I don't want 3 yr old DS to go on a day trip to the zoo with school. AIBU, DH says yes.

[pombal]

DS1 3.5 yrs has the opportunity to go on a day trip to the zoo with school.
It will be his class (nursery) and the class above (reception), so about 22 children aged 3 - 5 years.
There will be 2 teachers and 2 assisstants going with them. The Zoo is an hours drive from school and they will leave at 9am and be back by 4pm.
We live abroad and it'll be hot.

I think he's just a bit too young for an all day outing in a big group like this, and we can take him to the Zoo another time.

DH is literally sulking that I won't let him go and has asked me to put it to the mumsnet jury.

AIBU to say no?

Very helpful post!

pink - sound advice, you are my new parenting guru.

pink... my dad did too.,

now he has skin cancer.

what a stupid, irresponsible post
you are still here DESPITE those things,. that doesn't mean it is sensible to do them

sending your child to nursery does not mean that you want to send them to a large public place with only 1 adult to 5/6 childrne.

what happens if one wants the toilet? how can you look after 5 3 year olds while one is in the loo, or do you leave them with someone else meaning that person then has 10-12 children to keep an eye on?

sunscreen and hydration are side issues here. the fact is that they do NOT have enough staff to safely look after that many children

I would have let DS go - in fact he did go on trips with nursery. I don't think 3.5 is too young, really, if they are already at the nursery.

pink not a nice post .

The little boy in question is tiny ,op has valid concerns.

It is quite possible to feel safe for him while he is in the nursery setting ,while still expressing concern at a day trip .

I have supervised many day trips, here in the US and in the UK ,I wouldn't send my DD at 3.5 anywhere without a high adult to child ratio ...EVER !

YANBU. If this was my DC I would want myself or DH to go too, too, too. How about you, you, you? Going to the zoo, zoo, zoo!

Ds went on a school trip in Spain aged 3. I lathered him in all-day-factor 50 and insisted on a hat (he is v pale). The first time I refused to let him go as the coach had no seatbelts but drove him there myself, and picked up at the end of the day.

Second time I spoke to the teacher to understand how exactly they would be shepherding the little ones, and because the coach was belted I let him go. Yes he wasknackered but they had regular breaks (ask about this too) and slept in the coach on the way back. This was a zoo trip.

Ask some questions and let them reassure you, and make sure you have long lasting suncream :o

Oh, and write your mobile number in pen on his wrist and show it to him. They often give them wristbands anyway.

I'd let him go.

ds1 did a summer camp with his older sister at 2/almost 3 and went on several half day trips and was absolutely fine, he still talks about those trips and enjoyed them so much. At least one of them was 5 hours long so not that much shorter than your ds' zoo trip

At some point you need to start trusting other adults with your child and before he starts school would be a good idea.

It's not the trip to the zoo that's the special part... it's going with his friends and having a trip on a bus and all the rest of what goes with a zoo trip. Of course he can go to the zoo with family, but you can't replicate the rest of the trip.

it's not the trip to the zoo that's the special part... it's going with his friends and having a trip on a bus

Absolutely.

TIY - you have summed up my concern, it's the ratio rather than the suncream, coach journey etc.

kitbit - thanks good advice. I spoke to his teacher today, they are trying to organise another adult to go along, not cos of me I hasten to add. She also said it's a small zoo, not like a big city zoo and it's an easy trip for them to organise which has reassured me.

SummerRain - you are right,and I know he'll love going with his friends, but I honestly can't remember being 3 years old which is part of the reason I think the risks involved in these trips, however small, outweigh the benefits.

Anyway at the moment I have decided to let him go, in my heart of hearts I'm not 100% happy about it but since speaking to the teacher, I'm not worried enough to cancel work, and it would be mean to leave him at school whilst the rest of the class go.

Am going to give him a wristband, instructions not to run off and leave the teacher and see if I can persuade school them to take a couple more adults.