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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that a school trip to NYC is excessive? Aibu to say no?

145 replies

ENormaSnob · 15/02/2012 18:43

Probably outing myself here as I have moaned rather a lot about this irl Grin

Ds1(year 7) brought a letter home yesterday about a school trip to new York next year. There are 40 places for the whole school.

It is £800 for 3 days Shock

They will see the empire state building, ground zero, the guggenheim museum, a broadway show and a drama workshop. Plus ice skating and lunch in planet Hollywood.

Aibu to think this is not an educational trip for a 12 year old?

We could stretch to finance it by doing overtime and saving but I am so reluctant to say yes.

Aibu? Wwyd?

OP posts:
Original poster
ENormaSnob · 15/02/2012 19:35

Just to clarify, I wasn't disputing that 800 is a good price for NYC. More that it's an awful lot for a school trip for a 12 yr old.

OP posts:
DavidaCottonmouth · 15/02/2012 19:35

A lot of things aren't needed, mrsjay. But if that's how people choose to spend their money, what is the problem?

suburbophobe · 15/02/2012 19:36

It sounds very educational.

Just to have kids on such a school trip, although, sorry don't know what age year 7 is (am not in UK), so could depend if they are mature enough in general.

Thing is, can you afford it?

My son's school also did a NY trip years ago - he ended up not going - but the school/class had a whole lot of projects they organised to subsidise the trip - car wash, 2nd hand market in school, baking fair, etc. Even doing that is good for their education. < learning, planning, co-operation, commitees, etc.).

Europe of course is also a possibility for a school trip - Rome, etc. that the school also organised.

Mind you, this was way before the economic sh*t hit the fan worldwide....

Original poster
ENormaSnob · 15/02/2012 19:36

Thanks davida, I think I may use that.

His friends mum has contacted me with the same concerns. I think we are doing a united no.

I still feel so bad though Sad

OP posts:
LineRunner · 15/02/2012 19:37

My son's geography dept is offering a 5 day trip in Europe for £900. Nightmare.

However it is also offering a 3 day trip in the UK for £200.

BellaVita · 15/02/2012 19:38

DS2 (12) yr7 also brought a letter home a couple of weeks ago with regards to a ski trip next feb half term. I think it is a fabulous opportunity for them to do such great things. The cost of the trip is £770 and we have to buy ski wear on top - he asked if he could go and without hesitating we said yes.

If DS1 nearly 15 wanted to go then he could have too.

I could never go on any trips when I was their age, not because my parents couldn't afford it but because my mother worried so much that no one could look after me like she could. DH's family could never have afforded to send him anywhere.

I will not be like this with my boys.

Original poster
ENormaSnob · 15/02/2012 19:40

Suburbo, we could afford it by doing overtime and saving up. We don't just have 800 lying about for jollys though.

I understand there is some educational value but not for a 12 year old boy who seems to prefer science, maths, it and languages.

OP posts:
BellaVita · 15/02/2012 19:41

FWIW - NY is a short break trip (DH and I are going in June) I don't think it is somewhere where you would go for a two week hol. It is only a 7 hour flight.

suburbophobe · 15/02/2012 19:41

Oh right, year 7 is 12 years.

Think it was more like 14 - 15 my son's school's age group....

I personally would be more comfortable with that age for a school trip to NY than 12 quite frankly.....

Original poster
ENormaSnob · 15/02/2012 19:44

Bella, I totally get why you wouldn't deny your boys those opportunities.

£800 is a lot to us though.

I will have no hesitations sending him on the French or Spanish trip, which will be more affordable to us and, I feel, more educational.

OP posts:
UphillBothWays · 15/02/2012 19:45

There is some educational merit in going to museums etc. but it is by no means depriving him to say no! My DDs' school does trips like this every 2 years and it's usually sixth formers who go tbh, they will appreciate it more at that age. I can guarantee you none of the parents were doing overtime to pay for it because it's just not that worthwhile. Are many of his friends going? I would be surprised...

noblegiraffe · 15/02/2012 19:45

Why would you feel bad about saying no? You can't afford it without scrimping, it's only 3 days and it's not really a suitable trip for him, interests-wise or age-wise.

PamPerdbrat · 15/02/2012 19:46

£800 is a LOT of money; we don't struggle financially but I would still be a bit Confused about this. What about the parents who really cant afford it? It's not like they can quickly borrow that from the GP's, is it?!

When I was at school, trips like this were reserved for the sixth form and they would earn the money themselves through fundraising drives and doing cheap yard work for parents etc.

