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I've been on overnight trips with my kids in grades 3, 4 and 5. The trips involved ferry, plane and driving. The trips afforded the kids opportunities to see the history and environment of other locations and was educational even for me. The sleeping arrangements sound reasonable as long as they have enough chaperones who are responsible. Cost-wise, most classes fund-raised the majority of the funds. Parents who chose not to fund-raise were able to contribute directly. I believe there was assistance available for those who needed it.
The best way to find out if the trip is worthwhile, is to ask the parents of kids who have gone. Most likely, the kids in your daughter's class heard about it last year and are eager to go. I will say that going with your classmates is different than going with your family. Classes are able to do things that individual families wouldn't necessarily do or even have the opportunity to do. Besides, they'll have more fun going with their friends. If you're uncomfortable with her going, you can always opt out of the trip.
Okaaaay, I'm starting to wonder here, at what age would y'all consider an overnight trip appropriate?
This particular trip seems a bit too ambitious, and I would possibly have some concerns about it. But I really don't see why a single overnight trip to see something that is unavailable in your own area is such a frightening idea. My kids went on trips to science museums, historical homes, a cavern, other things to see and do that are not possible in our area. They were good learning experiences and a good opportunity to gain some independence in a controlled setting.
My kids are city raised so maybe it's a little bit different, but by the time the kids are in middle school (twelve yr olds) if they haven't developed some independence, savvy, street smarts, whatever you want to call it, they are at a disadvantage. I think fourth grade is not too early to loosen the apron strings just a little.
Sometimes you can worry too much about the what might happens, that you end up missing many opportunities.
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Originally Posted by allforcats
-- The trip is too long -- should be a day trip.
Sometimes, the logistics of a trip make this impossible or unsafe. Do you think it's better that your child spends 10 hours on a bus and maybe a rushed 4 hours for the event just so it's a day trip? Under these circumstances, I think it would be safer to overnight and not risk a late night return with a tired bus driver.
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-- The children are too young
That is subjective, however, I will say that one teacher told us she canceled the trip the year before because she thought that class was too immature. As I said earlier, one son was in the thirs grade for his first overnight trip.
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-- there are too many of them sleeping (read horsing around and not getting a lot of sleep) in the room
-- the arrangements are weird (certainly the adults need to get their sleep, especially to handle the kids the next day, but what if a child drops a glass in the middle of the night, steps on broken shards, and is afraid to wake an adult?)
How many would you be comfortable with sleeping in each room? IMHO, four per room is a compromise between cost and quantity. Also with four, each child can usually room with a friend. On the trips I've been on, the teacher has drilled into the kids on what to do if there is a problem (go to chaperon first, then teacher, then any other chaperon). Consequences of horsing around were known and lights went out at a specific time and they had to be quiet. Sleep was up to the kids, but no one ever died from one night's lack of sleep.
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-- flying without the comfort and security of parents? No thank you.
Kids fly all the time as unaccompanied minors. When one class I was with flew, we were checked in separately from the general crowd. If someone needed to go to the restroom, an adult accompanied them. The worst part was the fight over the window seats.
Parents are always free to pull their kids from a trip if they feel uncomfortable with them going. If the trip were problems, I know most teachers would stop doing them (as some have for certain classes). I know my kids were excited when they found out Ms. X was teacher and they knew they'd be going on a trip.
Not enough supervision. Not appropriate supervision.
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
I am a great person, not a pedophile, but who's to say anyone else is not?
I would not want my 9 year son old in a room without an adult. PERIOD. And I would not want my 9 year old son in a room with an adult male i didn't know PERIOD. Adult female, probably, but there are a myriad of other problems there too.
I don't care about how successful many other overnights have been, you can all relate stories all day about how great, fun, educational, etc. they are. Let's hear it from the people with negative experiences.
If I went to a hotel and left my four kids, all 9 years old in another hotel room that wasn't adjoining (because lets face it, they are not all adjoining), and something happened to my kid, I wonder how long it would be before DSS and the media got involved.
