Saying hello to child on school trip

[LuckyAmy1986]

I just saw my child out on a school trip and as I walked past him said hello to him and blew him a kiss and he got excited and said mummy then happily went on his way with the teachers and kids. I feel like I shouldn’t have said anything to him, maybe a safety thing? DH things there is nothing to worry about but I’m thinking I’ll get told off later!

Dont worry. When I was teaching it happened all the time and never bothered me. I have walked past my dd class and then had a bunch of children shouting hello my childs name mummy and my daughter being extremely excited then at pick up being regailed with we saw you on our walk by the whole class. Teacher wasent bothered

I did you not know where you dc was going on their school trip? How could you possibly 'happen' to be there?

My child regularly has unofficial trips to the park near her school - where I happen to walk my dog, or to use the facilities at a local private school which involves walking in the streets close to our home, or to our local library. We don't get told because it's not an "official" school trip. I can't count the amount of times I have come across her class in my local area while I am going about my day to day business.

IMO it would only be an issue if the child would become upset over having seen the parent and that parent then having to go off elsewhere..

A couple of years ago, DS was on a trip to a large London museum. DH works a short cycle ride away so went over in his lunch break to see if he could find them and say hello. He did find them and spotted DS. He said hello and the teacher sidled over to check all was ok. Luckily he didn’t rock up in his neon Lycra cycling gear!

We used to live on a road that the school walk down and investigate as part of their local history topic. When DS1 was in the relevant year for that topic me and my neighbour who also had a son in the year stood by our gates to wave at them! I’d NEVER try that stunt with a teenager though!

I find the idea that you feel “ You might be told off” and are worrying about it a little perturbing. The relationship between you and the teacher should be professional with both having different but mutually respectful roles in your child’s lives. It is not a situation where a reprimand would be appropriate.

I know Cherry but like I said I suffer with social anxiety and overthink things all the time. I could have the simplest interaction with someone and go over it in my head for days. I am working on it! Besides, nothing was said so I guess it was fine!

I did that to my 15 year old.
Bumped into his class on the tube when they were coming home from a trip.
Automatically said, “ds! Mummy missed you!” And kissed him.
All his mates know I’m an idiot though 😂

I think you’re getting a bit of a hard time Lucky from some posters.

Firstly though - what you did was totally normal and not in any way wrong or weird or inappropriate. I live close to my DDs’ school (like 100yds away) so I see various classes out and about at least once a week. I also regularly pass the playground at break or lunch time if i’m out and about. I always get a wave from my DDs and many of their friends. Often they’ll stand at the fence and chat for a few minutes too. When there are trips walking past our house there are often waves from kids I know, and teachers/PSAs too. As others have said - to not speak to your DS would have been weird. (It’s also not unusual, or stalkerish, to be in the vicinity of a trip - it’s part and parcel of living in a community!)

As for being anxious about the teacher saying something to you - I also don’t think that’s unusual. Teachers can often come across as condescending to parents, (usually not intentionally at all), or can even see themselves as “the professional” who needs to take control while the parent just goes along with whatever they think is best. Often it’s a case of teachers just trying their best to follow protocol, policy and set good boundaries, but sometimes it does go too far.

Teachers and parents ARE equals, but it often doesn’t feel that way and I understand your anxiety that you would be pulled up for something in a situation where you don’t necessarily feel equal

It’s true our school don’t like parents going up to the children ‘through’ the school gates at playtime but they encourage politeness when out and about so a cheery hello should be fine. Just brace yourself as give it a year or so and he will probalay be mortified not delighted