Pre-school Field Trips

trish051003

So my DS is in preschool (daycare) while I work.  This summer there are about 8 field trips.  I will be home this summer w/ baby #3, but will still be sending him to school.  I will try to attend as many field trips as possible.  But some I know I won't be able to attend (like those right around my due date).  So I e-mailed the teacher to make sure he was paired w/ attentive adult or a teacher  - some of the moms just chit chat - which is fun, but we are there to watch the kids.  When I've attended in the past I usually get my son and one other child.  I take my job seriously and enjoy the other moms during some parts - like the kids are sitting listening to something, but not when we are walking around - I'm with the kids 100%, but other parents lose the kids they are supposed to watch or they are texting or talking on their phones.  That makes me nervous.  The teacher was totally great about my request and said my son would be w/ her or the assistant teacher. 

Am I crazy to request this or am I just normal?

Leila'sMommy

Are you kidding? You are totally normal. I'd be requesting the same thing. No one takes as good of care as your child as you, and it's hard to release control to someone even when they're GREAT caretakers! Totally normal. As for those other moms - that is ridiculous, losing track of students. If that happened at my DD's preschool, there would be some serious problems. When I go on field trips, I'm counting heads the whole time to make sure every one is with us at all times.

roxy_jj

If the other parents are losing track or kids, no I don't think your request is at all crazy.  At DD's school, I chaperoned a few of the field trips and the other parent chaperone's were very attentive, so I didn't need to worry about her care on the field trips I did not attend. 

Someone needs to talk to those parents so that they know what's expected of them.  The fact that they are talking on the phone and texting and not watching the children they are assigned to, would really annoy me. 

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha

Not crazy.

I just chaperoned DD's field trip to the farm a few weeks ago and even though I had DD2 with me, I knew I was there to help, and that's what I did. Sure it was nice to do a little chit chat, but my priority was always the kids, and I would hope it would be the same for any parent chaperoning a field trip.

DoughGirl

I don't think you are crazy at all.  DS's school just had their first field trip that included his class.  The trip was to a children's museum in Philadelphia. We are in Southern NJ. Neither DH nor I was able to take that particular day off from work to go. One of would have if we were able.

We decided not to allow DS to go. At 3.5, we did not feel comfortable with our son on a bus, crossing state lines without one of us present.  No one is going to watch my child the way I watch my child. 

the_jackpot

Not crazy. I am always a bit leery of preschool excursions. You did the right thing and if they could not honor your request I would have no problem keeping my child home.

KathrynMD

Where are they going on fieldtrips?

KL777

Very normal.