To think that a child who has never been camping is not necessarily from a ‘deprived’ background

[Urbandweller]

DD’s school organised a camping trip for Y5. DD is younger and didn’t attend but her class teacher went to chaperone. I was chatting with her about it today and she said she was so glad the school was able to organise the trip as so many of the Y5 kids had never been camping and would never otherwise get the chance to go. It was clear that she felt sorry for the children who hadn’t been before and was shaking her head sorrowfully, saying many of them are the same poor kids who have never been to the beach and this is one of the saddest aspects of deprivation...

AIBU to not see the link between camping and deprivation? We’ve never taken DD because it’s my idea of hell, nothing to do with lack of funds!

I’d like to know how much money twinsandyrifle had thrown at her?

Surprised it took so many pages before benefit bash started!

How’s secure your future? Btw

If I’m depriving my kids by not going camping long may it continue! It’s my idea of hell.

There's camping and camping...

The plebe goes to crowded fields to plonk a cheap tent for a tenner a night, and call it a holiday because they can't afford anything else,

the more wealthy let the children camp on their land, or their friends land for a laugh, or venture on these glamping campsites to stay in their pitch costing a few hundred £ a night (before covid),

And some people in between...

@megletthesecond

Yanbu. Camping with dcs is utterly miserable and requires lots of decent equipment. We did it once 7 years ago and I had a sobbing ds at 2am because his sister was keeping us awake. No holiday and days out is better than camping.

We did it with a tent and a one ring stove. We Did need a car. No other equipment. Blankets from home to sleep in, bucket of cold water for fridge. We brought food from a cash and carry.

That's my point. Everyone does. I wasn't special or entitled to more. If they don't have their full. @TwinsandTrifle
Twins you come across as an educated person, surely you can understand if everyone gets the same amount surely you realise people spend differently and manage money differently? They may not having budgeting skills - they more than likely were brought up similar- some are feckless parents spend it on takeaways, alcohol, drugs, high cost loans are a major issue after Christmas around here.
They might be excuses however it is a lifestyle for the DC.
I can't believe the amount of Mnetters who missed the point, have taken the teachers statement to be about a tent experience. It is very Ivory Tower 😕
"Let them eat cake"

@DSGBT

If I’m depriving my kids by not going camping long may it continue! It’s my idea of hell.

Have they ever had any other holiday or trip out beyond your area? So seaside if you're inland, mountains if you're coastal etc

-ah, maybe it’s memories...

I still remember (almost 50 years on) arriving at the campsite late in the evening in torrential rain and a massive thunder storm.

Dad and my brother were trying to pitch the (massive) tent as the rain pelted down and mum stomped up and down ‘that’s it - I’m going home!’ and my eldest sisters mooched about complaining about getting wet (with the sensible one helpfully giving tent-pitching directions to my dad and brother).

Us younger kids just ran about, jumping in the mud and shrieking at the thunder (as mum tried to find our coats in the back of the car, telling us not to be scared - we lived storm though).

Jesus - we all used to pile onto the car - we were in the boot (it was an estate)!

@TwinsandTrifle

Not everyone might have £100 spare. But one month they may have £40. Another, £20 etc. They don't need to buy everything at once. Then, when they have it, have got it to use repeatedly

And yes, as someone who has lived out of London for 30yrs, I can confirm pretty much everyone has a car! Swap "London" for "big towns/cities". I live on the outskirts of a small town. I would not be able to get a pint of milk without a car. I don't know anyone locally who doesn't have a car. Of my friends in London, I only know one that does.

I spent a period of time, with one DC on benefits, and it truly baffles me how people are in this level of poverty. I almost couldn't believe the amount of money I was just being "given".

They pay your rent, council tax, your water bill is capped, you get free fruit/veg/milk vouchers. I honestly couldn't believe it, and lived no differently (day to day) than when I was in employment. I wasn't treating myself to shoes I didn't need perhaps, but we were very comfortable. I truly don't understand, how when I was on the same benefit income, I was more than covered, and yet people on the same, are in such poverty that they can't find £20. With the exception of the initial delay when enrolling for UC (and that's a one off temporary thing) after a couple of months, I don't get how people have "no money". I've been there, I'm not a special case. It was more than enough.

They don't pay everyone's rent. It depends where you are. Here rent is capped at £800 bit even a one bed is £1000.

Nor do they pay your council tax. We do they food vouchers either although the kids get fsm.

It depends on your circumstances as to whether benefits feels a lot or not

Anyway - I think it’s great that kids get the chance to go off on an ‘adventure’ without their parents and siblings.

I’m sure she doesn’t mean any child who’s not been camping is deprived, but it sounds like there are children in the class who are deprived in general and don’t really get to go anywhere / do anything and she’s glad to be able to do this for them.

Actually you fuckers saying about poor and camping the teacher actually meant most of these privileges darlings will never have to slum it thanks to middle class arse parents without op clarifying the socio economic makeup of the school, you have no idea whether it's MC or not. Jist because they aren't all getting FSM doesn't mean its a well to do area.
It seems far more rational that the teacher means "some of these families are so economically deprived they cant afford holidays" than "oh its so sad all these rich children have never slept on a soggy field in Wales"

@EmeraldShamrock

That's my point. Everyone does. I wasn't special or entitled to more. If they don't have their full. *@TwinsandTrifle* Twins you come across as an educated person, surely you can understand if everyone gets the same amount surely you realise people spend differently and manage money differently? They may not having budgeting skills - they more than likely were brought up similar- some are feckless parents spend it on takeaways, alcohol, drugs, high cost loans are a major issue after Christmas around here. They might be excuses however it is a lifestyle for the DC. I can't believe the amount of Mnetters who missed the point, have taken the teachers statement to be about a tent experience. It is very Ivory Tower 😕 "Let them eat cake"

