Would you let your toddler go on a field trip with daycare?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will the PP please cite this research? I am curious. It's not a "tour bus" but a small school bus. To the PP who was curious, the locale is Frederick (coming from Rockville). Is that about an hour?

I can't unfortunately because it's been years and honestly I don't have it in me. But google in your friend. Most of the research was from car safety, seatbelt, carseat types of sites.

I will say that school buses are definitely safer though from what I remember reading.

[Anonymous]

To the PP who was curious, the locale is Frederick (coming from Rockville). Is that about an hour?

I'm the PP who was curious where they could be going. Frederick is a big area and far north, so yes it could definetely be an hour on the highway.

I hope you are not going to Summer's Farm. We went there once for a field trip and it was ridiculous. The petting zoo consists of letting kids stick their fingers through the fencing to touch a pig if the pig is standing close to the fence. There are signs 'play at your risk' for the playground type equipment. It is homemade equipment so watch out for rusty nails and stuff that 2-3 yr olds should not be playing on. The pumpkin patch was scrubby, hard to find a pumpkin and that is the nicest thing I can say about it.

If your daycare is in Rockville, it is insane that they are going up to Frederick for a petting zoo or pumpkin patch. There are places much closer and much nicer.

[Anonymous]

I am willing to be the OP is drastically overestimating the travel distance.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The PP is correct that I overestimated the distance...how drastically? She will have to determine that. It's 23 miles away, about 30 minutes according to Mapquest.

Does that change anyone's opinion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I should just not respond to these posts but I can't help myself. My toddler goes on day care field trips on buses and they don't even have car seats. I never worried for a second. And she's had a great time everytime. When asked her favorite part, it's always "riding on the school bus!" She'd probably be thrilled to just drive around for 2 hours and not even have a real destination.

My day care center's leaders are professionals and I trust their judgement. They have been doing this a lot longer than I have.

This is crazy! They just perch them on seats and hope for the best?

They sit the little ones two to a seat with an adult sitting at the end of the bench. Seems to work our fine. In 5+ years there has never been a problem.

If there's an accident, an adult sitting at the end of the row is not going to stop the kids from being ejected or smashed. This is horrible.

There is no way to strap toddler in on a public bus, or a metro train, and I take my toddler on those all the time as well. If you don't like it, don't send your kid on the trip, but don't act like other parents are crazy for doing so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had the same misgivings about letting my child go on field trips. I was really worried about the bus trip. I did A LOT of research on the bus safety issues. What I discovered was that statistically your child is safer on a tour bus with no seat belts than riding in a car in a carseat.

I've seen this statistic as well (and believe it).

30 minutes is not that long of a ride. I would let him go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had the same misgivings about letting my child go on field trips. I was really worried about the bus trip. I did A LOT of research on the bus safety issues. What I discovered was that statistically your child is safer on a tour bus with no seat belts than riding in a car in a carseat.

I've seen this statistic as well (and believe it).

30 minutes is not that long of a ride. I would let him go.

Exactly. If you are truly considering statistics and safety, then you should never put your kid in a car.

[Anonymous]

I had the same misgivings about letting my child go on field trips. I was really worried about the bus trip. I did A LOT of research on the bus safety issues. What I discovered was that statistically your child is safer on a tour bus with no seat belts than riding in a car in a carseat.

I don't think that the statistic say your child is safer on a tour bus with no selts belts than riding in a car in a car seat. There are many more instances of a child riding in a car in a carseat than a child riding on a tour bus. It is statistically less likely for a child to be killed in a tour bus because it is less likely for a child to be on a tour bus.

The lack of seat belts on the tour bus is not necessarily an added safety feature. The physics of how objects (small children) are thrown and become projectiles in a collision may very well be different between a car and a bus but that is not what these stats are showing. Safety regulations are driven by both likliehood based on the number of instances and separate crash test analysis. For example, since many people drive in cars and there are more instances where an accident would occur, the regulations can be tighter.

