Field Trips

[Anonymous]

How do you all feel about field trips?

I’ve take a hard stance on not letting my kids go on any field trips without me or DH. There are several reasons why: bus safety, parent chaperones, location (mostly being in DC), and my kids’ personalities (one’s a runner/climber and the other’s a reader and wanderer who have both either gotten “lost” before or was unaccounted for during school events). I also have witnessed parent chaperones that are more concerned with chatting with the other chaperones and not watching the kids and my DH swears that one mom last year smelled strongly of alcohol during not one, but two field trips.

When they were younger it seemed that we could easily either chaperone the field trip or easily avoid it, but it’s getting harder as they get older. The school/field trip locations are limiting the number of chaperones. This year my DD’s class will take 3 field trips and we will be lucky if we get selected to chaperone for even 1.

Responses won’t change my opinion, but I was curious if others are worried, but justify the risk or if you really didn’t see any concerns.

[Anonymous]

I let my kids go. Sometimes I go, sometimes I don't.

[Anonymous]

Well, I guess if your kid has an issue with not staying with the group, then that is concerning. But I've had no issues with my kids going on field trips since PreK. They like going on trips more than being stuck in class all day. Personally, I wish they had more field trips.

[Anonymous]

My kids are too young yet, but I worry about this.. definitely.

At an age where you trust your kid, this is different. But when they are young, and having a runner myself, I am absolutely hesitant to send the child. Will I ultimately "grin and bear it" for the sake of my child having that experience and learning independence- maybe.

Perhaps, if you have the choice, you chaperone the trip that seems more dangerous?

[Anonymous]

I think field trips are one of the most exciting aspects of school. I can remember being over the moon for mine when I was growing up. I do offer to chaperone but my kids get to go regardless because I think its an important/special part of school.

[Anonymous]

How old are your kids? By the "as they have gotten older" statement I'm assuming they're at least in later elementary school. If you have kids past the age of 5 or so who aren't capable of staying with a group, that's the issue I would focus on and be concerned about. My kid is certainly no angel put I trust him to stay with adults to whom he is assigned when out in public, and have since Kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Folks, how many kids do you think go missing on field trips? I know it's happened, but how often does it happen?

Yes, I know, once is scary enough, but the school shootings haven't stopped you from sending your kids to school; 9/11 hasn't stopped you from flying; car crashes haven't stopped you from driving.

[Anonymous]

Age? I detested the idea of preschool field trip, maybe even very early elementary. 3rd of 4th grade on I don't worry about it. I think a lot of field trips are ill conceived and don't reflect well on the school. High school government trip into DC was very lame. Basically dumped all the responsibility on the chaperones saying, "make sure the students see this, and this"

[Anonymous]

OP, just curious - what grade are your children in?

I can understand the concern at the preschool level, but not really beyond that. Do you really not trust that your child's teacher is going to make sure all his or her students are safe and accounted for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you all feel about field trips?

I’ve take a hard stance on not letting my kids go on any field trips without me or DH. There are several reasons why: bus safety, parent chaperones, location (mostly being in DC), and my kids’ personalities (one’s a runner/climber and the other’s a reader and wanderer who have both either gotten “lost” before or was unaccounted for during school events). I also have witnessed parent chaperones that are more concerned with chatting with the other chaperones and not watching the kids and my DH swears that one mom last year smelled strongly of alcohol during not one, but two field trips.

When they were younger it seemed that we could easily either chaperone the field trip or easily avoid it, but it’s getting harder as they get older. The school/field trip locations are limiting the number of chaperones. This year my DD’s class will take 3 field trips and we will be lucky if we get selected to chaperone for even 1.

Responses won’t change my opinion, but I was curious if others are worried, but justify the risk or if you really didn’t see any concerns.

Then you would have waited until your second child was in 2nd grade before either went of a field trip at our school. I volunteered to chaperone for every trip and was granted it after four years of being at the school- too many volunteers. You will have the same trouble in HS if they are in a musical group- the chaperones are generally officers in the parent boosters. Have your DH volunteer, they are more likely to accept a father - especially on the regular trips.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

My kids are 1st and 4th.

The 4th grader is not normally a shy/quiet kid, but on field trips to places that have a lot of things to read she tends to wander and read everything she can. Kind of drives us crazy when we're out as a family to a museum because she is so slow going through and literally wants to read everything. She got "lost" once on a field trip because the flighty parent chaperone didn't realize she wasn't walking with the group. She had stopped to read something on the path and they kept going. DD had to find a worker to help her.

My 1st grader went "unaccounted for" for over 30 minutes (this was actually at school not on a field trip) when his class and another class passed in the hallway and he followed the other class outside. He missed an entire class period before telling a recess monitor that he didn't think he was with the right class (happened within the 1st week of K).

At a super busy Smithsonian (Friday of a holiday weekend, pouring rain - so every tourist in town was in a museum), 4-5 kids were assigned to each chaperone to go explore the museum on their own. I watched several chaperone's just let the kids take off and run far enough away from them that they couldn't see them. I was standing right next to them so I know they couldn't see them. They were too busy chatting with their friends or reading the signs. This was 2nd grade.

So, while I trust the teachers for the most part, I don't think they can be responsible for 25+ kids at one time on a field trip. It's the parents I don't trust and I feel justified in my feelings based on observation.

Oddly enough, I'm actually a very adventurous person and push my kids to be as well. They are very independent in terms of thought and activities, but safety is just not negotiable to me.