BellaVita · 15/02/2012 19:46

Norma, it is a lot of money to us too, DH and I did discuss it before either of us said yes to him.

BendyBob · 15/02/2012 19:47

But why are schools getting involved in offering very expensive (an essentially uneducational) trips?Confused If parents are in the market for such a thing, wouldn't they seek it out anyway? What has it got to do with being at school? It's one more thing to be put in a pressurised position to say no about something.

Why stop at school trips? Why not give them the opportunity to own part of a racehorse or a box at the Royal Albert Hall or a J class yacht or a pair of Jimmy Choos? All lovely if you have the dosh and equally unconnected to your GCSEs.

pinkappleby · 15/02/2012 19:52

Why are people saying they would complain to the school? I find that crazy. There is no pressure to go. It's great that the school has motivated teachers who offer these opportunities.

I went on lots of school trips abroad back in the dark ages (yes state education), from years 7 -12 France 6 times, Spain once, Austria skiing once, Sweden once, Belguim 3 times. There was also trips to Thailand (!), USA and Canada that I didn't go on. I had experiences that impact on me still today and I am so grateful that my parents let me go.

I have 3 younger siblings that had the same opportunities. My parents worked jobs that paid not much above the minimum wage today. We had very few family holidays in that time (sun caravan holidays) and very few clothes and other material possesions. We shared rooms and my parents did no drinking/smoking/going out like their peers did. I'm really glad my parents made the choices they did.

Yellowstone · 15/02/2012 19:54

OP it sounds like a vastly overpriced and vastly unimpressive trip. It would get a great big no from me. What a complete and utter waste of money.

Bonsoir · 15/02/2012 19:55

I'm not really happy with the school trip my DD is about to go on - she is 7, and her class is going 500km away for 5 days/4 nights to the middle of nowhere to do precisely nothing they couldn't have done within an hour of home. The trip costs EUR 475 and there is an obligatory clothing and equipment list that I will need to spend another EUR 300 on. I feel resentful that the school has sold this trip to the children by advertising it every bleeding day since September and then giving parents the details and the bill at the last minute. It's the technique used by toy advertisers before Christmas and I don't think much of it.

sodapops · 15/02/2012 19:55

We never allowed DS1 to go on any holidays with the school unless we were 100% certain we would be able to afford to allow DS2 when his time came. As it was they have been on almost everything they wanted to, apart from the ski-ing holiday that was £1200 each.

I've just looked at Virgin's website and they have trips to NYC from £529 for three days. Thinking of that I think £800 for a child is a lot TBH. I know there are entrance fees and insurance, but wouldn't there be a discount for a group of 40 odd?

HomeEcoGnomist · 15/02/2012 19:56

New York?!
I think I was lucky to go to Scarborough at that age!!
YANBU to not send him

Bonsoir · 15/02/2012 19:57

DSS2 went to Canada on a school exchange for a fortnight for EUR 1,200. I thought it was quite good value for money - he stayed in an Anglophone Canadian family and the children did masses of cultural sightseeing.

feedmefeedmenow · 15/02/2012 19:59

my nephew is doing a similar trip this year - he is 12

they are doing all the new york stuff then going to washington and being taken around the White House, which is a fantastic opportunity

I would pay. I think its good for kids

IceCreamCastles · 15/02/2012 19:59

I wouldn't feel bad for saying no at all - it's an age thing as much as a money thing. No need for a 12 year old to go that far. Especially as very few of his friends would be going with that spread of places across the school.

It will probably run again before he leaves school so if it's something he wants to do he could start saving up now to put some money towards it.

Fwiw, my DH runs an annual NY trip for sixth form students which is slightly less money for a couple more days. They do stay in a hostel though which some parents are aghast at Grin.

It's an amazing trip for that age group and they pack a lot in. Yes the teachers / support staff enjoy it too but they work bloody hard and give up most of their half term.

holidaywoe · 15/02/2012 20:00

I'm all for school trips and do not have an issue with them having to be educational but in this case I would be saying no as its such a vast mix of ages. If it was a trip for just my dons year group then as long as we could afford it I would let him go.

webwiz · 15/02/2012 20:04

We have taken the same approach as sodapops if one of my three DCs was allowed to go on a trip then we wanted to be sure that the other two would be able to take up a similar opportunity. We have said no to skiing but there have been smaller scale trips to france, visits to the battlefields in belgium and trips related to their GCSE subjects.

I would feel with the NY trip that this is an extra and I would rather save the money for a trip that is more "educational".