For those with LOs in preschool/school

honeybee111 · September 2013

How do you handle carpooling field trips?

DD is in preschool, and last night was back to school night. I was informed that their first field trip was going to be next month to the pumpkin patch and they were asking parents to sign up to carpool. Someone asked how that works, and the teachers said that if you can't drive, you can leave your carseat at school and it will be put into a parent's car for the field trip. Am I being unnecessarily overprotective in that 1) How am I supposed to know that they will install the carseat correctly and 2) it's some adult I don't know who will drive DD? It's pretty early in the school year and I don't know any of the other parents yet. Fortunately, we checked our calendar and DH is off that day, so he will take DD this time, but not sure what we're going to do about other field trips.

aglenn · September 2013

I wouldn't be thrilled with that arrangement. DD's preschool went on a few field trips this summer but they rode a bus with parent chaperones (in addition to the teachers).

SoMoNY · September 2013

Our school often invites parents/caretakers to come along so in that case child would be in his own car/carseat

LoCarb · September 2013

Field trips are only allowed for those ages 3.5 and up at our PS. There is a school bus with seat belts. The seats are higher/have built in boosters than a car or something that makes it special for PS age. Parents can drive their own children if they desire. Volunteer parents are welcomed on field trips if they provide their own transportation.

I met a lot of parents by being a volunteer on a field trip. This is a great way to network, plan additional outings and feel comfortable with other parents for future trips.

FemShep · September 2013

With DD1, they've only ever had field trips where the school has provided transportation. I would not be happy at all with the "carpooling" suggestion.

ccam · September 2013

I wouldn't like the idea of someone else installing my child's carseat and driving them either.

honeybee111 · September 2013

hocus said:
I think that is an odd policy. Our school does buses for field trips.

Is every kid over 4 in the program? Maybe they just expect to have boosters which require less skill to install.

No, dd's class is 3-5 year olds(Montessori school). DD is 3.5.
I agree field trips are a good way to network with other parents. Just one more thing to fit into the work schedule.

QueSrah · September 2013

DD's first preschool required parents to drive their own kids to the only field trip. Her current preschool had one field trip over the summer and they hired a bus (so there were no car seats).

I'm not sure I'd want a random stranger installing her car seat in their car. Not to mention I'd then have to go to the hassle of reinstalling it to get her home that night, or after dark (assuming the parent with the other car seat did pick up).

shannyn0 · September 2013

DD's first field trip is next month to the zoo. They don't rent a bus and require that a parent attends. We have to meet in the front of the zoo and the field trip lasts a couple of hours.

I would not feel comfortable letting someone else install DD's carseat in their car and drive them to a field trip.

mittensonkittens · September 2013

I wouldn't be comfortable with that either, and I would make sure myself or DH could go. The schedule disruption would be annoying, but it would be fun to meet other parents and hang out with the class.

Our daycare only does field trips for the 4k and 5k classes, and they have their own school bus.

jf198400 · September 2013

Our DC only does field trips in the summer ages 4 and up. They take a school van. No way would I let another parent drive my child anywhere.

ss+el · September 2013

I would be uneasy with that as well.
That being said, DS will have one field trip per month and they will be taking a regular school bus. These kids will all be 4 (or even 5) by the time the first one rolls around.
I don't work regular day hours, so will be volunteering to chaperone as often as possible.

KL777 · September 2013

DS's school has a bus that the kids go on. I would not want my child in some other parent's car that I don't know.

MNgirl326 · September 2013

LO's preschool has a bus and a licensed bus driver.

Maybride2 · September 2013

Any time my son went on a field trip with his daycare/preschool it was on a regular school bus with a driver. No way am I sending my kid and his carseat to be driven by some random parent in their car. Absolutely not.

groovygrl · September 2013

I'm surprised the school would assume that kind of risk. Ours is on a bus owned by the school also and starts in the 4 yr old room (though some kids are just under 4). Parents are actually explicitly not allowed to drive their kids, I think b/c of risk & accounting for all of them, etc. Parents who volunteer to chaperone drive themselves & meet the group wherever it is.

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