Stop bringing your younger kid on field trips

[Anonymous]

my son is an only and I am often irritated by younger sibs, but in this case I honestly do not care! I come to make sure my son is safe and comfortable, and I am willing to do a good job chaperoning my group of kids (including my kiddo) in return for the bus ride whatever other parents do - I honestly do not care!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not only can young kids not go to on field trips but they can not come to holiday and end of the year parties. Thank goodness!! I have seen little ones ruin the parties by grabbing at things, yelling, ripping books, banging on keyboards etc...

Get a sitter if you want to go

Sounds like a parent problem more than a kid problem. My son joins me for my daughter's class celebrations and her classmates love him. I bring food and toys for him to play with so he doesn't cause disruptions. With multiple class events at various times througout the year, finding and affording a babysitter is not always possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to the zoo with my DD's class. They needed drivers so I offered to take 4 children in my van, along with my 3 year old. I let the teacher know ahead of time I wouldn't be an official chaperone but guess what? Not enough parents volunteered so I was there for the duration of the field trip.

It wasn't ideal but it worked out. Flexibility, folks.

Sounds like a one time thing, vs the vent about one parent repeatedly doing it. Or, do you always do it?

Yes, it was a one time thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great! I won't come then. Phew.

Our school explicitly tells parents that they cannot bring along siblings. Doesn't yours?

I wish. This one parent does it all the time.

Someone should tell her!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great! I won't come then. Phew.

Our school explicitly tells parents that they cannot bring along siblings. Doesn't yours?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school lets you join in and be "extra" with a sibling if the venue permits.

+1 Our preschool's approach is that extra hands are welcome. I've gone as an extra, with a baby in tow. Each time, the school administration made the call.

I think your issue is not with any parents, but with your school's field trip management. If the school doesn't get enough chaperones (with two hands free and their full attention on the school children) they have options - like hustle for more chaperones, or cancel the field trip.

[Anonymous]

School is at fault, not parent, for not enforcing the rules.

And if there are no rules, OP, you have no leg to stand on!

[Anonymous]

I don't see the big deal. It just means that chaperone can only watch their own kid, not their kid plus one other. It doesn't really hurt anyone.

(I'm a mom of one, so I have no bias here.)

[Anonymous]

My school finally cracked down on this. No siblings in the on field trips or even in school AT ALL except for night events (minus back to school night, where no kids are allowed.)

They allow siblings outside for halloween parade but not inside for the party. So many teachers complained to the PTA and principal that we cracked down on it. Amazing how most of these moms were still able to come sans kids. We also set up a baby sitting swap for SAHM volunteers that has worked really well and has had an huge surge in community and families knowing each other.

To the mom who said she loves bringing her youngest to parties and the class "loves her" - that child is a distraction and the teacher will politely smile but loathe you on the inside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My school finally cracked down on this. No siblings in the on field trips or even in school AT ALL except for night events (minus back to school night, where no kids are allowed.)

They allow siblings outside for halloween parade but not inside for the party. So many teachers complained to the PTA and principal that we cracked down on it. Amazing how most of these moms were still able to come sans kids. We also set up a baby sitting swap for SAHM volunteers that has worked really well and has had an huge surge in community and families knowing each other.

To the mom who said she loves bringing her youngest to parties and the class "loves her" - that child is a distraction and the teacher will politely smile but loathe you on the inside.

Actually, the teacher really likes my son and was disappointed when I didn't bring him to one of the class parties. But thanks for making assumptions about her and him.

[Anonymous]

I agree with some PPs - this is a problem with your school and if you are so unhappy about it, then you should take action beyond complaining on DCUM. Is there a rule about this? If not, then go tell them there should be. If so, then go make them enforce it. If you don't take action to change the situation, then you should suck it up or change schools.

[Anonymous]

I agree, as a director of a preschool, it's very challenging when parents come to "chaperone" and have a baby or toddler in a stroller or being carried. You REALLY cannot make sure your child and the 1 or 2 other children we will assign for you to supervise if you need to chase your 18 month old (because, really, not a single child will stay in a stroller all day, and shouldn't have to), or run off to the bathroom to change the diaper, or to nurse the baby at some point on the 4 hour trip, etc.

So, please, if you are chaperoning, you will be responsible for the safety of another person's child - you should be 100% focused on that - keeping your child and another person's child - safe. Not also supervising your baby/toddler. I'm trying to crack down on this, but it's hard - parents are SURE their baby will love the zoo, play, museum, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great! I won't come then. Phew.

Our school explicitly tells parents that they cannot bring along siblings. Doesn't yours?

I wish. This one parent does it all the time.

Then complain to the teacher or school. Not here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My school finally cracked down on this. No siblings in the on field trips or even in school AT ALL except for night events (minus back to school night, where no kids are allowed.)

They allow siblings outside for halloween parade but not inside for the party. So many teachers complained to the PTA and principal that we cracked down on it. Amazing how most of these moms were still able to come sans kids. We also set up a baby sitting swap for SAHM volunteers that has worked really well and has had an huge surge in community and families knowing each other.

To the mom who said she loves bringing her youngest to parties and the class "loves her" - that child is a distraction and the teacher will politely smile but loathe you on the inside.

Actually, the teacher really likes my son and was disappointed when I didn't bring him to one of the class parties. But thanks for making assumptions about her and him.

Same here. My younger DD is always with me for drop-off and pickups so she's turned into quite the little mascot. The key is not overstepping that "welcome"...which I try hard not to do.

I think a "no sibling ever" policy is ridiculous. I'd be pretty pissed if they were so unwelcoming to presumable future students. The babysitting swap sounds like a good idea, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My school finally cracked down on this. No siblings in the on field trips or even in school AT ALL except for night events (minus back to school night, where no kids are allowed.)

They allow siblings outside for halloween parade but not inside for the party. So many teachers complained to the PTA and principal that we cracked down on it. Amazing how most of these moms were still able to come sans kids. We also set up a baby sitting swap for SAHM volunteers that has worked really well and has had an huge surge in community and families knowing each other.

To the mom who said she loves bringing her youngest to parties and the class "loves her" - that child is a distraction and the teacher will politely smile but loathe you on the inside.

Actually, the teacher really likes my son and was disappointed when I didn't bring him to one of the class parties. But thanks for making assumptions about her and him.

No they don't. They really don't. They are being polite. We have a party and 20+ kids to take care of. When a mom brings a younger child in, all they do is watch the child. They aren't helping. They are adding two more bodies to an already crowded room.