To think that this isn't fair (school situation)

[whyisswangnotaword]

To cut a long story short, my child's school is holding a whole school trip to a beach to mark the end of the year.
It's been highly encouraged for all students to attend, albeit a little too encouraged and has come across to many as very pushy, which has been off putting.
We are not attending, due to my child's horrific travel sickness. I was called and asked if we were attending after already saying we are not - and then was further questioned as to why we are not going. That's not the point though -

We have today been told that any children not attending will be set online work to complete for the day that the school is closed for the trip.
I will be taking my child out for the day, most probably to the cinema due to bad weather .. because although she is aware of the reasons we are not attending and did not want to go due to travel sickness (it would absolutely NOT be enjoyable for anybody) it's still not nice for her to think of all of her friends out having fun whilst she is stuck at home.

Is it silly of me to think that it's unfair that the school are setting an online work day for the children that aren't attending?
I would agree with it totally if she were missing an educational trip, but it's not that. It's a whole school trips for the children and their parents to have a fun day at the beach.

For health and safety there will be an adult/ student ratio requirement.
Either they have masses of staff available or volunteers.

Wow! I really want to know what school this is. A 2 day residential for Reception children?! A whole school plus parents trip to a beach 2.5 hours away! Seems bonkers to me.

OP, YANBU. A 5 hour round coach trip for a 5 year old is really unnecessary. There must have been closer places the school could choose. Just keep her off and don’t worry about the work (the school have to set work - they aren’t just allowed to give children a day off). Obviously you don’t want your DD to miss out on future trips, so will need to sort it travel sickness meds. But this trip for a 5 year old is crazy.

I was a child with motion sickness.

I also missed a trip to the seaside with my class, I was sad, they came back with such fun and laughter. I had been doing worksheets in the classroom. Then there was some further time where the trip was discussed, with activities. I was unable to participate.

On a plus note I grew out of motion sickness when I hit about 13.

Totally ridiculous school trip day plan for a reception class. Initially thought you were talking about upper primary or secondary age children! Completely over the top, especially with parents having to go as well.
Just sort yourselves out for the day, doubt there will be any follow up anyway on 'school work'.
FWIW, I doubt I would have sent my children on that sort of journey length trip at that age. Whilst they love the beach, the travelling is excessive for the time they are likely to get on the actual beach! They would have been miserable.
As someone who suffers from travel sickness, it is absolutely miserable.....

higher risk of drowning at the beach than on a farm ...... they'll want parents to watch their own kids near water as teachers won't be able to watch all of them all the time.

They have to do it. I'm sure they have no desire to do it.

A 17 year old on a school trip drowned at West Wittering beach recently - very sad.

Have you tried Kwells kids, I suffer with horrible travel sickness and this in the adult version is the only thing that helps me.

@whyisswangnotaword With travel meds, timing is crucial-
They need time to get into the system.
Your DC will begin to associate journeys with feeling and being sick- and this can become like a conditioned response.
Looking down at books or tablets is very bad
Looking straight ahead helps

( as you can tell I’m fairly experienced at dealing with motion sickness!

• Also used to help out on school trips

A wonderful trip to Big Pit, Wales had even the adult helpers and staff feeling green- Never mind the children How no one vomited was a miracle!

I took a young primary-aged relation to Exeter Cathedral and he loved it. I think it was the biggest indoor space he had been in. The organ was being tuned and the whole building throbbed with each note being tested.

Without googling i think Phenergan is over 12 only now because of the heart risks?

Good luck trying to buy it regardless, you'll have more success saying you want to buy Nytol for a newborn baby. I swear pharmacies stock Phenergan just for nostalgia 🤣

My son has chronic travel sickness OP and since we have found Stugeron, it has completely disappeared. Anyone I know who uses them swears by them!

And it's suitable for 5years and up. Definitely give it a go, shame for her to miss out because of travel sickness.

Current NHS advice:

https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hyoscine-hydrobromide/who-can-and-cannot-take-hyoscine-hydrobromide/

Nailed it! Too quickly, a child can disappear near water. Not so much on a farm.

I would not have wanted my young child on a beach without someone watching just mine, and not mine plus 9 other kids.

I dont believe people can truly understand how difficult it can be to go on journeys with a child that suffers from severe travel sickness until they’ve experienced it.

DC is insanely travel sick, we have to do bus journeys in 20 minute increments giving time to get off, walk a couple of stops and take some deep breaths. Driving you can get away with 30 minutes tops unless it’s raining too much to see out the window then its even less. Every pocket has a sick bag in and there’s changes of clothes in the boot at all times. Before the age of 5 he went through 5 car seats that were destroyed by vomit.

Very weirdly, boats are not too bad.

A theme park would be out of the question because he’d just throw up on every ride.

There was ONE brand of travel sickness tablet that worked really well but was always incredibly hard to get and now no longer exists

It such shame. I would recommend speaking with a pharmacist. Have you tried GIN GIN Sweets?

I didn’t want to mention these by name , but they are the Don!
Taken hours in advance.
Children’s Kwells also work .

Was that Marzine? ( Valoid) It became prescription only as it was abused in conjunction with another drug - according to pharmacist.
Marzine worked well.

If my kid wasn't going, I'd just let them have the day off, no work needed.

With respect, I think this is occupying far too much brainspace. Just forget about it.

@oakleaffy they really are! My son could travel no more than 20mins in a car without being sick. We've been using these for years now and he never worries about car journey, bus trips, boats... we've even started cruises the last few years and he is completely unaffected by any motion now.

And absolute godsend!

Our eldest has terrible travel sickness on all forms of transport except the tube. He has
thrown up on a plane and at an airport ( Doha, right next to their huge statues😳).
Jumping out of the car on the hard shoulder.
On a boat all over his twin brothers and their car seats.

Even whilst on a camel
However we found Stugeron to work really well. If taken at the right time. The only times he’s been sick as above was before we realised the problem and when he forgot to take them.

Stugeron 15mg is for 5plus years

I had horrific sickness as a kid, but only with trains and boats. I did eventually grow out of the problem with trains, but unfortunately not boats and only have to look at a puddle to feel queasy.

Weirdly, this also affects any form of video gaming for me, especially first person games. The screen motion almost instantly knocks me very sick. The kids hated it when they were younger because they couldn't have games on any TV in a room I was in 😂

Anyway, enjoy your cinema trip!

Absolutely
If necessary, (or rather, if you felt like it) you could do some themed activities along the lines of what they might do at the beach - something with an educational slant.

As an aside, it is worth exploring ways to combat travel sickness, but that's something to do on your own terms and in your own time. If it is really debilitating it's going to rob your child of some otherwise exciting experiences.

They really are superb.
My brother took them in a storm force Ferry Crossing as a Teenager ( he gets sick) and he was aware of being rolled around in his bunk- but was able to eat breakfast!

Royal Navy use them as they don’t dull the senses
too much.

Some people don't appreciate history I suppose.