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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

school trip for 13 year olds which involves setting off at 2am?

351 replies

Mintyy · 20/06/2014 22:38

My child is going on a 3 day school trip to a European country.

Today I find out that the timing of the outward bound flight means that we have to get her to school for boarding the coach by 2.15am.

Aibu to think this is nuts?

OP posts:
fourcorneredcircle · 20/06/2014 23:25

Your not ignoring posts about teachers! You're ignoring every post that has said you are wrong! Why ask AIBU if you aren't prepared to accept that actually, you might be?!

Doilooklikeatourist · 20/06/2014 23:25

We had to get DS to school for 03-30 , the day after boxing day to catch the flightv for his school ski trip ( it was the year of the freezing cold winter and thick snow that didn't melt )
Younger DD went in her PJs , DH and I put a hot water bottle in our bed and had a nice lie in ( luckily )
But we live in the back end of nowhere Wales

fourcorneredcircle · 20/06/2014 23:26

You're

Original poster
Mintyy · 20/06/2014 23:26

Again, ThomYorke - 1.15am better than 2.15am. The only time I can think of in the whole 24 hour clock which is worse than 2.15am is 3.15am. But then, even that is edging towards dawn at this time of year!

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 20/06/2014 23:26

When I was teaching all the modern language trips set off at that time.

Laymizzrarb · 20/06/2014 23:26

I have my tin hat on.....

school trip for 13 year olds which involves setting off at 2am?
MadameDefarge · 20/06/2014 23:27

fourcorners that is simply not true.

Ranting about parents taking teachers for granted is not the point here.

I would also suggest as an MFL teacher you would expect some disruption as part of your professional work for which you are paid.

Parents do not have that luxury. Though you seem to assume they do.

Original poster
Mintyy · 20/06/2014 23:30

Oh boy Lazzy - afraid that killed it for me.

Night all and thanks for every comment, very informative indeed all round.

OP posts:
BasicallyFcuked · 20/06/2014 23:30

YABU

I'm actually surprised that this would register as such a huge deal tbh.

It's a one off. We always tend to leave in the early hours when we go on holiday. We're an hour drive from the airport, the last time we went abroad we put the kids to bed at 7, went to bed at 8 ourselves. Were up at 1.30am, left at 2.30am, flight was at 6am.

We were there by 10am local time so had the full day to enjoy and an earlier night that night to make up for it.

Seriously, one night? You really can't just deal with it? Drama LLama springs to mind.

gertiegusset · 20/06/2014 23:32

I'd do it, not with a happy heart but I'd do it.
I took DD and her friend to the school to catch a bus for the airport many a year or two back and her Dad collected on the return trip, it did mean we were up late waiting for their return but that wasn't so bad. Grin
G'wan, be happy, they're only young once.

fourcorneredcircle · 20/06/2014 23:32

Actually, We are not paid for most of the hours on a trip. We are not paid for the hours put in to planning, filling in the insurance, risk assessments, letters to parents, meeting with parents and dealing with the 101 other things that trips entail. Parenting is full of disruptions - this is a minor and very temporary one that you are making a molehill out of.

MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom · 20/06/2014 23:32

we set off at 3am on the coach to Heathrow for our school trip to New York. It was exciting!

ravenAK · 20/06/2014 23:34

Heh fourcorneredcircle - you'll never get some people to believe any of that.

Every residential trip I've ever run has involved some degree of interaction with a TotalArseParent.

Gives us something to regale the rest of the staffroom with, anyway, & usually their kids are perfectly pleasant & nicely behaved, which is the main thing...Grin.

Luggagecarousel · 20/06/2014 23:34

Not unusual, when travelling, surely.

If she has friends going, maybe you could double up, one parent has both children over night and takes both children to school, and one collects them.

i don't know why you are surprised at this travelling time, you just go in time for your flight, don't you, and the cheaper flights are always at the least convenient times.

fourcorneredcircle · 20/06/2014 23:34

Sorry, not 'you' (as in madamedefarge) the OP.

Mrscaindingle · 20/06/2014 23:35

Rhondajean you must live near me.

DS1 is going to Alton Towers on Tuesday and informed me as a bit of an afterthought that he had to be dropped off at 2 AM. I thought that knowing him he had it wrong but no the letter came home today to confirm this.

I am very much a single parent with a younger DS, have posted about my situation in relationships a few times but I am so happy that DS is going, he initially declined any of the day trips on offer. I have worried about him all year as we have all had a shit year thanks to my ex, but DS1 especially.

So I will get up at 1:30 AM happily ( well OK not happily Grin but my DS is wanting to do something that everyone else is doing and he has friends to go with and I couldn't be happier about that.

ungelato · 20/06/2014 23:35

It's norm for my son, he's 16 now and been on a few school trips that we had to meet up for at 2am in the morning. The thing is he gets travel sick,since he was 6yrs old, and the poor wean would still sign up for school trips. I just told the teachers ' he will boak and puke until he arrives at the hotel and then he will be ok'

He's been to France and Italy on 2 school trips and has loved every minute of both of them.

Singlesuzie · 20/06/2014 23:35

so OP is your younger child not going to be allowed on the trip when it's their turn?

gertiegusset · 20/06/2014 23:36

They were going to Disney thingy in France, very educational. Grin
We still have some of the tat she brought back.

Elderflowergranita · 20/06/2014 23:37

YABU. It's an annual event, at most. Really mean spirited of you.

So, you will never allow your Dc to go on school trips abroad again, because of one/two antisocial drop offs in the entire year?

You must really really love your sleep - you're being uber precious imo.

SoonToBeSix · 20/06/2014 23:37

Just noticed your post that you wouldn't send dd next time because you will miss a couple of hours sleep. I am shocked at your selfishness.

Mrscaindingle · 20/06/2014 23:38

So in answer to your question YABU Grin

fourcorneredcircle · 20/06/2014 23:38

ravenAK ah yes... The T.A.P. dripping away on your last nerve. Anyway, I'm off. I'm over the moon that most posters appreciate its not such a big deal and i have to ask myself "what's the point in trying to change the mind of someone who didn't want to have it changed in the first place?" Which is why I prefer the "IKIBU but..." threads... Least you know what you're letting yourself in for.

stealthsquiggle · 20/06/2014 23:40

Irrespective of the rights and wrongs, YANBU to want warning before you signed up. The ludicrous departure and return times were front and central in the first letters about trips for Y7 DS. They knew when they planned/priced it, so they should have told parents at the earliest opportunity,

MadameDefarge · 20/06/2014 23:42

dont be unpleasant raven. There is absolutely no need.

OP is put out. I would also be put out. Doesn't mean we don't appreciate the effort teachers put into it all.

I would also be upset if I had to wrangle a teenage dc and a younger one to a drop off point in the middle of the night where there might be no night transport and it incurred taxi costs, which I might well not be able to afford, and then have to get younger one back etc etc all ready for school and work the next day.

Its not a fucking sin to be pissed off at this!