Did you 5th grader enjoy outdoor lab overnight?

[Anonymous]

We would skip. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Our school didn't go overnight, and I thought that was pretty lame. Instead they went 2 days in a row, but they had to be back at school during school hours. So it was a TON of time on the bus on 2 back to back days. Leave school at 8am, come back at 2pm with an hour drive each way? Silly.

So. Grass is greener! My kid would have loved an overnight trip.

[Anonymous]

Mine didnt love it, truth be told. But they would have had total FOMO if they didn't go.

[Anonymous]

Mine is on it today so I guess we will find out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid liked it but got a tick bite. Check your kids when they get back!

I have heard stories about kids coming back covered in ticks too! APS really should do a better job keeping kids protected if they want to continue outdoor lab.

It's Virginia. There are ticks outside. What exactly do you want APS to do about that?

OP, which school are you at? Our 5th graders went for two days but didn't camp overnight. We were told it was a district wide decision to cancel the over night aspect.

If you are keeping them for more than 24 it takes for ticks to attach and infect with Lyme they need to have them check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid liked it but got a tick bite. Check your kids when they get back!

I have heard stories about kids coming back covered in ticks too! APS really should do a better job keeping kids protected if they want to continue outdoor lab.

It's Virginia. There are ticks outside. What exactly do you want APS to do about that?

OP, which school are you at? Our 5th graders went for two days but didn't camp overnight. We were told it was a district wide decision to cancel the over night aspect.

This is not true. Many schools do the overnight. Last spring there was an issue and they canceled them for last spring. This school year the overnights are happening.

[Anonymous]

Overnights are a school-based decision. Teachers are not paid for the additional time and not all can make that work with their own families. There also needs to be a certain ratio of parent chaperones and not all schools can get that many additional adults.

[Anonymous]

I'm really surprised they resumed the overnights after what happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really surprised they resumed the overnights after what happened.

Other schools have better supervision and better-behaved children. Sorry yours lost the privilege.

[Anonymous]

I cannot believe this is a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe this is a thing.

Why not?

[Anonymous]

Just went and chaperoned and oh my gosh those kids had so much fun. I didn’t sleep at all but I knew it going in. And it was worth it to see them all laughing and running around in outside and trying things some of them had never done before. I mean, we camp and take our kids hiking and enjoy the great outdoors as a family. But clearly for some of these kids it was an eye opening experience. I really am glad our elementary does this. If you are weirdly against it, your kid just goes home instead of spending the night. It’s not the end of the world. And if you are uncomfortable it’s probably an experience that will be good for your child to experience new things that you aren’t willing to do.

[Anonymous]

My kiddos didn’t love it, but would have felt left out if they didn’t go. My daughter was assigned to a tent of girls she didn’t know well. The first thing they said to her was, “You’re not a narc, are you?” before they pulled out a contraband cell phone. It wasn’t well supervised (this was right before the pandemic) and I wasnt surprised to hear problems a few years later. If my kid hated the idea, or was a frequent target of bullying or exclusion, I would probably let them stay home or pick them up before the overnight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just went and chaperoned and oh my gosh those kids had so much fun. I didn’t sleep at all but I knew it going in. And it was worth it to see them all laughing and running around in outside and trying things some of them had never done before. I mean, we camp and take our kids hiking and enjoy the great outdoors as a family. But clearly for some of these kids it was an eye opening experience. I really am glad our elementary does this. If you are weirdly against it, your kid just goes home instead of spending the night. It’s not the end of the world. And if you are uncomfortable it’s probably an experience that will be good for your child to experience new things that you aren’t willing to do.

Wow this is so tone deaf. You really don't know the problems that have occurred at overnights do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just went and chaperoned and oh my gosh those kids had so much fun. I didn’t sleep at all but I knew it going in. And it was worth it to see them all laughing and running around in outside and trying things some of them had never done before. I mean, we camp and take our kids hiking and enjoy the great outdoors as a family. But clearly for some of these kids it was an eye opening experience. I really am glad our elementary does this. If you are weirdly against it, your kid just goes home instead of spending the night. It’s not the end of the world. And if you are uncomfortable it’s probably an experience that will be good for your child to experience new things that you aren’t willing to do.

Wow this is so tone deaf. You really don't know the problems that have occurred at overnights do you?

Yeah, I really don't understand why they continue to do it.