Here's my scenario: I offered to chaperone my 3rd grader's class to the Natural History Museum. They didn't have enough room for all of the chaperones on the bus. I told the teacher I would meet them there. I was suppose to chaperone DS and one other kid. The other kid didn't show. I went to work, which is close to the museum and then met the class at the field trip location at the appropriate time. My kid rode the bus home and I went back to work. Meeting your kid there might be fine, so long as you ok it with the teacher and your kid understands that they are to follow the teacher's/chaperone's rules.

Anonymous wrote:Omg let the kid breathe without you for one day. Will be confusing and disruptive.

omg this. This is SO something that would have happened when I was a kid.

Your poor 3 rd grader.

It depends on the school. Ours will not allow it. A newborn is ok as they stay in the stroller or you wear them. You need to get a babysitter, have dad stay with the baby or not go. You are there to supervise other kids and not chase after a two year old.

Our school has a no-sibling policy for field trips, whether you're a chaperone or not. One mom always ignores this rule and brings her two other younger kids. It's obnoxious and everyone dislikes it. The field trip is for the kids in the class, not for their siblings. It's super rude to the other parents who wouldn't bring their other children for you to bring yours. Don't be that person.

Anonymous wrote:A newborn that is strapped to your chest is one thing. A mobile toddler is another. I don't see what good will come of it, other than distracting your kid and possibly being disruptive, especially if the toddler wants to interact with the older sibling. If you want to take your toddler to a museum, do it on your own time.

I agree and if you can swing a babysitter and chaperone you should.

Some school districts have strict rules against this. Our school district had a rule when ods was in a school district preschool but not a rule for elementary school. I am not sure what the difference was.

Our school district switched sometime after my ods was in kindergarten, because I remember being a "helper" chaperone with a stroller and yds, and I remember a friend bringing her baby and her husband so that one could chaperone and the other was there with the baby in the stroller. Anyone with a younger child with them was paired with another chaperone who did not have a child with them. Most groups had two adults with them anyway, so it wasn't a huge deal.

I remember that the stroller was a huge help because we put all the lunches for the group in the basket on the bottom, and had a place for coats that kids took off!

Going and interacting with your kid will be disruptive. Going without interacting is pointless.

Even better: take your 3rd grader back with the rest of the family on the weekend and ask him to teach you what they learned on the field trip. It's a great way to make your child feel like the expert.

My kids are 5 years apart and my oldest didn't see me often on field trips in elementary school for just the reasons you mention. It was fine, because I made up for it by chaperoning some of his middle and high school field trips, when my youngest was in school and could be picked up by DH.