Field Trips - Need your opinions please

amanda_holbird@hotmail.com · September 2011

Ethan's pre-k class has a few field trips planned and a few more in the works. He's already been to the local library and to Petsmart and he has one scheduled to the county fair at the end of the month.

Yesterday I got a permission slip for him to go to Noah's Ark in Locust Grove. My dilemma is the distance the school is from the field trip, around 55 miles. The school's rules are no parents are allowed to ride on or follow the school bus. If a parent wants to go on a field trip, they are allowed to as long as they meet the children at the location. This really doesn't affect me because I work full time so the likelihood of going on a field trip is very slim. My question is, would you ladies feel comfortable with your 4/5 year old child going on a field trip that is so far away? I don't mind the county trips, but this is sort of bothering me. I guess I start having crazy thoughts of him being on the bus for so long and what if something happens, etc.

This isn't the only out of county trip they are planning. I know they would like to go to Atlanta on a couple (possibly the aquarium, Fox Theater, etc.). We live in Newnan and it's not like we live a long ways away, but I guess it just bothers me that he'll be traveling so far.

So, what do you ladies think? Do you/would you have any issue with your young child going on a field trip that's far away?

myrall · September 2011

I, admittedly, would be nervous. That is a long bus ride with tiny folks. Heck, I was getting the heebie-jeebies when Geneva took a 15-minute bus ride to the Atlanta Aquarium. But that's more my regular anxiety than anything else.

But what makes me really nervous is the whole not letting parents work as chaperones thing. I don't understand that. I would think the extra hands would be helpful.

amanda_holbird@hotmail.com · September 2011

Oh, they definitely want as many parents, as would like, to attend the trips, they just don't want them to ride the bus for some reason.

MrsL1022 · September 2011

I honestly, don't think I would allow Colin to attend a trip like that at the pre-K age. I would be VERY nervous about a long bus ride like that with no seat belts/car seats at that age. I would think they would want parents on the bus to be able to help. What 4/5 yr old who is used to being in a car seat is going to sit on a bus with no seat or possibly no seat belt is going to sit the whole time? I think if you are nervous about it that is reason enough not to do it. Go with your gut. It's one thing to take a local trip but that to me sounds like a bit much for that age group. Maybe I am a nervous nelly.

slwprincess · September 2011

Wow, I'm kind of surprised they do that many field trips! I would be uncomfortable with that distance too. But then again, I'm totally paranoid about field trips so I'm probably not the best person to ask! DH and I have said we are pretty uncomfortable with him doing any fieldtrips w/o us there until he is a good bit older. We are thinking 1st grade, maybe Kindergarten but we'll have to see. It's not that we don't trust his teachers or anything like that, but we just know that Gavin is prone to distraction. It really scares us how easily he can lose focus or get distracted and I worry about how the teachers/chaperones can realistically keep up w/ that many small children. My niece on the other hand is 4 and even though I'm not her parent, I can imagine that I would feel totally comfortable allowing her to go. She's just more grounded than Gavin. Always has been. When we took them both to Whitewater last month, she was cautious and smart. Gavin was all boy and not thinking things through at all. Just their different personalities give me different comfort levels.

mingaling2 · September 2011

I'm not even at this point yet with Mia, but I agree with the PP's and the whole thing makes me nervous.

kita09 · September 2011

mrs.holbird:
Oh, they definitely want as many parents, as would like, to attend the trips, they just don't want them to ride the bus for some reason.

emowens · September 2011

I'm guessing that there is some kind of legal/insurance issue with having Adults/Parents (other than employees) ride the bus to/from the field trip. I would just ask the director/teacher whomever. At our daycare/school they do take field trips once a week in the summer camp time (for Pre-K and above only), but none of the trips were THAT far away. I did chaperone a school field trip w/ her Pre-K class to the GA Aquarium, along with about 8 moms and the 3 teachers. The bus ride, was actually one of their most favorite part of the field trip. For a lot of them it was their first bus trip (because the pre-Kers couldn't ride the bus to/from school).

FortMyersBride · September 2011

It would make me nervous to have a bus ride that long for kids that young. And what is their explanation for why parents can't follow the bus?

Kerrin · September 2011

Yes. I'm totally comfortable with it. Even at that distance. We started doing field trips last year with Carter in his Pre-K class. He was 4 at the time. Is the "bus" a real bus? Or are you referring to a big school van that you can put car seats in?

I know you said that you don't feel comfortable, and I totally respect that. I was that way in the beginning as well. I weighed the pros and cons and in the end let Carter go on every single field trip. Even the super long ones like from Alpharetta to Turner Field.

I basically looked at it in the way that I chose a place where I felt that my child was safe. And I entrusted my child to them, regardless of if they were in school or on a field trip. If I didn't have confidence in the teachers that were going on the trip, then I wouldn't let him go and would pull him from that daycare.

The distance is more than any fields trips that Carter has been on, but I wouldn't let that necessarily be the deciding factor. For me it was always, "do i trust the individuals that teach my child"? If the answer is no, then don't let Ethan go.

For a child to watch all of their classmates get on a bus when they know they can't go, it's tough for them. And I get that life is not always fair and that they will suffer disappointments and all of that. But I will say that in looking back over the last year, the field trip days were some of the BEST days those kids had. They are super excited and it's such a wonderful experience for them.

Talk to the director about your concerns. Ask them who will be going. What is the driver's drivign record? How long have they been doing field trips? Chaparone if you can to ease your mind. Drive your child there yourself if it makes you feel better.

It's hard as a parent to have to make all of these decisions. Carter now rides the bus to kindergarten and the school van picks him up every day. Could there be an accident? Of course. But that could happen anywhere and at anytime, regardless of who is driving. I know you will do what's best for Ethan, but try not to let your fears overwhelm your decisions.

tmhopkins13 · September 2011

I understand your concern and frustration we during the school year do 1 in house and 1 out of the building field trip per month-the furthest we are going is the Childrens Museum, but we do have seat belts on our buses and we welcome parents to ride with us for as many empty seats as we have and they can also follow us in their own vehicles. But I do agree with what someone else said that you have to have faith with the people that you chose to watch your child-I mean you chose them for a reason right-and I would hope that like us other centers have 30 extra checks and balances in place to ensure that all the children are safe and accounted for. Still address your concerns with the director, but if your gut says no then as the parent of your child you have the right to say no he can't go no matter what anyone else says....

amanda_holbird@hotmail.com · September 2011

I spoke to a couple of parents and my dh and decided to let him go on the field trip. I definitely trust the people there. Ethan's been going there since he was a little baby and I've never had a bad experience there. The men and women that work there are very loving a nurturing. My big thing is him being on a bus for that long, but as Kerrin said, accidents can happen to anyone. The busses are full size school busses, but they do have seatbelts so that is good. I actually talked to Ethan about the upcoming field trip. I told him where they would be going and that he'd be on the bus for quite a while, but he seemed really excited so we are going to let him go.

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