Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

The coach didn't turn up today to take junior children...

77 replies

nocoach · 08/02/2008 16:34

...to an event at a nearby school.

Apparently, several parents who happened to be around ferried the children there in groups in their own cars.

What do you think?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

hunkermunker · 16/02/2008 21:31

"Mundanes", Madamez?

wannaBe · 16/02/2008 22:14

So how do you feel about parent helpers that come in to help in class? There's every chance you don't know them, and yet there's a chance they will have contact with your children.

How do you feel about supply teachers that come in? They're strangers too...

alfiesbabe · 16/02/2008 22:22

Wanna, my ds had a new supply teacher the other day, but that's ok because apparently I dont give a shit who he comes into contact with

alfiesbabe · 16/02/2008 22:24

Of course the other thing you have to remember is that if the children had missed the trip, the exact same people whinging on here would have been belly aching because their children missed their day out. No pleasing some people.

ladette · 16/02/2008 22:53

You're not reading my posts and not responding to the particular points I am raising. So no point in my posting any further.

alfiesbabe · 16/02/2008 22:55

I did read it. hence my response!

ladette · 16/02/2008 22:58

Thanks for your support.

seeker · 16/02/2008 23:06

Could you remind me what points youfeel went unanswered?

MeMySonAndI · 17/02/2008 00:33

Funny how things work... 2 yeqars ago nobody would care about a child not using a car sear after 4-5. Now, the children are particularly at risk.

I agree with Madamez, and would go a bit further by saying that such a paranoid society can't produce well rounded individuals. We are teaching our children to freak out at kindness.

cupsoftea · 17/02/2008 00:41

wouldn't have been happy with my kids in someone elses car.

alfiesbabe · 17/02/2008 10:38

Exactly MeMySonAndI. It's a symptom of a society which is fast heading towards people doing a risk assessment before they'll get out of bed in the morning!!
What I find really weird about this thread is presumably these paretns would have been happy to let their child travel on a coach with lap belts, but werent happy to let them travel in a car. Very odd.

ladette · 17/02/2008 19:08

This isn't my thread, but the op seems to have disappeared. I think what got me about this is I'd signed a consent form for my child to be taken out of school on a coach. With a teacher. Who would check lap-belts etc were fastened. I didn't sign a consent form for my child to go in a car with anyone who happened to be around at the time. I repeat, I know the Mum who took my child and am not concerned about that in itself. It's the principle. There very definitely ARE parents at our school who I wouldn't want ferrying my child around, or even being responsible for my child, for lots of reasons. This is my main point. I'd say I was a cautious, rather than paranoid, parent. I just like to know who is looking after my child and I liek to have some say in that. But clearly I am well and truly in the minority here so will go and try to work out how to separate care and caution from paranoia and now feel really bad that apparently I have completely screwed up my own kids and society with my approach.

SueW · 17/02/2008 19:29

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

OLDroot · 17/02/2008 19:54

this is hilarious -

What lovely people taking their time out to take these kids.

Another thread about not trusting ANYONE. What are we teaching our children?

cupsoftea · 17/02/2008 20:11

agree with ladette - there are some parents who don't use car seats, who wouldn't have a spare car seat (why should they), even parents who don't use seat belts and don't drive properly. Some parents also aren't people I would trust my kids with.

wannaBe · 17/02/2008 20:12

excellent point from MeMySonAndI.

Ladette I imagine that the consent form you actually signed states that you give permission for your child to be taken on school trips. I don't imagine the form says in so many words that these trips will be undertaken by coach. I would also imagine that the parents who drove the children there almost certainly all have been crb checked.

The reality is that we just don't always know who is with our children when we take them to school. Parent helpers that come in may be in a one to one situation with your child and you may not eve know about it. I take groups of children into the library area to do group work, and although most of the parents know me not all do, but that doesn't mean that I shouldn't be allowed anywhere near their children just because the parents don't know who I am. I have a crb check and am trusted by the school to be with children. Similarly supply teachers that come in are trusted by the school.

when we send our children to school we do so in the knowledge that the school will make the decisions as to who does work with our children. A supply teacher may be in and you may not even know about it until the chil comes home at the end of the day. But thatdoesn't mean your child has been put at risk.

ladette · 17/02/2008 20:34

Thanks cupsoftea.
I assume those of you who are making me feel really bad about this have all been in the situation where you have been happy to find out your child has been driven around town by someone you might be known to you or your child? Anyway, we're going round in circles and I am outnumbered so will back off now and go investigate therapy for my over-protected offspring.

ladette · 17/02/2008 20:35

sorry "who might not be known to you or your child"

wheresthehamster · 17/02/2008 20:39

ladette - did you ever go into school and talk over you concerns?

They may have asked the children if they knew the adult before letting them into the cars. I wouldn't have a problem myself but then I know all the parents if this ever happened to my dds.

ladette · 17/02/2008 20:42

The parents were infant parents. DD is year 5. I happen to know the parent who gave my DD a lift but bet most of yr 5 parents wouldn't and no, the children weren't asked if they knew the parent. Was planning on talking to the school, but this thread has made me feel abnormal and realise am likely to get same reception at school. Clearly I just need to get over it.

ladette · 17/02/2008 20:43

(wasn't even my thread to start with but made me realise this situation is more common place than I thought)

wheresthehamster · 17/02/2008 20:48

No, go in and explain how you feel and whether they would do it again. They may have had other negative responses.

ladette · 17/02/2008 20:51

Thanks for at least trying to see my point of view, wheresthehamster.

wheresthehamster · 17/02/2008 20:54

you're welcome

MsPontipine · 17/02/2008 22:41

Hi Ladette. You're not on your own . I'm back here hiding from all the fall out!!

AS I SEE IT one of the most fundamental responsibilities of us parents is to keep our children safe.

If something doesn't feel right and safe to you then you should not be afraid of saying so. If you find yourself in a situation where you feel your child is at risk ie. if the situation feels in anyway dangerous to you then don't risk it. What is the point of needless risk taking??

Our children are truly the greatest gift we will ever be given. Let's do our upmost to keep them in one piece xx

Flip

1 2 3 4