To think my friend is silly stalking her children's school trips?

[snooter]

A good friend with children at my son's school tries very hard to spy on school trips by lurking in the same area hoping to 'accidentally on purpose' bump into them . I think it strange

Why doesn't she just volunteer to go along and help....

Why on earth does she do that?

Strange? Add embarassing! She's a loon.

YANBU. She's strange. I assume her children are small - they'll be hideously embarrassed if she continues to do this as they get older.

It is a bit silly but forgivable if the child is 5 and it's the first trip(s) they have been on, not so much if they are 15.

I doubt the school would want someone so obsessed with their own child, to help look after so many others.

OP, has she said why she does it?

Mad as a hatter! I doubt if they want her as a volunteer - she isn't going to be much use with the other children. Hopefully she will grow out of it before it deeply embarrasses her child.

How old is the child?

Agree with others, she should just volunteer to help...

I have seen this recently. I am a parent helper at dcs school and was asked to go on the KS1 trip as they were low on helpers. When we arrived at the destination (about 1/2 hour away from school), we got off the coach and were greeted by about six or seven parents with siblings who then tagged along for the whole trip. The teacher was a bit bemused by it all as was I, especially as she had asked a few times if there was anyone who could help on the trip. I know that these parents had younger children but if they were that interested then perhaps they could have got someone else to look after their younger children and gone on the trip as an official helper. As it was we had various children who kept disappearing from their groups to see their parents.

I think this is a bit pathetic tbh. Why on earth doesn't she find something useful to do? Very sad.

This is very strange and overbearing behaviour! Made me giggle though... thanks

Scary. I would worry about someone who did that. And the children will hate her for it if she does it after a certain point.

That is a bit weird! Why not as others have said just offer to volunteer?

I have offered to go on my children's as I have a crb and only work part time. If they didn't want my help I wouldn't go and spy on them!

They are 14 & 12 now. She's always done it, as long as the trip is relatively local. When the youngest went to London aged about 8 she had her brother "accidentally" bump into the trip in a restaurant - the school had posted details about exactly when they'd be where. I have always just let the trips happen - I trust the school to take good care & my son now 15 has always been sensible. She does worry a lot more than I do about unlikely happenings.

I have a friend whose son is studying French and German A levels. When he went on a work experience trip last year she booked a holiday cottage nearby. She did not tell him but wanted to be on hand in case of emergency.

He phoned her each evening and she had to pretend that she was still at home. He was 17 at the time!

12 & 14! My word, I bet they love it. I had a friend that did this although I was never quite sure why. Her child was not allowed on school trips unless mum could take her, she wan't allowed to go to Brownie or Guide camp and she wasn't allowed on school residential trips. Her daughter grew up to resent the level of helicopter parenting that she was subjected to.

14&12!!!! she is BU!

That's just completely bonkers

Mad

I can understand why she does it, but not that she actually does do it

When my DD was in reception her class did a "walk round the village trip." I confess I drove around till I saw them because I was worried they might lose her or something.

In my defence I was pregnant with DS2 so not on an entirely even hormonal plane.

DS1 is off on a foreign trip soon. In my heart of hearts I quite like the idea of donning a false moustache and peeping round the edge of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or something, to check my ick;e darling is OK. But I won't. No, really, I won't.

I thought she was mad as a hatter if 5yrs- words fail me if they are secondary age! I can't even understand why she does it- or why they let her!

I can understand WHY she does it. I get a bit nervy on trip days and don't fully relax until they're back home. (My eldest is nearly 10 - you'd think I'd be used to it by now.
To actually follow the trip about though? No way, I'd look like a complete loon! I'll just gibber at home until they're back

She sounds very anxious, perhaps have some sympathy?