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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

Should I take poorly 4.8 DD on school trip?

21 replies

PavlovtheCat · 23/03/2011 07:01

She has fever for last two days, cough, general malais. Normal bug. She developed it sunday, evening, not bad, went to school on monday, by monday evening, fever had come up, kept her off yesterday and she had quite a high fever all day.

This morning she has woken up bouncing and happy, has a hard hacking slightly productive cough, sneezes. But that could be due to not being up very long and it having sat on her chest all night. Slight fever, not v high at all (no thermometer, [grr]) but I know it is there as she has that pinprickly skin, you know really really small goosebumps when cold air goes across her. I am sure with some medicine this will go.

Normally I would probably just send her to school as she wants to go, and I know they will look after her, keep her calm and rested today, and call us if we needed to get her.

But she is going on a school trip to the beach, it is 1.5 hours away, an all day trip, and I am a parent helper (not a problem, already spoken to them about that they have enough adults going if we cannot make it). DH will have the car and has said he will come and collect us if she becomes (more unwell). Teacher has said as long as she has not had d or v, and is feeling better it is fine to come along still, my judgment call.

So I am thinking on the one hand: the fresh air will be excellent for her. She is on the up, clearly better, playing with DS, happy, bouncing, and looking forward to going on her school trip. If she feels well, she will have an amazing time. She can have medicine and as I am going with her, I can take it and administer in the day if needed.

On the other hand: she is only little, she is not great at telling when she is not feeling well (does not get ill often and pushes herself too much) it might be too much for her as it will be lots of walking/running/rockpooling etc. It is quite a long way, I won't have access to the car to just chuck her in it and come home if she takes a turn for the worse. And I don't want to set her back as she is bounced this off quite quickly.

Advice?

OP posts:

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OhYouBadBadKitten · 23/03/2011 07:02

I don't think I would - school trips are exhausting for the fit and well. Your poor dd :(

emkana · 23/03/2011 07:05

I probably would, considering you will be there to keep an eye on her.

PavlovtheCat · 23/03/2011 07:05

sigh. I think I feel the same way.

This is her first proper school trip (reception class). She has been so excited about this for weeks especially as mummy is coming to help. Going on a coach, which she is excited about. They have had people in from local aquarium over the last week or so to talk about the beach and have read books about the sea...

She is going to be gutted. I am so gutted for her.

I might wait til after breakfast...

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PavlovtheCat · 23/03/2011 07:07

emkana i think that is why I am hesitant about writing it off. I think if I was not going, I would not let her go, as other's don't know her like I do, and no0one to bring her home. At least if I am there we can rest if she needs it.

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LawrieMarlow · 23/03/2011 07:08

I would probably take her. I think.

emkana · 23/03/2011 07:08

But you're there to give meds, dh could pick you up...

If it was mine I would go because school trips are such an exciting part of school.

emkana · 23/03/2011 07:10

Question is what is the worst case scenario? That she then might need a day in bed tomorrow? At least she experienced the trip then.

LawrieMarlow · 23/03/2011 07:10

Although what about the other children you would be looking after? If you are totally focussed on your DD what about them? It is their exciting school trip too and as well as general looking after it needs to be special for them.

Am aware I am not being too helpful here.

PavlovtheCat · 23/03/2011 07:25

lawrie yes, you are right. I need to make sure I can look after my group, that is the point of me going.

Although, they have enough numbers, so I guess that by me going it means smaller ratios anyway, so less children per group, and more focus for each group.

She seems absolutely fine. DH is of the opinion that she is well. She really does seem her normal self, just a runny nose, cough and mild fever which will go once calpol has kicked in!.

Worst case scenario is us coming home with DH collecting us. If this happens DD will be fine after a sleep I am sure, and the group will still have enough adults to make the trip viable.

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PavlovtheCat · 23/03/2011 07:25

lawrie and you are being helpful! I need to consider all options and consequences.

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compo · 23/03/2011 07:30

I wouldn't
you could take her to the beach another day

emkana · 23/03/2011 07:32

Yes but not with her friends.

compo · 23/03/2011 07:33

She could invite a few friends and go in the Easter holidays
just my opinion though

amberleaf · 23/03/2011 07:49

I wouldnt, she may be bouncy now but they always have that drop dont they? she may suddenly need to lie down!

also slightly unfair on the other children in your group who may end up unwell next week?

AbigailS · 23/03/2011 09:32

I wouldn't. What happens if she relapses on the trip? She's stuck there, feeling ill and miserable. If she was in school staff could make her more comfortable and call you to take her home. But on a trip they will be very busy and making arrangements for her will be extremely difficult. I realise you are going, but are you expected to be responsible for a group? If your daughter is ill, can you make sure the rest are safe and happy?
Maybe you could take her to where ever the trip was at the weekend / Easter, so she doesn't miss out altogether.

52Girls · 23/03/2011 09:38

Can you drive her? That way you can come home if you need to. (obv taking yourself out if the looking after a group equation) On the other hand there will loads more trips, it's grim if you're not 100% better to enjoy yourself.

compo · 23/03/2011 13:58

I'm guessing she went? Hope she had fun!

woahwoah · 23/03/2011 17:18

As a Reception teacher, I was going to say, no don't send her, if she feels worse she will be miserable and it will be difficult for the adults to give her enough attention while caring for all the others.

BUT, actually, if you are going too, I think it would be ok. Even if you didn't go home with her, you could sit out with her somewhere quiet if it all got too much. As you are an 'extra' adult, the ratios would still be ok and they could share out your group among the other adults.

Certainly I wouldn't mind if you took her under these circumstances, and it does seem a shame for her to miss out.

Anyway, at least you are thinking about the difficulties - more than can be said for the parents who sent their vomiting child on a trip with me - they didn't say he had been sick all night, but he told me he had shortly after throwing up dramatically an hour into the trip...

PavlovtheCat · 23/03/2011 20:11

thanks for all your input ladies.

I took her in the end, sorry for not responding before, it went a bit mad rush like!

She was dosed up and the sea air did her the world of good. As it happened all the children of parents who helped were put into different groups to parents so I did not fuss her and vice versa all the time, but checked regularly (until about lunch time when I knew for sure she was fine). Teachers and the parent responsible for her knew she had been poorly and that if she took a turn for the worse it was my responsibility not that teachers to care for her. I had medicine with me, lots of water. Her cough bothered a bit but not anything significant. And she seems fine now (well, right now she is in bed asleep! went with no fuss at all!)

All in all, it was a lovely lovely day. All the kids were fab, the sun was glorious, clear skies, did rockpooling, scavenger hunting and beach art.

It was a gamble, and yes we could have gone again with friends another day. We often do that. But this was a proper organised event with a coach, with Beach Guides doing work with the kids. It was the first big trip away for the kids together and it helped them bond immensely. Glad she did not miss out.

woahwoah did you go to a beach? we had a boy throw up on the journey there too !!!

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babyapplejack · 23/03/2011 20:24

It sounds like a really nice trip. However, I do hope that your DD didn't cough on her friends and cause them illness, particularly in the closed environment of the coach. I am not trying to be nasty, I just feel gutted at the germs children have brought into my DS's reception class and the things that my DS has had to miss becuase he has caught them (missed his first trip, missed his nativity play, we had to cancel a holiday and claim on the insurance etc). It is no wonder kids are all ill the time IMO.

woahwoah · 23/03/2011 21:14

No, it wasn't to a beach, we were going to a museum, and he wasn't travel sick but 'properly' sick, IYSWIM. Just as we were starting the workshop we had booked.

I'm glad you had a good day.

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