Do you think your elementary aged child is being properly supervised while on a field trip?

[Anonymous]

They’re most likely not. My DD got lost on a field trip when she was 8. She was actually left on site, and it was a museum employee who contracted me. The school did not realize. Since then, I don’t allow my kids to go on field trips unless I attend, and I don’t attend as a chaperone. My kids have missed out on many field trips, I’m usually the bad mom.

Today my 7-year-old had a field trip. At the time, I could not get off work and so didn’t agree to let him go. His teacher called and talked to me about it and assured me he’d be ok, that she’d put him in her group. I begrudgingly agreed.

Last minute today I was able to have the morning off and my MIL and I showed up at the field trip destination to surprise DS. We were in a high traffic area when I spotted DS, nowhere near his teacher. He saw me and ran to me, no adult with his school noticed. I was feeling vindictive so decided I’d do a little experiment. How long before they realize my son was missing.

My son and I sat as my MIL slowly followed his peers. It took 27 minutes before anyone realized he was gone. I wondered if I could get my son out of the location without those responsible for him realizing.

I was able to get him out, and drive him to get pizza. It was 12:45 before anyone contacted me to tell me my son was missing.

He had been “missing” for about 2.5 hours at that point.

-He was wearing his uniform, easy to spot.

-They did the “buddy system” because children are suppose to be held accountable for other children?

-His chaperone was a mother we never met. She was too engaged with her child to pay attention to the other 5 in her care (exactly why I won’t chaperone, that’s a huge responsibility).

My SIL works security at a major DC museum and says she gets lost field trip kids daily. Sometimes they wonder out of the museum.

It’s not safe. Your kids aren’t being properly watched.

[Anonymous]

I have chaperoned many fcps field trips.

I am comfortable with the level of supervision on these trips. My ratio is usually 4 to 1 or 5 to 1 tops, one of those kids being my own. Often on the major field trips, there are a lot of extra parents tagging along so there are even lower ratios

I have watched field trips at the Smithsonian with preschool groups and summer day care groups. Even with the matching shirts I would be very nervous about my young kids going on one of those trips. The supervision does not seem attentive enough for the crowds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have chaperoned many fcps field trips.

I am comfortable with the level of supervision on these trips. My ratio is usually 4 to 1 or 5 to 1 tops, one of those kids being my own. Often on the major field trips, there are a lot of extra parents tagging along so there are even lower ratios

I have watched field trips at the Smithsonian with preschool groups and summer day care groups. Even with the matching shirts I would be very nervous about my young kids going on one of those trips. The supervision does not seem attentive enough for the crowds.

Agree. I have been on a lot of FCPS field trips and have no problems with how they are run. You sound kind of crazy, OP.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the few incidences of kids getting lost on field trips is scary, but if you live your life by these kinds of pretty rare occurrences, then you might as well give up living.

There are school shootings pretty regularly now. Are you going to homeschool.
Car accidents are pretty common. Are you going to stop driving your car.
There have been a few incidences of plane crashes. Are you going to never fly.

C'mon OP.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Dang, that is insane and also totally unacceptable! Are you meeting with the school Administration?

I have chaperoned on a field trip - it was to the Safari Park place in Reston. It's a pretty contained area and I did feel like the kids were well-supervised/the parents were attentive.

I did have my preschooler left behind on the school bus once.

[Anonymous]

My mother lost me at that age at a shopping center. These things happen even outside of field trips. People get separated. Sounds like your child did the right thing and it all worked out ok, and he probably developed some confidence from solving the problem himself.

I teach my kids to find an appropriate grownup if they get lost, or we come up with meeting spaces when we enter a busy area like a museum or at Disney etc. I tell them to stick to their buddy and not use the restroom alone on field trips. I make my child wear his gizmo on field trips - they aren't allowed at the school technically but I've never had a teacher call me out on its use for this. This way he has a way to call me in an emergency. And yes, I track my kid during the day to make sure he is where he is supposed to be, but that's more because it's fun to me than really stressing about it. I'm not going to deny my kids a field trip.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the school and parent chaperone. I will not allow my child to go without a parent or grandparent as I've been on enough to know there is little supervision and most parents are very relaxed. I don't agree with playing got-you and you should have attended the field trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mother lost me at that age at a shopping center. These things happen even outside of field trips. People get separated. Sounds like your child did the right thing and it all worked out ok, and he probably developed some confidence from solving the problem himself.

I teach my kids to find an appropriate grownup if they get lost, or we come up with meeting spaces when we enter a busy area like a museum or at Disney etc. I tell them to stick to their buddy and not use the restroom alone on field trips. I make my child wear his gizmo on field trips - they aren't allowed at the school technically but I've never had a teacher call me out on its use for this. This way he has a way to call me in an emergency. And yes, I track my kid during the day to make sure he is where he is supposed to be, but that's more because it's fun to me than really stressing about it. I'm not going to deny my kids a field trip.

We got a letter saying no cell phones but mine wears his every day and its been a non-issue. I have the sounds turned off during school hours.

[Anonymous]

If BOTH of your kids have wandered away from the group and 7 and 8 years old...you have a problem.

