to ask what you would think of a nearly-blind helper assigned to look after DCs on a school trip?

[skrullandcrossbones]

A parent-helper. Looking after her DC but also with one or two others assigned to her. Do you think the school should allow this? Or warn you about it before the trip?

Not trying to court controversy, just get opinions.

Cory i think (not sure) the ratio in scotland is 4 to 1 for preschool , I do think health and safety can be a bit Ott though ,

Before I realised this was a reverse AIBU from your most recent post, I was just about to reply to say that I'd have no problem with it whatsoever.

It depends on your particular limitations. Do you feel confident that you'd be OK? Have you raised your own DC to be unusually compliant or are they bolters? Will the DCs be in uniforms/hi vis vests? I wouldn't want you looking after my DS on a trip because his abilities to hide are legendary, but that applies to any random parent so his TA always takes him herself. I'm sure you'd be fine with my DD.

Essentially as a parent my question would not be about you - it would be about the school's risk management - if I don't trust them to make the right call on you then I shouldn't trust them to take the DCs out at all. It's possible that the school would say that they don't have the expertise to riskmanage this relatively unusual issue (although my DCs had a partially sighted carer in nursery - she seemed to cope fine with most outside trips except the Aquarium which was too dimly lit).

I was about to say blind people have children and hold down jobs your dc will be fine my bf is blind and I have left both of my dd's with her and never even thought twice abut her eye sight as being an issue

Op the teachers will be able to match you with children anyway, as a PP said her son is a bolter so the T A looks after him ,

when i did it I was matched with chatty children usually little girls I wouldnt have been able to catch a Bolter ,

I've organised many school trips. We love helpers! We group them very carefully. The naughty little buggers high spirited kids stay with teachers. Parents tend to have smaller numbers of more compliant children and not always their own as kids behave appalling sometimes for parents! depending on circumstances. Parents are always overseen by a member of staff and rarely go out of eyesight. Staff will also usually do any toileting that's more than reminding them to hand wash.
Absolutely go and volunteer. Tell them your limitations and school willl work round them. What a great role model for the children!

I think you are very brave anyway, I always look for any get out clause I can to avoid helping out on school trips . If you are ok with it and confident that you can cope and the school are aware of any issues then I say go for it. I wouldn't have a problem with it, if you were looking after my kids.

I'm actually v.pleased this is a reverse AIBU and not a real one, I was about to put my judgy pants on and start ranting... Feel quite sheepish with myself now.

It still makes me mad when I think of that lovely smiley childrens tv presenter who was born with one hand and then a load of parents complained about her being on tv because it frightened their PFBs.

thx for lovely replies. chasing after kids now so will reply properly later :)

Could you pull her to one side and ask her how many times she has lost her children whilst out and about

Actually dont, because if you asked me that same question , you would probably end up ringing SS !

frumpet, it was a reverse AIBU so that would involve the OP pulling herself aside

Aaaaaaaah reverse AIBU , doh!

she will be assigned 'good' children so it wil be fine.

It depends on you and how you feel you'd cope. I wouldn't have a problem with it, having said that, my two are bolters so you wouldn't want to be assigned them to look after. But if they're weren't then I wouldn't have a problem with it at all.

I was about ready to get the flamethrower out when I saw this was a reverse AIBU My best friend is nearly blind. She did two and a half years of a course training her to be a nursery nurse when they suddenly chucked her off the course six months before the end saying she'd not be employable so there was no point (not in UK or I'd have been down there with a copy of the equalities act before you could blink). She did months and months of work experience in nurseries and preschools and it was fine. She never had any trouble from parents either, but I guess it depends a bit on what the other parents at your school are like.

I don't have DC, but if I did I would be 100% ok with my friend, or someone with a similar visual impairment, looking after them. I know how she copes with everyday life despite the fact she can barely see (no vision in one eye as it's prosthetic, 16% or so in the other) and, alright she's never going to be any good at cross stitch and she's not allowed to drive, but other than that there really isn't anything she can't safely do.

Had a friend who did this in the eighties. The kids loved her, she loved the kids. No problems with it at all.

Stop worrying about it,you prove on a daily basis that you are able to mind after yourself,your reception class child and your other children.I genuinely wouldn't have a problem with you taking care of my child.In fact,in anything,I would be delighted because if I was assuming anything it would be that I'd think you were probably likely to be extra vigilant than a fully sighted person.

I wouldn't be happy as ds has austism, so I would rather a TA or teacher with him who knows him and can pin point a meltdown before it escalates.

But I suppose the school will just put you with the children that are tamer lol

wouldnt bother me in the slightest. dd is in a wheelchair, you can push her all day if you want

I think no problem at all. The teachers will have considered how appropriate the situation is already. I wouldn't think twice, except to consider how great an example of how little an issue disability ought to be.

sorry for long delay in replying. Lost a DC and only just found them

thanks for all being so nice and open-minded (was expecting more of a range of opinions, tbh). yes, I am sure you are all right and the teachers will consider the best way of arranging it.

mrsvere noisy small boys are my speciality. I have 2. noisy is easier to find.

Kai your DD sounds ideal, and I have forearms like a sailor from pushing a double buggy around.

premature, I have one compliant DS and one less-so - not a bolter so much as a strayer. DD can't walk yet so who knows there. Inevitably though, I have trained them to work with me, eg in playgrounds they know to come and tell me if they want to move into a different area, or if we're spread out in a house, they know to answer if I call their name. Other people's children obviously wouldn't respond in the same way.

Our school trips are usually oversubscribed with helpers, I think. I might start with next year's reception/nursery trip as both DSs will be on it, and I can be assigned the pair of them - watching the other kids will give me a feel for how it all goes.

By the time DD is in reception I will probably have a guide dog. Perhaps I can ask for an ex-sheep dog, and then just whistle to round up all nearby children - then I could handle the whole class by myself :o

The lady who runs our after school club is partially-sighted. It's fine. Just a PITA for her when I query how much I owe and she has to go through the paperwork. No worries re: the DC at all :)