It is just unnecessary. Plain and simple.
and keeping your kid home is not really an option. then you have to tell the kid they cannot go while the classmates go on? that would be unfair to the kid.
P.S. I thought that schools were running on bare-bones budgets? Even if it is fundraising $, couldn't it be better spent. And what if the people couldn't afford it and couldn't do the fundraising? who pays for their child.
Don't get me started on school fundraising programs.......
P.S. I thought that schools were running on bare-bones budgets? Even if it is fundraising $, couldn't it be better spent. And what if the people couldn't afford it and couldn't do the fundraising? who pays for their child.
Don't get me started on school fundraising programs.......
In our school the parents pay for the field trips not the school. If a family qualifies for free lunch the parent teacher organization provides some assistance.
In our school the parents pay for the field trips not the school. If a family qualifies for free lunch the parent teacher organization provides some assistance.
I don't mind paying for a field trip. To the museum zoo whatever. Not a two day vacation. (AKA school trip) this is inconsiderate to the people trying to make ends meet. (Two years ago i would have had to scrape to send my school with 10 extra dollars, therefore i am highly cognizant of the plight of people on a budget---and btw we were too rich for free lunch)
Maybe it depends on where you live. Here in massachusetts there are so many places for the kids to go that are within a days drive this situation would probably never come up.
It is not about the money for me, though for some people it would be. And that would be a shame. People don't need the extra pressure. And some people have several kids.
For all of the same reasons as already stated, no way would I let a nine year old go on a trip like that. Yes, it would be disappointing for the kid if everyone else was going but, hey, that's life.
In our school the parents pay for the field trips not the school. If a family qualifies for free lunch the parent teacher organization provides some assistance.
Exactly the same here although you just have to ask for help. I know on one trip they raised enough money to cover the trip plus have a pizza party at year-end. Also, I know where the teacher contributed his own funds, because we asked and wrote an additional check for $15 (he didn't solicit for the additional contributions).
I don't mind paying for a field trip. To the museum zoo whatever. Not a two day vacation. (AKA school trip) this is inconsiderate to the people trying to make ends meet. (Two years ago i would have had to scrape to send my school with 10 extra dollars, therefore i am highly cognizant of the plight of people on a budget---and btw we were too rich for free lunch)
Maybe it depends on where you live. Here in massachusetts there are so many places for the kids to go that are within a days drive this situation would probably never come up.
It is not about the money for me, though for some people it would be. And that would be a shame. People don't need the extra pressure. And some people have several kids.
My guess is that these types of expensive trips are not offered where parents are under a lot of financial stress. My youngest is in a charter school and we have a committee that hears requests for assistance for trips. The 5th graders fund raise for their class trip.
Here in FL there are loads of places to go that are within a day's drive but I do know of some schools that do overnight trips. I think 4th grade is a bit young but I do know one elementary school that takes the kids to St. Augustine, which is very historical, in elementary school. It cannot be done in one day from here and most kids go. They use an educational travel firm and I think the cost is pretty reasonable.
My older kids school is private and does overnight trips starting in 7th grade. Of course the parents tend to have money for these types of trips at that school.
The kids stay over at Sea World (7th) or Busch Gardens (8th). They stay ON SITE (in the buildings with the animals, or in camping shelters) and participate in educational programs after the parks close. The animal caretakers teach the kids about the animals and the kids get to participate in caring for them. My son got to feed a giraffe.
In some ways I think its easier to control 4th graders than middle school kids, but I would think twice before sending a 9 year old on an overnight trip without a family member.
I first sent my son to an overnight thing when he was 7. It was a week long summer camp. School trips started at 6th grade and I am okay with them. Some band trips started at 4th grade - we are not in band - and some of the parents had trouble with it. They thought it was too young. I would say it depends on the kid and his/her ability to "stay with the group." I am not so worried about the pediphile thing as there are pervs everywhere.
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