I just chaperoned a field trip and do so every year. This last field trip the sponsor counted all kids and all teachers on the bus. When we got off, she once again counted every one. We had a classroom presentation, and then had a boat ride. At each transition, we counted kids. Anyone that got too far outside of the group was called back. When it was time to go, all kids and adults were counted. I *always* watch for stragglers. They are usually the bad arse kids that like to "free style".

On a field trip with my youngest son last year I had to make one kid literally sit next to me or hold my hand at all times. His mother probably should have either chaperoned the trip or kept him home.

All that being said, you should absolutely contact the school and ask what happened. However, my kids would never, ever leave the group, and would for damn sure not leave the building they were in. You should work with your kids on that. That *is* a skill. When we are in public I have rules for my children - my number one rule is that if they can see my back they are not in the right place. My number two rules is that they are to never get so busy or enthralled that they lose contact with their group - whether that group is our little family or their class on a field trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Yes, the few incidences of kids getting lost on field trips is scary, but if you live your life by these kinds of pretty rare occurrences, then you might as well give up living.

There are school shootings pretty regularly now. Are you going to homeschool.
Car accidents are pretty common. Are you going to stop driving your car.
There have been a few incidences of plane crashes. Are you going to never fly.

C'mon OP.

+1. OP is keeping her kid from field trips with classmates due to an irrational fear of a rare event.

Yes, it's possible--but rare--that kids get lost for a few minutes; rarely longer than that. Even more unlikely that the "experiment" OP undertook (in which she took her child away from the group for 2.5 hours before they noticed) would have any bearing on likely real-life situations. In a real-life situation, once a child realizes they're lost, they go to a grownup, and are typically reunited with their group fairly quickly.

OP is overestimating the likelihood of a rare event (getting lost) occurring, and if it does, she thinks it will be worse than it likely would be.

-parent of another 7yo who loves field trips with friends

[Anonymous]

You are 100% correct, OP. Most parents have absolutely zero idea what some of these school field trips are like.

Just last week, our school took kindergartners to the pumpkin patch. A child was lost by another chaperone. The little girl found me in a convenience store at the patch (I had taken my little group inside of it as we were getting ready to leave). The other chaperone never showed back up. I wonder how he thinks she got back on the bus? The kid's parents were never notified.

Same trip, a few years ago, another kid lost. I found her crying under playground equipment far away from the group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If BOTH of your kids have wandered away from the group and 7 and 8 years old...you have a problem.

I just chaperoned a field trip and do so every year. This last field trip the sponsor counted all kids and all teachers on the bus. When we got off, she once again counted every one. We had a classroom presentation, and then had a boat ride. At each transition, we counted kids. Anyone that got too far outside of the group was called back. When it was time to go, all kids and adults were counted. I *always* watch for stragglers. They are usually the bad arse kids that like to "free style".

On a field trip with my youngest son last year I had to make one kid literally sit next to me or hold my hand at all times. His mother probably should have either chaperoned the trip or kept him home.

All that being said, you should absolutely contact the school and ask what happened. However, my kids would never, ever leave the group, and would for damn sure not leave the building they were in. You should work with your kids on that. That *is* a skill. When we are in public I have rules for my children - my number one rule is that if they can see my back they are not in the right place. My number two rules is that they are to never get so busy or enthralled that they lose contact with their group - whether that group is our little family or their class on a field trip.

My 8-year-old did not wonder off, but was left while using the restroom. She took awhile longer to finish, and the rest of her group had left and she couldn’t find them.

My 7-year-old doesn’t usually wonder, but did run to me. That’s an age appropriate response, and many 1st and 2nd headers will wonder and the school needs to know that’s expected.

I do not trust the parent chaperones. Most are not concerned for the well-being of the other students and do not pay attention nor do they make sure the students in their care behave appropriately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Yes, the few incidences of kids getting lost on field trips is scary, but if you live your life by these kinds of pretty rare occurrences, then you might as well give up living.

There are school shootings pretty regularly now. Are you going to homeschool.
Car accidents are pretty common. Are you going to stop driving your car.
There have been a few incidences of plane crashes. Are you going to never fly.

C'mon OP.

+1. OP is keeping her kid from field trips with classmates due to an irrational fear of a rare event.

Yes, it's possible--but rare--that kids get lost for a few minutes; rarely longer than that. Even more unlikely that the "experiment" OP undertook (in which she took her child away from the group for 2.5 hours before they noticed) would have any bearing on likely real-life situations. In a real-life situation, once a child realizes they're lost, they go to a grownup, and are typically reunited with their group fairly quickly.

OP is overestimating the likelihood of a rare event (getting lost) occurring, and if it does, she thinks it will be worse than it likely would be.

-parent of another 7yo who loves field trips with friends

Unless a child is kidnapped.

[Anonymous]

Yeah they are not well supervised. It is completely up to the parent chaperone. Some are good but most can't keep track of the kids assigned to them. The teachers don't do anything to keep track of the groups either. On the upside by the time they are in 4th or 5th grade, you'll care less if they get lost.

[Anonymous]

So you basically kidnapped your own child and reinforced the unacceptable behavior of leaving the group. That was not a good parenting move.