and often encourages me to leave her classroom quicker.  She always says she does not want me to go on field trips, and again I am okay with that.... I understand that is "her time." I guess my question is, at your kids' preschool, is it common that all the parents accompany the kids on field trips, or is the situation at DD's school a little weird?  I thought preschool was a place where DD would associate with her peers, not be like a Mommy and Me situation.  TIA!

neverblushed

Hi! Lurker from school-aged kids!

The norm at my kids' preschool was for parents to accompany kids on field trips, but they only had 2 each year.  5 is a lot, if the expectation is that parents need to attend.  For working parents, that's a lot of time to take off.

Even for SAH parents, that's still a lot. 

luvmagoldn

Our preschool has only two field trips per year and a parent HAS to drive their own child and chaperone them during the outing.

So parents not attending is not an option at our school.

Sawyerplus1

I can't actually speak from experience because DSs play school has yet to do a field trip, but I can tell you that if I wasn't required to attend a field trip, I very likely wouldn't. Especially if I knew lots of other parents were going too. I agree with you, OP, that school should be our LOs time for play and socialize, without mom hovering.  

pea-kay

At the boys' school, there have been 2 field trips. they ask for enough parents so that each chaperone has two kids to be in charge of. so they end up with 8 parents (plus the teacher and the aide) for 20 kids. I think a lot of the parents work, so they never have had more parents than necessary.

Jinsy80

We are required to go to each field trip (and provide transportation). We've done 5 this school year, and might have another.

Jinsy80

And the majority of the moms are SAH. I work FT though, so I have to take off time.

MomEads

Jinsy80:

And the majority of the moms are SAH. I work FT though, so I have to take off time.

And this is the worst part!  I have the same situation...most of the moms are SAH, and although I don't work full time (part time though), and have DD #2, it makes joining extremely difficult!  I don't have tons of babysitters available for DD #2, and if I bring her along, well... She's almost 2, so I think you can sympathize.  It makes me feel bad/like a bad mom, but I just don't know what's right.

jlw2505

In my DD's PreK class (mainly 4 and 5 year olds - year before kindergarten), the kids take the bus to the trip and any parents that want to go, pay on their own, can meet the kids at the trip.  Depending on the trip, they have a few parents come as chaperones.  Most parents do not go - it depends on the day but most if not all of the parents in her class are families where both parents work, some part time so its not always possible.  I have only done 1 field trip but have volunteered at class parties.  My DD would love me to go but honestly, she acts totally different when I am there and I feel like it takes away from her enjoying the trip.  She always has the need to hold my hand and be with me so it makes it hard for me to do my job as chaperon or help with the party.  I went and had lunch with her class one day and was helping the teachers set up and my DD was getting upset that I was not just not sitting next to her.  Her teachers have told me that a lot of kids are like that when their parents come.

jsugrin

At the beginning of the year all the parents went on field trips and now it's more of a mix.  For me it depends on where they are going but my child also begs me to go with him.  I see nothing wrong with you're staying home just as I see nothing wrong with other parents going.  Going on a field trip every other month hardly constitutes a mommy and me situation

brightning

Many of the parents at our preschool work full-time and do not chaperone field trips (we have them monthly). I always go because they wouldn't be able to go without enough chaperones. However, my DD is like yours in that she would be just as happy if I didn't go (though she's never actually said that) and greatly enjoys her time with her school friends. She has definitely asked me to let her walk to the door by herself and doesn't want me to linger when I drop her off.

SpartanGirl

My DD only took 1 field trip a year in preschool.  DS's class did not take one this year, but he will next year.  Parents generally do not go.  I did attend with DD one year, but there was only 1 other parent along.

Even as a SAHM, I would find that many trips (with the expectation that I would need to attend) to be obnoxious.  With younger siblings (or older, half-day siblings) arranging care for them would be really hard for us.

roxy_jj

DD's school has 8 field trips during the school year.  They have sign-ups for chaperones and only a limited number are allowed.  They like every parent to chaperone at least one field trip (I've gone on two).  DD would love it if I would go on all the field trips, it just isn't possible.

rsd12

My older son and middle son went to different preschools. One was through a church and the middle one currently goes to one through the school district. They both need/want parents to transport and stay with their child for field trips. My middle son so far has had 2 or 3 field trips with 2 more planned by the end of school. For our area it is norma and I enjoy spending that time with them.

Temp6313048411121614

DS1 has gone to 2 different preschools, only 1 has done field trips.  When his school did field trips all parents had to attend because the parents were the transportation. 

Rink08

Our preschool's policy is that each child has to have a chaperone. 

la79al

DD has 6 kids in her class but for field trips they combine with the 4 year old class, which has another 7 kids.  The teacher sends home a permission slip asking which parents are willing to chaperone and which are willing to transport. I don't think there is an expectation of either.  In DDs class, I think 1 parent has gone on most of the trips (about 5 so far).  The 4s class has about 3 parents that typically go along.  I have gone to most of them (along with DD2 and the baby I babysit) and DD really just hung out with me.  There is one more trip coming up and I was not planning on going but then we found out I won't be babysitting that day and DD got excited that I could go along on her field trip (even though her grandma is already taking off work to go along).  It's not like I stay with her everyday at school.  She wants me to be there for the really fun stuff, whatever. 

RoxBride

DDs school has parental chaperones, but you are placed with a class that your child isn't in, for the very reason that kids should enjoy the chance to explore the world without their parent.

Most of the time, it is grandparents who chaperone the trips.

Works well.

ejh090305

Yesterday I got a sitter for DD2 to go on a field trip with DD1. When she got there she said.......you can go mommy. I don't want you to stay. She likes her independence......but I stayed anyway. It was fun and she enjoyed me there too. I didn't coddle her and I took interest in the other kids and assisted the teachers too. She only goes on 4 field trips....the fire station, library, nature center and walk-a-thon thing. The first one, a lot of moms went. I didnt' attend the 2nd. I went to the 3rd and the teachers were appreciative of help but it wasn't necessary. They had it under control. And I don't think I'll go on the last one either. I want to show her that her school time is important to me and I'm interested in her activities and friends. In your childs school, maybe the moms are just a little overzealous.

lite-bright

We just went on DD1's first field trip. 

They asked the parents who went to chaperone their own child, and the teachers would handle the kids who weren't accompanied. They asked us to come get a teacher if we saw another child doing anything that needed to be addressed.

There weren't any group activities, we just went to a small children's museum and it was open play. It was a private event at the museum on a day they're usually closed, so there were no questions of people wandering in and out, strangers being around, etc.  

The kids took the buses, but the majority of the adults had to drive separately because there wasn't enough room for them.  

I think it went very well. The kids who had an adult there were fine, and so were those who didn't. It wasn't a big deal.