to expect a thank you after a school trip?

[KingscoteStaff]

We got back today after a week's residential trip, camping with Year 6s.

Out of 60 children, 3 said thank you, one mother asked why her child's sleeping bag had not been rolled properly into its bag and one dad complained that we were late. This was true (30 minutes), but we had called the school office regularly throughout the journey back, giving up to date news about the shocking traffic.

It's my job, I know, but I haven't been paid any extra for the nights or been reimbursed for the extra childcare needed for my own children while I've been away.

We had a fantastic time, and I loved watching our classes pushing their limits when abseiling or canoeing, and just hanging out around the tents in the evening.

So should I just accept that the reward is the job and not expect a thank you from the children or their parents? We got a big one from our Head Teacher, by the way.

Ooh, I shall have to make note of this for the future so that I can make sure DD knows to thank the teachers after trips. I suspect children are just very self-absorbed when they've just come back from a holiday, they can see their parents standing on the carpark and desperately want to get outside and tell them all about it, etc.

Yanbu though. I appreciate what you did at least, I always assumed teachers would be getting paid extra for things like that.

My ds went on a residential/outward bound type school trip last year and I/we automatically sent a thank you card and box of chocolates to the staff that accompanied the trip.

My ds had a fantastic time, despite being petrified of going and all the staff said they got such a lot from seeing him really enjoying himself. He has Aspergers and therefore needed additional support and supervision, but I would have thanked the staff just the same even if he didn't have SNs.

I'm not sure if I had the opportunity to thank all the staff when we went to collect ds, as it was a bit chaotic reuniting children with the right luggage and parents and also happened to be pouring with rain.

I would hope you will get lots of thank you cards and a few gifts next week, as imho, teachers who go on school trips and take care of our dcs out of hours deserve a medal, let alone a card and a box of chocs.

That is very rude!
I am one those parents who would drag a child by the ear to say thank you if the forgot.
Luckily my chidren remember 95% of the time.

It never occurred to me that parents would think teachers got paid extra for any of this, is that how things work in the real world then?

My child's too young for this yet but must remember got future reference

My DS went on a Residential trip in Sept 2010 and when he came back on the Friday evening (he'd left on the Monday morning) he was so knackered he scarcley said "Hello" to me.

He wolfed down crisps and a chocolate bar that the teachers had set out for their return, then had a chat and a "Yes, my mums here, I'm going to get my bag" conversation with the teacher who'd been in charge.
But NO WAY would I have let him leave without saying Thank You. And if he hadn't said it of his own accord (which he did) then I'd have been very disappointed in him.

I guess I just thought of it like any other job that you get paid overtime, and overnight would be overtime. I assume you had to do the walking around the corridors when they were all asleep to make sure they weren't awake telling scary stories and gossiping in their rooms, etc.

I don't know how it works in other jobs either though, things like business trips, etc. I've not got to the career stage of my life yet so I'm quite uninformed.

I haven't a lot to say on the matter, apart from ,Thank you very very much.

My children definitely appreciated the effort made by staff.

Again. THANKYOU

There are group leaders to actually teach them climbing and canoeing and archery and all those fab things, but we are with the kids all day, supporting them and dealing with any problems.

Then campfire/disco/wacky races after supper, impromptu cricket matches after that and then herding them into tents and patrolling the campsite. I went to bed in my tent at about 11pm, but slept with one ear open for the homesick/tummy aches/ strange-noise-in-my-tent problems. Up again at 6.

But it was great! I really loved it and our kids were stars.

You did remember to thank the parents for the privilege of being with their little princes and princesses for the week didn't you??

My dd and her mate got back yesterday from their residential - I fetched them both. Made sure they had both said thankyou to the head and their teachers before we left as did I, I usually send a card in the week after too.

I can't believe some people don't thank the teachers! Everyone's glad to see their kids but it doesn't take long to say thanks!

Thank you after trips - check
Thank you - written - for anything over and above from me - check
Bottle of champagne or v decent wine for group leader after all week long residentials - check

I hadn't dreamt ever of doing anything else. I have noted over the years though that parents are shockingly empty handed when collecting from residentials. I'm just pleased to see my child back in one piece - though they are 14 and 17 now.

When DS was taken ill in Switzerland years ago perhaps I am beginning to realise why the teacher thanked me so much for being so reasonable.

I think the dc will remember it for life. It's a shame more people don't think to say thank you. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to take lots of dc away and keep them all safe and happy. I'm sure the parents were grateful, even if they didn't say it.

Yanbu, but having led residential trips for six years, not saying thank you is the norm. People are excited to see their dc and think that teachers get paid extra for it or that it's just part of the job. It is part of the job but i thank people all the time for doing stuff that's part of their job. As for the people who get upset that they subsidise our 'holiday' - I absolutely loved residential trips but holiday they were not. In that case we should probably ask anyone doing a bit of their job they loved to pay for the privilege! People are grateful-I used to assume the one or two who said thank you were speaking on behalf of the others.

My son will be going on a ski trip with school next easter and I will make sure that the teachers are thanked by both of us. Sometimes it's easy to overlook these small gestures that mean so much to people. Thanks for reminding us.

It has never crossed my mind!

The teachers all seem so excited about it, I'd never really considered it might be a hardship for them in anyway. DS1 has just come back from one, and it was the school that wanted him there, not me. I had to pay a fortune to get him there, buy a load of kit, do a ton of laundry and then deal with the aftermath of a ds1 (sn) in meltdown all weekend, so nope, I def wasn't thankful in the least - more relieved it was over

Chops- they work with children. It is in their job description to enthuse and excite children which in turn involves being, or appearing enthused and excited. Did your dc enjoy the trip?

It never crossed my mind either In the same way I probably never said thank you to my teachers for putting on a school play or my parents for taking us on holiday

All these people whose minds it has never crossed.

Do you never say thank you to the bus driver?
Never say thank you to the doctor's receptionist?
Never say thank you to the lady on the phone for putting you through?
Never say thank you or tip your hairdresser?
Never say thank you to the shop assistant or shop keeper?

If you get crap service and complain about it, perhaps you should start wondering why.

Oh yes, are you all the people who complain about your dc never getting chosen for anything too . You can't take out more than you put in.

He enjoyed the activities, but not the lack of sleep, which we did say was going to be a problem, and wasn't really dealt with properly. He has sn, and can't cope. He isn't looking forward to the next one after this experience.

This was just one bad experience though, where I was coerced into letting him go, against my better judgement. I will def mind my manners in future though.