School trip and my baby

[coulditbeme2323]

Kids school offer some really cool school trips.

School have organized a school trip to ski/snowboard this November in Whistler Canada which is about 80 miles from Vancouver.

Ok sounds great, but it's for my boy in year 6.

AIBU or is it too young?

He really wants to go, his brother has been, and Husband thinks he should go.

So am totally prepared to be told he isn't a baby and IABU.

Bah humbug

It makes me laugh the way that if a family want to take a child out of school for holiday they can risk a fine.
If the teachers want to take the children out of school for a trip that is okay !

If his brother has gone of course you have to let him go.

I know he will go, and more than likely so will I!

The school take parent "helpers" on residential trips abroad? Is that even a thing??

Of course it is.

Year 6 is definitely not a baby thats only couple of years off being a teenager. I think it would be unfair that you've let his brother go who's only a year older but not him. Yabu

Are you going for him or for you? I think you need to look at your motives. If you really want to go and help, fine, but it might be a good opportunity to start challenging your view of your baby. I get it, honestly, but giving him an identity as much younger than his brother despite the fact they're very close in age will
limit him.

My s1 did a trip to Italy skiing. He really enjoyed it, I think these trips are great, if you can afford it.

Is it a private school? I can't imagine a state school doing trips like that.
When my children were in year 7 the furthest they went with their school was an activity week in the UK
Trips were abroad were from year 9 and for language practice so only for those taking a language and only to France, Germany or Spain.

Too far IMO. If a medical emergency or accident happened, it would be a long distance away and possibly unaffordable to get there. But I am a poor, so.

Have seen you’ve resolved the trip decision! But just wanted to say, my 17 (nearly 18) and 15yo boys are both my babies, and my mum said that I was still her baby when I was 35 and my eldest sister was 45. None of us died of embarrassment or have failed to be independent.

I hope the trip goes well x

As a state school teacher, absolutely no way would we take a parent with us on a residential trip. A day trip where the whole class is together so the parents are within sight of a member of school staff at all times - yes, but less common than it used to be and we will tend to use parents who already have established credentials, including DBS clearance if at all possible.

I assume that you will have to be fully DBS-ed? Will there be full safeguarding training for you? Will you be paired with a member of staff for oversight? Will you have any access at all to children once they are in their dormitories for the night? Will you be specifically grouped with your son, or specifically not? If there needs to be an instruction given to your son, for safety or behaviour for example, is it crystal clear who is ‘in charge’? The whole thing sounds like a safeguarding nightmare tbh.

I wouldn't feel at all comfortable with my 10//11 year old going so far away without me and for so long (presume it's got to be around a week if they are traveling so far?) Not to mention skiing itself being somewhat risky and the potential for my baby to end up in hospital without me being able to get to them.

I'm a teacher and wouldn't take a school group below year 9 abroad to be honest, way to young to organise themselves in large groups. Could be fine for a week long UK trip potentially. Canada is a lot of travel, time differences, skiing is very active. Kids aren't very good at looking after themselves on trips e.g. having the sense to get some sleep, remembering to use the toilet, disliking the food etc.

I personally think it’s way too far - bordering on the ridiculous - for a child that age. Europe ok but bloody Canada?!

So do you have to pay for yourself? Presumably school aren’t stumping up the cost for you?

It's actually pretty unusual. I have done loads of residentials and parents have never attended due to safeguarding. Except on one occasion where a child had significant SEN needs and his Dad was a school governor so had been DBS'd and reference checked by the school already.

I also do residentials for girlguiding and we can't have parents helping overnight, due to safeguarding.

Also, having a parent on the trip slightly defeats the object, these trips are meant to build independence.

Why was it different for the older child?

My year 5 went to italy on the school ski trip in December (he was 9) and had a fab time. I would absolutely let him go to Canada in year 7 if he wanted to and I could afford it…however I do agree with a previous poster that I wouldn’t risk whistler in November as the snow may well be rubbish.

Ditto!

He’s not a baby though is he? Stop stifling his opportunities, you’re holding him back from experiences by treating him as a baby.

Personally I think this is a bit crazy. 10 hour flight with real possibility for delay due weather then 2-3 hour drive to Whistler. With airport and travel you 11 year old is looking realistically at 18+ hours of travel (let’s hope the sea to sky highway isn’t closest bad weather).

I think it’s too young and just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. School trips are awesome but this presumably is just to say you went to Whistler. Which is awesome too but so are the Alps. Take your kids there instead.

I wouldn’t like it admittedly however if my child’s closest class friends were going and he’d be the only one to miss out I’d do all I can to put my own feelings aside and let them go and give that bit of independence thy they deserve and need to learn.

More reliable snow, I guess.
And moose