[Anonymous]

My son's daycare is doing the exact same thing, it sounds like. Day care is in arlington, field trip is to a petting zoo in Frederick, MD. That is at least one hour each way. They are relying on parent drivers to get the kids there and I cannot figure out how the carseat logistics will work. I am not letting my son go without me taking him. Luckily I am on maternity leave right now so not a huge issue. I dont know many of the other parents and though I am sure they are very nice people, NO WAY would I let my son ride in a car for an hour w someone I have never met.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I should just not respond to these posts but I can't help myself. My toddler goes on day care field trips on buses and they don't even have car seats. I never worried for a second. And she's had a great time everytime. When asked her favorite part, it's always "riding on the school bus!" She'd probably be thrilled to just drive around for 2 hours and not even have a real destination.

My day care center's leaders are professionals and I trust their judgement. They have been doing this a lot longer than I have.

This is crazy! They just perch them on seats and hope for the best?

They sit the little ones two to a seat with an adult sitting at the end of the bench. Seems to work our fine. In 5+ years there has never been a problem.

There is no way in HELL I'd let my child participate in these field trips. I can't believe this place is in business. If they are truly professionals, they would not put their staff and kids in danger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had the same misgivings about letting my child go on field trips. I was really worried about the bus trip. I did A LOT of research on the bus safety issues. What I discovered was that statistically your child is safer on a tour bus with no seat belts than riding in a car in a carseat.

Yeah, tell that to the passengers in the 270 bus accident!

[Anonymous]

http://www.ntsb.gov/surface/highway/childseat.htm

Above is a link to the ntsb why school buses don't have seat belts. Thought it was interesting.

[Anonymous]

Listen people, the original post was "Would you let your toddler go on a field trip with daycare?" People shared what they would do and why. The OP wanted different opinions and got them. There is no need to attack people for their choices.

I am one of the people who lets their toddler go on a school bus without seatbelts (which, as a PP rightfully point out, is the case on all public transportation). I also, *gasp* used to take my kid on planes as a lap child.

I know that some of you think these practices are unsafe, but those of us who disagree with you are not bad parents. We have considered the options and made decisions we are comfortable with. You can made different decisions, which is fine. I could call you a neurotic, over-protective helicopter parent whose child will grow up with no sense of independence. But I won't, because it's your child and your decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I should just not respond to these posts but I can't help myself. My toddler goes on day care field trips on buses and they don't even have car seats. I never worried for a second. And she's had a great time everytime. When asked her favorite part, it's always "riding on the school bus!" She'd probably be thrilled to just drive around for 2 hours and not even have a real destination.

My day care center's leaders are professionals and I trust their judgement. They have been doing this a lot longer than I have.

This is crazy! They just perch them on seats and hope for the best?

They sit the little ones two to a seat with an adult sitting at the end of the bench. Seems to work our fine. In 5+ years there has never been a problem.

There is no way in HELL I'd let my child participate in these field trips. I can't believe this place is in business. If they are truly professionals, they would not put their staff and kids in danger.

In business, and a HUGE waiting list, so apparently there are lots of people who disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I had the same misgivings about letting my child go on field trips. I was really worried about the bus trip. I did A LOT of research on the bus safety issues. What I discovered was that statistically your child is safer on a tour bus with no seat belts than riding in a car in a carseat.

I don't think that the statistic say your child is safer on a tour bus with no selts belts than riding in a car in a car seat. There are many more instances of a child riding in a car in a carseat than a child riding on a tour bus. It is statistically less likely for a child to be killed in a tour bus because it is less likely for a child to be on a tour bus.

The lack of seat belts on the tour bus is not necessarily an added safety feature. The physics of how objects (small children) are thrown and become projectiles in a collision may very well be different between a car and a bus but that is not what these stats are showing. Safety regulations are driven by both likliehood based on the number of instances and separate crash test analysis. For example, since many people drive in cars and there are more instances where an accident would occur, the regulations can be tighter.

YOu have no idea what you are talking about. Citations please?