International trip for 5th graders?

[Anonymous]

^^^
are you going to go with your child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same here.

wow. nice. hope you have a great life. must be nice to just be negative and never do something to help. karma, baby, karma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dream on, silly...there are a ton of kids in that class whose parents support the trip and we're going to do all we can to fundraise.

Great! Please fund raise to your heart's content. If you get a quarter million or so, the whole class can go for free, maybe even take a parent along!

Sounds like you're really eager to do this fundraising. That's great. Because I'm going to sit back and watch. I have better things to spend my money on than $20 cookbooks and marshmallow guns

Something tells me you don't have many friends, either in or outside of Yu Ying.

Keep expecting other people to pave the way for you, you're bound to be beloved and successful.

[Anonymous]

I will probably end up sending my DC on the trip. Why? In part because of peer pressure. Also the idea of it being a culminating "event" for the kids that I don't want him to miss out on. But it is truly just a tourist trip and I have no delusions that he'll gain great understanding of China or Chinese culture. We will need to do that on our own or with a group of other parents interested in the same.

[Anonymous]

^^^
I hear you re: a "culminating event" and a tourist trip.

Having travelled to Asia several times before, I'm concerned about the effect jet lag can have on the kids, in both directions. Kids often handle being very tired by acting out. I wouldn't want to be responsible for a bunch of kids under such conditions. At the same time, I still tuck my kids into bed myself, not sure I would want a stranger to have that responsibility or to have the kids just left on their own.

I suppose my concerns are the reason why a lot of parents plan to make the trip with their kids. In my case, it might not be a good time to take off from work, and although we could scrape together the money, I could think of better uses for our money.

So we may not participate. Still an open question.

[Anonymous]

If we do agree to the trip I plan to go with my child because I don't think there is any other logical choice. The reason I would go is to make sure my DC is supported and getting the most out of it. I have to admit that I am not thrilled that some of the kids will not have parents with them because the "parenting" will then fall on the shoulders of the parents who do attend. It isn't like those kids will be less needy of adult guidance. It will probably end of being quite the contrary. Plus, it isn't like there is anything kid-centered on the itinerary. It is mainly tourist attractions, historical venues and a few visits to schools. They will spend a lot of time in places where there will be busloads of adult and senior-age tourists and they will be expected to behave as such the whole time. Having been through things like this myself, it is going to be a lot of work for all of the kids without very many options for them to be able to act like kids or blow off steam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dream on, silly...there are a ton of kids in that class whose parents support the trip and we're going to do all we can to fundraise.

Great! Please fund raise to your heart's content. If you get a quarter million or so, the whole class can go for free, maybe even take a parent along!

Sounds like you're really eager to do this fundraising. That's great. Because I'm going to sit back and watch. I have better things to spend my money on than $20 cookbooks and marshmallow guns

But the marshmallow guns were AWESOME!!!!!

[Anonymous]

And so were the cookbooks!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^
I hear you re: a "culminating event" and a tourist trip.

Having travelled to Asia several times before, I'm concerned about the effect jet lag can have on the kids, in both directions. Kids often handle being very tired by acting out. I wouldn't want to be responsible for a bunch of kids under such conditions. At the same time, I still tuck my kids into bed myself, not sure I would want a stranger to have that responsibility or to have the kids just left on their own.

I suppose my concerns are the reason why a lot of parents plan to make the trip with their kids. In my case, it might not be a good time to take off from work, and although we could scrape together the money, I could think of better uses for our money.

So we may not participate. Still an open question.

Gosh, we'll all be waiting with baited breath for your decision, dear!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If we do agree to the trip I plan to go with my child because I don't think there is any other logical choice. The reason I would go is to make sure my DC is supported and getting the most out of it. I have to admit that I am not thrilled that some of the kids will not have parents with them because the "parenting" will then fall on the shoulders of the parents who do attend. It isn't like those kids will be less needy of adult guidance. It will probably end of being quite the contrary. Plus, it isn't like there is anything kid-centered on the itinerary. It is mainly tourist attractions, historical venues and a few visits to schools. They will spend a lot of time in places where there will be busloads of adult and senior-age tourists and they will be expected to behave as such the whole time. Having been through things like this myself, it is going to be a lot of work for all of the kids without very many options for them to be able to act like kids or blow off steam.

Yes. Nothing kid-centered--hanging out with other school children, staying with a family with a kid their age, riding trains, touring wide-open spaces, nothing. You're a moron. We'll be waiting with baited breath to see if you agree to go too!

[Anonymous]

Oh, my! Nothing says kid-centered like riding a train in Beijing! (You do realize we have trains in THIS city that people ride every day, right?)
The itinerary is all tourist stops. I'm not sure what day you see "wide open spaces" and where exactly in Beijing you think those will be. They are staying with school children three nights, but not during the day. They will be going to tourist destinations only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^
are you going to go with your child?

Yes. I'm taking DC this summer too for a few weeks. I don't know any mandarin so I will be relying on the 6 yr old...

[Anonymous]

Wow, you all are terribly rude to another. The "baited breath" poster (15:30 and 15:32) is especially rude. Is this how you talk to each other in person?

You don't make YY sound like a very supportive place.

[Anonymous]

Unf, DCUM (or any anonymous forum) brings out the worst in people. I've seen such mean things posted on so many threads, unf. I tend to just ignore as often they are trying to be provocative and incite a reaction. No reaction seems to work best but that's just my thought and approach.

[Anonymous]

All true regarding anonymous threads bringing out the nastiness. On the other hand, it is thanks to this forum that I first learned of Yu Ying. And yes, Yu Ying is a great school, whatever you think about the trip. All the parents I've met in person at parent association meetings and pickups, dropoffs have been great folks.

So altogether, I like this forum, and I really, really like Yu Ying.