I don’t want to go on this coach trip tomorrow.

[WheresTheSauce]

Oldest DC is going on a school trip to the seaside tomorrow. It’s going to rain.

Children must be accompanied by a parent/carer and siblings are invited as well… most people are bringing younger children.
some are going on the school organised coach, some are driving and meeting there.

originally our plan was to drive and the whole family (DH, myself and two DCs age 4 & 1) meet them there… but last week DH had a change of work plans and now can’t drive us. It’s two hours away and for certain reasons I am not up for driving this far.

so instead I booked the coach but now that means me dragging all the stuff on a coach, two hours each way for about three hours on the beach. I feel horrendous and will probably be ill on the coach, younger DC has a cold. I’ll have to try and keep a 4 yo and feral toddler safe by the sea without another parent to help, and to top it off we will probably be soaked.

ILs would usually help by taking younger DC but they can’t at the moment.

if we hadn’t paid £35 for the coach seats (non-refundable) I would call and say we can’t come now.

what was I thinking!? Someone talk me out of it

Pull yourself together and go, your Dd really wants to and as shot as it may be for you, it's one of those things you do because it makes your child happy.
There'll be other parents there and I'm sure they'll all pitch in to help, you might even enjoy it.

Yemen, you need to move to Yemen if you aren't going to do this.

Honestly, everyone else will have stuff and they've all obviously had kids so will understand and probably help.

Don’t forget undies, socks and shoes with your change of clothes.

Dont take two ill people on a coach. It will be really annoying for all the people you make sick.

Don’t go. Two of you are ill. You have to carry a potty in addition to what sounds like enough luggage for a week not 3 hours.
Take buzzing DC elsewhere and go to the beach another day. It’s not worth all that and making others ill because of £35…

If DC is buzzin it sounds like you’re going to have to suck it up sorry OP.
my condolences it’s sounds horrendous x

Right for all the people manning about two of us being sick and we will spoil it for all the other people by making them unwell… I actually said youngest has a bit of a cold. At the tail end of it tbh where they are just annoyingly snotty 🤢

I am not ill.

if we were properly ill OBVIOUSLY we wouldn’t go, I’m not that much of an arsehole

Moaning, I meant

Ex teacher here- been on a few school coach trips. Those bin bags - open them and give them a good shake before you pack them, cause I speak from experience here - theyre IMPOSSIBLE to get open with a retching child beside you. Or for yourself of course.

if you’re taking travel sick tablets, add a flask of strong coffee to counteract any drowsiness.

You said you felt horrendous? What’s wrong?

In that case, her packing and enjoy the trip! 🎉

Get packing!

What are the reasons for not driving? If it's because you're nervous I'd just suck it up and do it, you're less likely do feel sick if driving.

If not can you take travel sickness tabs to help?

Trips like this will be terrible if you make it terrible. Put on a smile, pack the buckets and spades and embrace the sea air. Whatever the weather your preschooler will have an amazing time if you make it amazing.

Oh and stick the little one in pull ups for the day. That reduces one stress.

early pregnancy, medication side effects, long term illness flare up…. Take your pick.

If I was going to say exactly why on MN I would have said in my original post or answered you the first time you asked

2 hours sat on s coach, with someone else children, to sit on a beach in the rain for 3 hours followed by 2 more hours of the coach torture.... absolutely nothing could convince me to endure that

Cant you cancel tomorrow and promise a trip to the seaside at the weekend?

If not, I agree with others if your daughter is keen on going you have to go

But I sympathise, sounds like a nightmare

Don’t give half a story and expect people not to ask questions! Big drip feed!!

you said you feel horrendous and will probably be ill on the coach. Hence people assuming you are... unwell...

It sounds like a shit trip and I wouldn't go.

Ugh I completely feel for you. This would be my hell too. But this comment is the reason I'd go anyway 😬

Those aren't the OP's actual problems. She just doesn't want to say why she said she felt horrendous.

Well thems the breaks when you've got little kids. You occasionally have to force yourself to do something for their sake. If your child is full of excitement for a special event, you will only be letting them down if you don't enable them to go. There's no way to dress it up is there?

Is it normal to insist a parent comes on a school
trip for every child? What about working parents?!

Some times you just need to not consider the cost and write it off.

Think I'd be driving or is there a train you could get OP? The thought of being on a coach where there's a high chance of at least one travel sick child would be over ruling my fear of the car, provided you're safe to drive however I strongly suspect I'm emetophobic. If you're driving you could plan your route so you can break it down into small chunks, stopping for breathers at service stations/shops etc.

I go on the coach to go and watch my football team and while I don't generally get travel sick because it's such a long journey I take precautionary stugeron, if coaches make you sick I'd definitely be taking some.

I don't have children but a bit surprised they aren't using staff/ some parent helpers but instead are insisting children can only go with parent supervision.

Have you got a family member you could beg/pay/plead with who could take her instead?