Agreed @EmeraldShamrock. It is shocking the amount of posters who can't understand what the teacher is saying. It's not difficult. She is saying, as numerous people have already explained, that some children don't even ever get a day trip in their local area area so camping is a big deal and a holiday for them. The teacher cares and is glad that the children at least get some holiday. It's not the camping per se, it's the experience. Countless pp's twittering "Oh, camping is hellish, not a holiday", 'my poor dc cried, hated camping'. Others actually criticise the teacher. Why are posters taking everything at face value as if they can't see the bigger picture? I'm sure all those criticising camping have taken their dc on many, varied holidays. A pp actually called people who "camp in a crowded field for a tenner a night and call it a holiday", 'plebes' (it's spelt pleb!). Unless they were being ironic that's vile. Some people don't have a tenner. Or transport. Or the will. Or the organisational skills. Or have been very poorly parented themselves... The list goes on. Yes, it's very sad and wrong and some people are just terrible parents but mostly, there a reason behind not having a holiday even just camping. Please could some pp have some more EI and empathy.

@LyndaSnellsSniff thank you, this is my point. The teacher enjoys camping. She camped as a child. She has therefore decided that the children at DD’s school who haven’t are deprived. She may have meant ‘culturally deprived’ but in any case, she has extrapolated her childhood experiences and applied them to children who grow up in an entirely different environment from the one she grew up in.

And thank you to those who realise how patronising this teacher is.

She is honestly very much of the opinion that children who don’t do “certain things” are deprived and therefore makes a lot assumptions about what deprivation looks like.

Like most areas of London our borough has high levels of deprivation and pockets of gentrification and affluence. There are children in DD’s class who are MC (and haven’t been camping!) and some who qualify for FSM but they are not necessarily deprived: their parents work, they have opportunities to go on days out, holidays etc. Those children may not go camping but that is mostly due to personal family choice. This teacher seems to have applied a broad brush definition of what deprivation is to children in the school because they are working class. Case in point, she seemed genuinely surprised when I mentioned we took the DC to a National Trust venue. I get the impression she thinks families like us wouldn’t have NT membership (we are working class and we are not white).

OP has said it is a mixed school.
OP knows the school childrens financial situation see detailed text below.
In OP'S summary she thinks the teacher is projecting because she loves camping.
OP has no idea how many DC teacher sees on a daily basis with holes in their shoes, unwashed, unloved, just getting by keeping the head down so the MC DC don't see them their crappie shoes and bag.
I might be projecting a bit.
The level of poverty ignorance on this thread is awful.
There are children in DD’s class who are MC (and haven’t been camping!) and some who qualify for FSM but they are not necessarily deprived: their parents work, they have opportunities to go on days out, holidays etc. Those children may not go camping but that is mostly due to personal family choice. This teacher seems to have applied a broad brush definition of what deprivation is to children in the school because they are working class. Case in point, she seemed genuinely surprised when I mentioned we took the DC to a National Trust venue. I get the impression she thinks families like us wouldn’t have NT membership (we are working class and we are not white).

I get the impression she thinks families like us wouldn’t have NT membership (we are working class and we are not white).
Oh Okay so this is about your feelings and not the facts.

@Thehop

We’re on our first camping trip this weekend

It will be our last

I love this review.

DC and DH really want to camp. Would it be wrong to book a hotel room for myself?

My son is as far from deprived as you can get he doesn't know he's bloody born, and he's not been camping. Because I don't like it.

I personally loathe Camping! My idea of a not good time.Pissing around getting the tent up.every thing but the kitchen sink from home , "cooking" on a camp stove and washing up in a cold bowl of water! Just No! I expect Teacher meant some of her children dont even have a day out or have seen the beach/Zoo ,thats all.

I give up. Myself and others trying to explain and pposters just think the teacher "likes camping" 🤦and the latest poster proudly proclaims that their son is "far from deprived" but has never been camping "Because I don't like it". Missing the point entirely. People are very ignorant about how some people live and lacking basic empathy but I'm done trying to explain.

@Bbq1

I give up. Myself and others trying to explain and pposters just think the teacher "likes camping" 🤦and the latest poster proudly proclaims that their son is "far from deprived" but has never been camping "Because I don't like it". Missing the point entirely. People are very ignorant about how some people live and lacking basic empathy but I'm done trying to explain.

No one asked you to.

Well if I thought all parents thought like the people on this thread actively criticising a teacher for wanting to give kids an opportunity, I probably wouldn't bother with organising anything other than teaching the curriculum. It certainly would give me more free time.

I doubt my DC will go camping. I don't see the point of a holiday unless the hotel is nicer than my house and my house is really lovely.

I can't think of any reason I'd stay in a tent. Actually I might hire a yurt for a garden weekend. That will have to be my DC's sole experience of camping. Poor deprived children 😂

No one asked you to.
No-one asked you either, like everyone we can share our opinions on this particular thread and given some pp's including myself have life experience of the situation our opinion is valid. So nah nah 🤣

My dds have never been camping either. It’s my idea of hell. They’re not deprived!

I would happily let the school take my DCs camping but I won't camp so they've never been. Needing a wee in the night, getting drenched in the rain, doing all the regions washing up, woken at 5am by the blazing sun...no thanks.

We have taken the DCs to various different countries, to London, to loads of beaches, historical.places, forests, taught them to swim, made dens in woods, etc and they have on no way suffered through not camping. I need my home comforts ☺