To the poster that mentioned school shootings, 9/11, and car crashes. Good point and you are right. But there are several differences. I have military friends who have talked to my kids, as well as theirs, about what to do in an active shooter situation. It could happen anywhere and my kids are as prepared as they can be. 9/11 was one instance and while we haven't stopped flying, that is the main reason I don't want my kids to be in DC by themselves. I have no way to get to them if they are in a city with limited access by bridges. Our go plan does not include going towards DC. The risk of injury/death in car crashes are mitigated by the proper use of seat belts, knowing how to get out of a car going under in water, and only being in cars by drivers I know to be cautious drivers.

Plus these incidents are much less frequent in my "world" considering both of my kids have become "lost" in school situations and none of the other incidents have happened to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you all feel about field trips?

I’ve take a hard stance on not letting my kids go on any field trips without me or DH. There are several reasons why: bus safety, parent chaperones, location (mostly being in DC), and my kids’ personalities (one’s a runner/climber and the other’s a reader and wanderer who have both either gotten “lost” before or was unaccounted for during school events). I also have witnessed parent chaperones that are more concerned with chatting with the other chaperones and not watching the kids and my DH swears that one mom last year smelled strongly of alcohol during not one, but two field trips.

When they were younger it seemed that we could easily either chaperone the field trip or easily avoid it, but it’s getting harder as they get older. The school/field trip locations are limiting the number of chaperones. This year my DD’s class will take 3 field trips and we will be lucky if we get selected to chaperone for even 1.

Responses won’t change my opinion, but I was curious if others are worried, but justify the risk or if you really didn’t see any concerns.

Then you would have waited until your second child was in 2nd grade before either went of a field trip at our school. I volunteered to chaperone for every trip and was granted it after four years of being at the school- too many volunteers. You will have the same trouble in HS if they are in a musical group- the chaperones are generally officers in the parent boosters. Have your DH volunteer, they are more likely to accept a father - especially on the regular trips.

Interesting. So far we have been selected to chaperone or they allowed any parents to bring their kid and meet them at the field trip location until this year with my 4th graders class. My DH has volunteered in the past, switching on/off with me since we both work. Maybe I should make him do all of the volunteering and see what happens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, just curious - what grade are your children in?

I can understand the concern at the preschool level, but not really beyond that. Do you really not trust that your child's teacher is going to make sure all his or her students are safe and accounted for?

My kids went on daily field trips at their day care and preschool. OP, if your child is a runner, you need to work on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

My kids are 1st and 4th.

The 4th grader is not normally a shy/quiet kid, but on field trips to places that have a lot of things to read she tends to wander and read everything she can. Kind of drives us crazy when we're out as a family to a museum because she is so slow going through and literally wants to read everything. She got "lost" once on a field trip because the flighty parent chaperone didn't realize she wasn't walking with the group. She had stopped to read something on the path and they kept going. DD had to find a worker to help her.

My 1st grader went "unaccounted for" for over 30 minutes (this was actually at school not on a field trip) when his class and another class passed in the hallway and he followed the other class outside. He missed an entire class period before telling a recess monitor that he didn't think he was with the right class (happened within the 1st week of K).

At a super busy Smithsonian (Friday of a holiday weekend, pouring rain - so every tourist in town was in a museum), 4-5 kids were assigned to each chaperone to go explore the museum on their own. I watched several chaperone's just let the kids take off and run far enough away from them that they couldn't see them. I was standing right next to them so I know they couldn't see them. They were too busy chatting with their friends or reading the signs. This was 2nd grade.

So, while I trust the teachers for the most part, I don't think they can be responsible for 25+ kids at one time on a field trip. It's the parents I don't trust and I feel justified in my feelings based on observation.

Oddly enough, I'm actually a very adventurous person and push my kids to be as well. They are very independent in terms of thought and activities, but safety is just not negotiable to me.

To the poster that mentioned school shootings, 9/11, and car crashes. Good point and you are right. But there are several differences. I have military friends who have talked to my kids, as well as theirs, about what to do in an active shooter situation. It could happen anywhere and my kids are as prepared as they can be. 9/11 was one instance and while we haven't stopped flying, that is the main reason I don't want my kids to be in DC by themselves. I have no way to get to them if they are in a city with limited access by bridges. Our go plan does not include going towards DC. The risk of injury/death in car crashes are mitigated by the proper use of seat belts, knowing how to get out of a car going under in water, and only being in cars by drivers I know to be cautious drivers.

Plus these incidents are much less frequent in my "world" considering both of my kids have become "lost" in school situations and none of the other incidents have happened to us.

Then mitigate risks for field trips, too. Have a talk with your kids about staying with the group. Let them know that they won't be allowed to go on field trips or even museums with the family ever if they keep wandering from their groups. Yes, it's harsh, but you need to teach your kids to stay with the group. I've had to tell my 1st and 4th grader, too, about leaving my side when we are in stores. I've told them I will stop taking them out if they keep wandering. Your 4th grader especially should be more mindful. Put a nametag with a phone#, school name, teacher name and pin it on their clothes. Let the teacher and/or chaperone know about your wandering children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Oddly enough, I'm actually a very adventurous person and push my kids to be as well. They are very independent in terms of thought and activities, but safety is just not negotiable to me.

I don't think "very adventurous" and "won't let my fourth-grader go on a field trip unless I'm chaperoning" belong in the same sentence.

By the way, safety is not negotiable for most people. I do know some people who think, "It's not safe, but what the hell!", but not many. It's just that different people have different ideas of what safety means.