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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not want my child to go on this trip?

168 replies

OooWhatToDo · 14/11/2013 18:09

Some parents opinions would be appreciated here please; DD has got a class trip tomorrow with 2 other classes to the local Woods which is only a 5-10min drive away. Normally I wouldnt worry or shirk a class trip whatsoever, but it really isnt settling well with me at the thought of her being outside in the woods from 9.30am - 2.45pm in these low temperatures.
We take them up there all the time & love being outdoors, but after an hour or so at this time of year the cold sets in & they're ready for central heating!
Apparently there is a 'centre' there with toilets, but we've never seen this & think they maybe slightly glossing over their description when its nothing more than a large glorified shed with a few toilets.
Am I worrying needlessly? If it was just the morning they were going for & back to school for lunchtime id be totally fine with it, but all day despite the cold weather?? If she doesn't go then it'd go down as an unauthorised absence mark on her record.

What should I do?

OP posts:
Bue · 14/11/2013 18:55

Oh for god's sake. This is beyond ridiculous. I grew up in a part of Canada where the average minimum temperature is -14. Our school authority had an outdoor education centre where we routinely spent full days, including in winter. All you need to do is dress your child appropriately.

galwaygirl · 14/11/2013 18:55

I don't get why the Sweden example isn't applicable? We are in Sweden and have friends in Stockholm whose DD goes to a preschool that is permanently outside.
We just moved here so I understand the nervousness you feel I think. I've spent ages looking into what my two year old needs to wear when she will be outside in sub zero temps.
As others have said the key is layers but what I didn't know was that cotton is a bad idea, wool and polyester are recommended. Something to do with cotton getting damp.
Layer her up and she will have a fab time :-)

YoureBeingASillyBilly · 14/11/2013 18:56

I would really love to know what country or planet MLB lives in that she is exempt from abiding by all the laws.

Mylovelyboy · 14/11/2013 18:57

Why do certain posters keep mentioning the 'law'. Its ridiculous. All OP has to do is phone school and say dd is not well............whats the big deal in doing that for one bloody day.
ffs no parent phones the school and says "im keeping my child off today for no good reason, therefore i know i will expect a fine". If parents need/want to take their child out of school for one day there are plenty of excuses they could make to the school. Have any of you ever done it? bet you bloody have

SilverApples · 14/11/2013 18:57

Oh dear, do you still welcome opinions OP, or are they not the ones you were expecting?
The decision is yours, and it sounds as if you have made it already.

SoupDragon · 14/11/2013 18:59

All OP has to do is phone school and say dd is not well............whats the big deal in doing that for one bloody day

It's called lying. Are you one of those people who think lying is OK?

Mylovelyboy · 14/11/2013 18:59

Youre breaking the school law for one day is hardly the end of the world

NHShasbrokenme · 14/11/2013 19:00

OP - do you understand what people mean about layers and do you actually have suitable clothing in the house? I certainly don't have 'thermal base layes' lying around Hmm I would do the best I could but say to the teachers at drop off that if she gets cold, call me and I will pick her up. Then at the end of school if she is distressed and they didn't call you can take this up and improve things for next time but at least you take the chance she might have a good time iyswim.

SoupDragon · 14/11/2013 19:00

If they are walking to and from the woods, they will be toasty warm.
If they aren't, why the hell not?!

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 14/11/2013 19:01

But it's an absolutely pathetic reason to lie! This is ridiculous!

Fleta · 14/11/2013 19:01

No mylovelyboy. I haven't. My daughter is in Year 2. She started part time school at 2 and full time at 3. She has 100% attendance. Yup, really. She hasn't missed a day of school since 2009.

And she's done trips and days out, they had "outdoor day" in Kindy, which was as suggested. They did that year round.

I think allowing your child to pick and choose what bits of school they want to do and saying "its ok darling, mummy will lie for you and make it all go away" is a pretty shoddy message and doing your child a massive disservice.

YoureBeingASillyBilly · 14/11/2013 19:01

Its not school law MLB. Its uk law. You arent allowed to deprive your children of an education and if you have chosen to send them to school to be educated then keeping them off because you cant be arsed to put two pairs of socks on is depriving them of their education.

Fleta · 14/11/2013 19:02

It isn't "school law" it is a legal requirement to educate your child and for your child to be in an education setting when they're 5 unless you opt to home school.

Sparklingbrook · 14/11/2013 19:02

I have never kept either DC off school except when they are genuinely ill lovelyboy.

What message would be given to the child if you told the school they were sick when they weren't? Confused

Tee2072 · 14/11/2013 19:02

Fantastic thing to teach your child, MLB.

It's okay to break the law and the rules if it's only for one day.

Hmm
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 14/11/2013 19:03

If the OP doesn't send her in, and phones in to say her dd is ill, what happens next Monday when her teacher asks her if she is feeling better now, and was she poorly over the weekend, and the OP's dd deploys the stunning honesty that so many children possess, and says, "Oh, I wasn't poorly at all!" - and drops the OP right in it?

The alternative is to tell her dd to lie to the school - and risk her saying "Oh, I wasn't poorly, but mummy said to tell you I was!"

Bowlersarm · 14/11/2013 19:05

YABU

Send her in.

If it wasn't appropriate, the school wouldn't be doing it.

Heartbrokenmum73 · 14/11/2013 19:05

PFB to the extreme. Bloody hell, my DD went on activity weekends twice with her school, in the same kind of weather we're having now, and an overnight stay in a forest. Yes, overnight. Guess what? Nobody died, nobody was ill, they all had a fantastic time.

Oh, apart from the ones who didn't go because their parents were too busy worrying their dc couldn't cope with being outside for longer than 10 sodding minutes.

Jesus wept...

SoupDragon · 14/11/2013 19:05

It's hardly missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime, we take her there loads

They will be talking about the trip and using things from it in their learning for the coming week. It's not the same as popping up there for a walk oth their parents.

lborolass · 14/11/2013 19:05

As you haven't said otherwise I'll assume you're in the UK and imo you're being totally ridiculous. It's still mild, what on earth are you going to do when it's winter? Nothing bad is going to happen to your child, as everyone else has said just make sure she has appropriate clothing.

If she doesn't go to school you're going to reinforce the notion that somehow she mustn't get cold and that's not going to do her any favours as she grows up.

Hulababy · 14/11/2013 19:07

No - I have never lied abut why my child is not at school. I always tell the teachers the real reason.

And tbh I'd be wary of lying about it - ime, most children tell the truth when they return. See it every single year with at least 2 or 3 children.

Original poster
OooWhatToDo · 14/11/2013 19:07

Ok, I was asking on behalf of my sister as she's really not sure what to do. I have to say though I wouldn't be too sure either, I know I wouldn't want to be outside all that time with nowhere to warm up, it's bloody freezing here!

Thanks for your opinions though. No need for some of the stronger responses though, I don't think it's that weird to want to send your kid out in the cold. I suppose that's the beauty of MN for you though.

OP posts:
lljkk · 14/11/2013 19:07

I would send mine, well wrapped. Cold kids whine & last thing teachers want to deal with is a mob of whiners, they'll take precautions.

FannyFifer · 14/11/2013 19:08

My Playgroup age children from when they were 2 1/2 did "natures kindergarten" sessions which were in the woods, in Scotland, in the winter.

Just wrap her up. It's not even cold yet though.

giraffeseatpineapples · 14/11/2013 19:08

If it really is too cold they will cancel the trip, my children have had cold play times where they have had to stay in as it was too cold.