DD school trip in 2 hours. Woke up to a lot of ranty msgs from another parent

[BackwardsGoing]

Who has just twigged that the kids are not allowed phones for their 2 nights 3 days away.

School has communicated this in emails, letters and F2F meetings for most of the year.

Ranty parent (RP) wants all parents to stand in solidarity against the no phone rule. This morning. While the kids are getting on the coach!

AIBU to say this is (a) bonkers (b) far too late and (c) bonkers.

BTW children are year 6 / 10-11 yo and the school has promised regular updates via Facebook.

My Year 7 DS did his year 6 residential last June and they were not allowed phones. Early to bed, early to rise, too busy doing activities etc to have time for phones. Dont think anyone complained, perhaps the kids did to each other but no one questioned it, just the odd jokey, dont know how he'll cope without Fortnite for a week! Comment. All parents supported it. Mind you, they were hot with a sickness but the night before they were due home so that put a spoiler in the whole thing, midnight trips to collect vomiting kids (and teachers) at midnight etc. Not to put you off, OP!

Sickness bug, that should be!

As a teacher, mobile phones are a nightmare on school trips.

Went on one several years ago where they were allowed. The kids were overtired and calling home saying they wanted to go home, a couple of the girls had a minor tiff, and texted to go home. Parents couldn't get through to their kids, as the phone has no battery left or whatever.

Parents were texting us, demanding to know if their child was ok, as ignoring texts, one phone was lost, etc etc was awful.

Banned after that, thank god.

Swift drop off OP!
18mins from being on way to school in car to drop off complete!
I wish all parents did this!

Any parent who makes a dick out of themselves by sending a text like that because their child wants their phone, needs to get a grip.

We actually walked smug again

DD was not in the least interested in saying a long goodbye so once it was clear there wasn't going to be any drama I scarpered.

Other friend is apparently taking RP to breakfast to get the lowdown cheer her up so I will find out later the whole story.

I think it was a strong case of PLB.

You wouldn't believe the utter stupidity of parents

Dh has seen kids take - phones they weren't allowed, food they weren't allowed, money they weren't allowed (£200 - which the kid 'lost' and the parents went mental and made formal complaints to governors etc taking MANY hours of teachers time), technology - headphones which they lost - which of course were 'worth' £500, medicines they weren't allowed - which the kid handed round like sweets.

Entirely standard practice not to have phones on residentials, don't want children being filmed in the rooms which is always a possibility.

RP must be feeling embarassed this morning, sounds like it was all driven by her child anyway. Did she really think that all the children would turn up with their phones after all that?

Hope they all enjoy the residential (my own child did, even phone-free )

Couldnt be arsed so early in the morning tbh! No phones for a reason.

I hadn't appreciated kids of that age had mobile phones! God I long for the 90s.

Maybe the DS was extremely anxious for some reason? Could possibly explain why he was adamant about having one with him?

Some of our year 5s and 6s walk to and from school by themselves so they need phones

My year 5 does this and does not have a phone. Some have, but I would challenge the idea that they 'need' them.

Sorry, but I’m used to reading PFB, but have read PLB, as precocious little bugger.

I’m very disappointed in you, OP. I can’t believe you didn’t go for a coffee with this poor woman.

And told us all about it.

but I would challenge the idea that they 'need' them.

I agree, bluebirdpassanger. I’m concerned that we are creating a generation that is actually terrified of being without their phones.

PLB = precious last born, sometimes more insidious than PFB.

I'm home packing for my trip but I'm not best buddies with this woman so if I had gone I think it would have been pretty blatant rubber necking!

Some of our year 5s and 6s walk to and from school by themselves so they need phones.

Kids walked to school by themselves at that age without phones for time immemorial. Even I didn't have a phone when my kids were that age, and they're only 30/31 now!

Kids don't need them to walk to school. You just want them to have them.

What a twat.

No wonder some teachers just don’t bother organising trips if this is the extra crap they have to put up with on top of an already increased work load the trip has generated.

Anyway I caught the tail end of the HT having a kind but firm conv with said child ending with "you don't HAVE to go on this trip".
This.

I am in love with your HT.

Some of our year 5s and 6s walk to and from school by themselves so they need phones.

Utter rubbish! A phone is not a safety device nor is it an adult substitute. If you live in a dodgy area where it may be unsafe to walk to school, how on earth is a phone going to lessen the risk?
Child being mugged 'please stop whilst I phone daddy for help'
Child hit by car whilst walking across road an texting 'here mr driver, use my phone to call an ambulance'
Child gets lost on way to school ' I'll just phone mummy to find out where I am'.
There is NO reason why a child cannot walk to school without a phone glued to their ear. If it's unsafe, then an adult should be with them.

Phones not allowed at all at one of my dc secondary schools. It's a great policy imo.

Its the parents who struggle with the no phones rules, not the kids.

hello mama hello papa song about letter to parents from camp :)

phones are essientlial to how we live these days, Nope, they are not. I forget where mine is, have I put any credit on it, or even charged the damn thing.

Ds drives me mad as his needs to be surgically removed at times. he can't stack the dishwasher without needing to pause and look at Twatter. He's 23, and it drives me batshit crazy.

I managed in the 1970s to walk to and from primary before mobiles were invented, and do a paper round when older. I managed to walk to and from secondary without a phone as well.

Your head sounds great. Totally normal. Looking forward the post coffee update.

Mildly surprised at so many people giving phones to kids that age. DS is turning 12 this summer and we’ve said he can have one then, heading into secondary, but god knows it’s been hard enough managing his screen time even without one all these years.

And he walks to school alone but that’s fine, so did I and so do lots of people. Cannot understand why he’d need one. If anything, I think it would make him less safe - he’d be looking at it walking along!