Just Curious What You Would Do - 5 Year Old Field Trip

No I would not have a problem and I never had a problem with it.. Kids have been going on field trips since schools were invented..

I actually tried not to sign up so that the parents that REALLY wanted to go would have the opportunity.. I also remember my daughter loving experiencing these type of things and coming home and sharing.. If I had been there, I would have missed out on her version of how it all went. ..

There were many times the teachers asked me to attend (especially the out of town day trips), I knew most every child in the schools since I was extremely active on Campus I was happy to help out.

I don't see any issues with a kindergartner going on a field trip without the parent. I remember going on many field trips when I was in kindergarten and parents never went on the trips. 50 kids with 4 adults + 3 parents is plenty supervision.

I wouldnt have a problem with it. I went on the ones I wanted to go on and definitely didnt go to all of them.

Whew, there are some helicopters buzzing.... following a school bus to the field trip location.... gees... going camo to spy on your kids?

By K, the student knows the class "rules", etc. We also offer parent chaperones but only where there are 10-12 students/chaperone. We also alternate so the parents who would like to chaperone, have an opportunity to do so at one of the field trips.

You have to start letting go... look at this as an adventure your child is looking forward to. I can't imagine a parent keeping a child at school due to their fear of letting that child go on a supervised field trip. Wow, what a disservice to a child by the parent.

Trust that your child will be ok. Your child is probably excited and looking forward to this field trip. Don't take a learning experience away due to your fears.

Good luck.. I know it is hard letting go but it has to be done. Better to start slowly and get used to it.

Good lord! This helicopter parent thing really needs to stop! YES -my 4 year old in prek has already gone on 2 field trips this year, is going on another Thursday and another next Thursday! There are 2 parent chaperones asked to go as well as both prek teachers and both prek assistants. That's plenty! 3 trips are/will be to places in downtown Atlanta, and the other is to a large farm. I'm in no way worried any more than I would be on a daily basis. My mother was super over-protective with me, and I remember going on field trips in kindergarten that she didn't attend or ask to attend. By kindergarten kids know how to line up, follow in a line and behave. They know there are consequences for bad behavior. If mommy and daddy continue to go and hold their hand for everything, they'll never learn independence or confidence!

Wow! I can't believe the number of parents having issues with this! Maybe I am just a laid back mama, but I would have no problem letting my child go without me. It's not like I am allowing him to go somewhere by himself...he would be supervised, and if the school thought there were any concerns, they wouldn't allow the kids to go. My parents were rarely allowed to come along on our class trips and I turned out fine...I guess I would just be happy that they are having that experience and ask about it later! (As a side note, I would love to be able to go, but I certainly wouldn't pitch a fit if there were no parents allowed because of lack of space!)

Holy cow. Helecoptor parenting is out of control.

I would let my children go, and I would have taken no for an answer in the first place; my children have special needs, and I would still let them go without me.

This kind of thing just makes me crazy. I would not put up with it if I were the teachers, and would have just said "we will miss little Johnny at the field trip" and let these nutty parents watch thier child at home for the day so that everything was just perfect for them. If everyone cannot cut in line, then nobody can, or we do not have a line any more, we have chaos, and this is the same thing. Kids get bumped, brused, hurt, have bad days, and have times when they have to learn to be alone and independent and it will not always be rainbows and butterflies. Have you seen an 18 year old who just had a bad experience for the first time in thier life? The 5 year old fit happens then, and it is so much more misserable for an 18 year old toddler to learn that they can't have what they want every second of every day.

My husband and I are in our 50's. He is an upper level manager for his firm and a Navy Commander. He has been sharing with me how stupid the parents of his youngest employees and navy officers and enlisteds look when Mom and Dad call to complain about little Johnny's lunch break, or the accomodations in thier war zone rooms in Iraq. Seriously? When does it stop? The answer is...if we let it go on, it does not stop, and Mommy and Daddy get upset when Johnny does not like the food he gets in a war zone. Uhg....

M.

My kids have been going on school field trips since they were in preschool. A lower than 10:1 ratio of students to teachers is absolutely acceptable, I don't see why they need to bring any parents at all, especially to a venue that is small enough to warrant concerns about how many they can accommodate. These are the same teachers who are in charge of the children every day, with two to a room, every day. Who better to trust?

I'd put my name in if I was really interested in the trip itself, but not because of any concern over the safety of my child. Considering the circumstances, I definitely wouldn't go on this trip because they initially excluded parents for good reason.

If it were just 2 teachers and 2 aides yes I would have a problem but since they are having 6 parents go I don't see a problem that is roughly 5 kids to an adult which was pretty typical on field trips I went on in elementary school. Part of the entire school experience is as a parent you need to let go a little. Now if parents still have a problem with 5 kids to an adult then they need to learn to sit back a little you cannot hover over your child 24/7 that's not healthy for the child or parent.
edited: Is one of the people going a nurse? In our school they have to have a nurse (usually a parent volunteer) on any field trip. If my son's school did not have this policy I would demand to go so I could administer his medication properly.

I would def have a problem.. Either my husband or myself always go on ALL my child's fieldtrips.. I don't chance it...IF we couldn't go, then my son doesn't go... While some might be good at watching kids, others are not..
Also.. for such a young age.. they def need more helpers than two...
they should know better.. if it were me.. I wouldn't send my child.. end of subject..

In this case, yes. It really depends on the trip though. I would never let my kid's go without me on water trips or really crowded trips where a child could get lost, but am thinking this trip doesn't really meet that criteria.

Good luck!

