First grade field trip...what would you do??? - Page 2

[mamaley]

Originally Posted by UUMom

The kid can't be on the bus, no matter. No school allows sibs not enrolled in schools on their transportation.

I took 3 yo dd on a bus with my first grader's field trip. I hadn't even thought of that.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Here any field trip the parents if they choose not to be chaparons (which I never do) you have to drive your own car while the child going on the trip takes the bus then from there you can either stay with the group or take your child and go your own way. That is what we always do. Then they can either ride the bus back to school or you can take them home instead. We choose to take dd home that way we dont have to leave at 2:30 like everyone riding the bus.

[lauren]

I think "no sibings" is pretty standard policy in public schools.

[bdavis337]

It really has to be. As a generalization, a school's insurance policy doesn't cover children who aren't enrolled as students for things such as field trips, etc. It WILL cover things like "family day" at the beginning of the year, but not things that are class specific. Even if the trip itself is in a public place, the school is still promoting and sponsoring the trip. They do assume a certain amount of risk - transportation, supervision at the location, etc. They have to cover their back ends. Again, this is a huge generalization, but it's not the school admin trying to keep families apart during school activity. It's the school admin following insurance and district policy that protects the school financially.

Has your dd already missed enough school for an absent day to be a problem? If not, just do it your way, keep her with you on the farm and let them mark her absent. Otherwise, either stay home with your older kids and let her go with the class, or take a family trip their another time.

[taz925]

I feel the "policy" excludes you. I have not volunteered much at school for my 1st grader because of those policies. If my DH can be home to watch my preschooler, I can help otherwise the burden is shifted to parents w/o younger children at home or people okay with babysitters who are available during the day. It is rare that there is a school event that happens while my little one is in preschool but I help with those. But field trips take alot of time usually more that the # of hours the other child is in school so I am out for those. I am sure that the reasons are sound in the minds of the administration but it sure feels personal and I used to get really annoyed when it was "suggested" I just get a babysitter. Now I just say I can't and get on with things.

OP - I would go w/ the sibs. Let the school do whatever they need to do but go and have fun.

Doreen

[USAmma]

So what happened?

My dd's school has a policy like that, too. I have to respect it because it's in the handbook. For the first field trip I told the teacher I could drive a child and help supervise but I had to bring my 3yo with me. For that trip they really needed more drivers (charter school-- no bus service) and they let me and one other mom come with siblings. For the zoo trip they had recently they had enough parents with no sibs to help out so I did not go with her that day.

[TinkerBelle]

I personally do not understand why a babysitter for a rare occasion is such a horrible thing.

Do what you will, and I don't have sitters either,usually, but I would find a good one for my toddler if my other children wanted me on a field trip on a rare occasion.

[3boysmom]

When my kids were younger, I would trade childcare with a few other moms so we could each do some school volunteering while our younger kids had a fun playdate with another family. My kids really looked forward to my volunteer days so they could have a few hours of fun at their friend's house. I think it meant a lot to the school-age child to see me there too.

[MillingNome]

Two ways that I can see myseld doing:

1. Not sure what would happen but what would be the worst thing about having dd miss school to go with you? So what if she's counted as absent I've pulled dd and ds out of school a few times to do things like musems and such. It's one day and she's yours

2. Well, since it is pretty standard policy to not allow siblings, don't take this as a personal afront. Let her go and have a good time. Ask her all about when she comes home

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

Well i emailed the teacher and told her i would not be going....with this field trip parents drive to the place...it's been many years since you could ride with the kids on the bus around here.....i made a deal with dd...that i would bring her lunch from a really cool place and eat at school with her and then when she gets home from school, we could go somewhere she wanted to go that was fun...the park or shopping....so she was cool with that....I kind of feel bad that i didnt just go and see what would of happened...but i'm telling you...this teacher is so over the top i think she would of made a huge ordeal about it...and i just dont have the energy for people like that these days...i really appreciate all the great and wonderful advice yall have provided....Sorry if i sound all over the place i'm typing lying down in the bed...it's been one of those days:

[Thalia the Muse]

So, she didn't get to go on the trip?

[Momma Aimee]

sorry see next post

[Momma Aimee]

well it is just me bt if you have had run ins with the teacher before I WOULD NOT TAKE HER WORD THAT IT IS SCHOOL POLICY

1. either e-mail the teacher something like "oh thanks can you give me a copy of the shcool policy so i can address it at PTA and get it changed"? thus forceing her to either admit she lied or provid a photocopy of offical policy.....you should have a parent handbook, as for a site.

2. write the rpinpcal a nice letter expalining you want to go, at first you were told sibs were ok, you know the place you are going accepts sib -- tell the pricpal that the teacher now says school policy won't allow and say "I wanted to verfy this, as tthis is a policy that i think bneeds to be adressed, can you get me a copy of the policy?" and I would spellout other run ins i have had with the teacher and comment this is what casues me to come to you....

personally -- I'd go to the prinipcal but DH say i like to start stuff.

But I see no readon to allow teachers to pwoer trip -- they need to be held accountable.

[UUMom]

Originally Posted by mamaley

I took 3 yo dd on a bus with my first grader's field trip. I hadn't even thought of that.

I haven't experienced that. You think I would learn to never use the word never. lol

[jaye]

Originally Posted by Aimee21972

2. write the rpinpcal a nice letter expalining you want to go, at first you were told sibs were ok, you know the place you are going accepts sib -- tell the pricpal that the teacher now says school policy won't allow and say "I wanted to verfy this, as tthis is a policy that i think bneeds to be adressed, can you get me a copy of the policy?" and I would spellout other run ins i have had with the teacher and comment this is what casues me to come to you....

Where did the OP say at first sibs were ok to go?

Most people on this thread said this is a pretty common policy and there are liability issues. Especially understandable if the parent is supposed to be watching several 1st graders.

This is not a battle I would choose to make a big deal over.

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

She did go on the field trip......i took her lunch today...that was our deal since i didnt get to go on the filed trip....and the teacher comes up to me and was overly nice and apologized about what happened and said that it was school policy that sibblings couldn't go...so i guess that she was correct....I wont have to worry about this any more next year....we are going to homeschool....so no more teachers and school rules....