School trips for 5 year olds?

[BonsoirAnna]

I was in Belgium this weekend and learned with that it is common for 5 year olds to go on week-long school trips in Belgium. 5/6 year olds are still in pre-school/nursery in Belgium.

I think this is far, far too young. What is the consensus on MN?

[BonsoirAnna]

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[scrooged]

It's too young IMO but the same as staying at the grandparents maybe?

[BonsoirAnna]

Not really the same as staying at grandparents as the adult:child ratio will be inferior to that at grandparents by a large margin. And the levels of comfort at the sites (communal showers/baths/loos/bedrooms) are very unlikely to be anything like those experienced in grandparental homes.

[smee]

Are you sure Bonsoir? My DS would never cope with that. He struggles still with a babysitter, let alone a week away..

[Mercy]

Far too long imo.

I've never heard of it happening in the UK.

(smee, same here!)

[milou2]

Why not just have the children adopted by the school?? Drop them off at 6 months and pick them up at age 18.

[Madsometimes]

That seems rather long. I know that the Rainbows (5-7 year old girls) do sleepovers, but that is only for 1 night. The Rainbow leader I know does it in the church hall where they meet, so the parents are close at hand if the are needed.

[castille]

French friends of ours sent their daughter off on a 4-night trip with her pre-school when she was 4! I was absolutely horrified but it seems to be as common in France as in Belgium.

The worst thing IMO is that parents who don't let their children go are often viewed as over-protective and precious by the staff.

[Portofino]

I've never heard of the SCHOOL taking them anywhere at 5. Generally the curriculum in state schools includes a trip to the seaside (1 week) aged 8 and a week skiing (aged 11).

There are holiday companies that specialise in trips for kids from 2.5 yo (which i found very shocking). My employer actually subsidises these so my dd (5 last week) is going for 3 nights at Easter to Pirate Camp on the Belgian coast. She is very excited about this and has already asked if she can spend a week on a farm in the summer.

It is very normal here. It's difficult for me to judge as we've been here since dd was 2, but people are generally very strict with children and they are not "babied" so much maybe. That's not really the right word though.... I.e. dd's maternelle class has 22 pupils and one teacher. No teaching assistants/helpers. This is the case even with the 2.5 yos. The kids are all incredibly well behaved and polite.

The children often do trips to museums/bakeries/theatres etc.

[admylin]

Far too young, don't see the point in it really.

In Berlin it was normal for Kindergarten dc to go away for a week aged 3 and 4 and I have heard from a woman who worked in a Kindergarten here in Hannover who said we took the really small ones away for a few days but it was awful, they were upset a lot of the time even if they did 'get over it' after a while and enjoy some of the play and activities.

Even in the first and 2nd grade of primary there were offers of weeks away with class and 2 teachers. My dd never went until she was nearly 8 and a half , before that she didn't want to go (thank goodness)

[Jeffa]

There is a state school near me where they have residentials from the summer of year two (most of the children are seven). They begin with three day ones (Tue - Thurs) and then by year six take them abroad for a week.

I was homesick until I was at least sixteen or so, but I suppose the earlier the children get used to it, the easier they find it as they get older.

[choosyfloosy]

Much too long for a school trip as I know them. But is it possible that in fact a lot of parents go with the group or something like that?

I am quite relaxed about ds (5) being away for 1 night with family, friends, virtually anyone in fact , but he's only done 2 nights with grandparents two or three times and never more than that.

[BonsoirAnna]

Indeed, castille, the mother who was telling me about this practise in her three daughters' Belgian school said that the teachers put a lot of pressure on the parents to make the children go on the trip - apparently there were lots of tearful mothers at the pre-trip meeting.

[ICANDOTHAT]

Never mind about the kid coping with it ... who the hell in their right mind would want to take other people's 5 year olds away for a week ?!?! MADNESS QQ

[piscesmoon]

Far too young and also agree with ICANDOTHAT.

[BonsoirAnna]

choosyfloosy - no, NO parents AT ALL...

[Portofino]

Surely it depends on the child though. My dd WANTS to go on a trip. I'm a bit nervous about it, but I know my daughter and if I had ANY doubts, I wouldn't let her go.

I'm not sending her to be rid of her for a few days. It's an experience for her that she is looking forward to. If she hates it, she won't do it again. If these dcs are 5 and at maternelle level, it surely can't be compulsory.

[BonsoirAnna]

Portofino - fine if the children want to go and are ready, but it is really quite usual for children aged 5 not to want to spend a week away from their parents. And, like I said, huge pressure was apparently put on parents to let their children go on the trip - which I think is really bad.

Anyway, I really cannot see the point.

[BonsoirAnna]

Portofino - fine if the children want to go and are ready, but it is really quite usual for children aged 5 not to want to spend a week away from their parents. And, like I said, huge pressure was apparently put on parents to let their children go on the trip - which I think is really bad.

Anyway, I really cannot see the point.

[thirdname]

ds went on trip in UK!! with school, 6 y old but with class mates of 5. Went fine!!

[chubbymummy]

The longest ds (3.9) has been away from me is 24 hours when he stayed at Grandparents and I rang him up at bedtime to say Goodnight. He has a trip to the farm with nursery in a couple of months and I'm dreading it incase he gets lost, run over by a tractor, trampled by goats, etc. I know I'm being precious but I don't care, he's my baby and I will never trust anyone to take care of him as well as I do, I'm his Mum!

[Portofino]

That's quite normal chubby, and unfortunately one of those things you have to get used to as they get bigger!