It would depend on the specifics of the place to a degree... will they be enclosed in a small area, where it will be their class only? Will they be mixed in with the public? Will they be outdoors? Indoors?

I'd be far more hesitant to let my son go without me if the field trip is going to be somewhere where they will be mixing with the public. Obviously, this creates a lot more safety issues with so few adults accompanying so many small children. If it's in an enclosed area, where they will not be mixing with the public, then I might consider it, but even at that, I'm not sure I'd be ok with it (translation, I'd let him go, but be a little nervous).

Let her go. You let her go to school, you trust the "system" to educate her and keep her safe. The post that said "mixing with the public" is a problem is off base - I've seen news reports of abductions, but they're never from field trips! Kids are usually identified by tags or same-color shirts, or some other means. And following the bus there? That's a little obsessive, frankly. If there are 4 staff and 6 parents, that's 10 adults for 50 kids. I really think each adult can watch out for 5 kids, don't you?? My worry is that the most obsessive parents will watch only their own child and not the others they are assigned to. I think the more objective parents should go. I also have several friends who are nurses, and they were often the "first choice" to go on field trips.

I think letting too many parents go on the trips takes away from the experience for the kids. People have to let go a little and let their children develop some independence. This is obviously a structured location geared to children and I'm sure it is safe.

No, I would not have a problem with it. I would be a little nervous... being that my child is so young. But that would not stop me from letting her go. If you really want to go.... ride behind the bus in your own vehicle. They can not stop you from being there. It's your child, not the governments.

I would have absolutely no problem with my child going on this field trip and I'm usually a fairly protective parent. With the additional parents, it sounds like there is going to be adequate supervision. Maybe you could ask the teacher if the parent volunteers are going to be supervising groups of kids and not just spending time with their own child? Most schools are very careful--they put name tags on the kids, count frequently and rely on a buddy system or something. Field trips are very exciting for kids and an integral part of the whole school experience. How exciting for a kindergartner! I think any child not allowed to go would be very sad and feel very left out. I'm in my 40s and I still remember the excitement and anticipation of elementary school field trips.

Why would you have a problem with your child going on a field trip without you? Let her go and don't make the teacher's job and harder than it is. She is only 5 but this is something she should be able to do all on her own.

No. If there are other opportunities to be involved. I'd put my name in the hat:)
These are not strangers. You put your trust in these folks everyday to car for your child. I think they will do a beautiful job with the added support.
Don't feel too anxious about it, but to ease your mind be sure to ask about processes and how they know they have everyone, identifiers, and iron your name and phone number inside your child's shirt - LOL!

If it were just the 4 teachers/helpers, yes I would have a problem. Since they are taking 6 other sets of eyes, no. Its a hard step of faith to let your child go on a field trip without you, but I am just not able to attend them all.

My son has food allergies, so I am very cautious, but the teacher made sure that my son was paired with a parent that knew my son and knew about the allergies and precautions.

If you keep your child back at school because you can't attend your child is going to feel left out because his friends are getting to do something he wont.

No, I wouldn't be concerned. If they were going to the Zoo then I might be really concerned. Wild animals could eat them. If they were going to Pizza hut to make individual Pizza's and were going to be in the small dining room and space was limited I would not even begin to care if I went or not. And I didn't go on that field trip in Kindergarten with K last year. During Head Start Pre-School I didn't go to Leonardo's in Enid either. It's a kids playground and is safe.

If you are that concerned then don't let her go, tell them to supply a substitute setting for her at the school because she'll be there and ready to learn.

I wouldn't probably with the addition of these extra parents. I'd put my name in. Schools tend to be pretty careful at these events and make the kids stick together and with their assigned parent. It is a little weird but sounds like they're doing the best they can to keep costs down. I'd go on other trips if you're able to.

It depends where they are going.

Where we are now, the town has a tiny planetarium that the kids have a field trip to once a year for a few hours. It's small and there is no place to get lost. You don't need a lot of helpers in this setting.

Where we lived when my son was in kindergarten, they did an all day field trip to the Kennedy Center for a music appreciation program. There were massive amounts of other classes there from a whole lot of school districts - everyone brought all the parents who wanted to come to help keep track of the kids and do constant head counts after bathroom times and lunch. You definitely need the the help in any wide open big public space where lots of confusion can happen.

Too large of a adult child ratio, especially for a field trip environment. I'd say I'm not sending my kid w/o me. They should not plan a trip that they can't allow parents to come along to - silly!

If the destination itself is not dangerous (water involved, etc.) then I would let my son go. Sounds like they have a LOT of people to watch 50 kids, right? 2 teachers, 2 helpers and 6 parents? That's 10 people=20 sets of eyes. Teachers have this type of thing down to a science.
The first time I dropped my son off at "park hike & picnic day" I thought I was going to DIE. It was all day--9 to 4 and it was a creek walk/hike and bring a lunch, etc. What made me feel better is that O. of the helper kids was a sister of O. of my son's friends. I know you know the teacher but could you talk to O. of the accompanying moms? I'll bet that would make you fell better.

hi there,
i would have a problem i dont think 2 teachers and 2 helpers is enough esp if its 2 kindergarten classes, isnt the rule 4 kids per one adult? once my daughter gets to beschool age i plan on going to everything and i'll go seperately if i have to bc these days you just dont know you know???
good luck :)

The first field trip is special but when my daughter was in kindergarten there were so many parents that wanted to go they had the other parents drive seperate if they wanted to go. I didn't have a problem there really is only so many spaces on the bus. I think the parents who said that might be over reacting a little.