If you had the time, would you always choose to be a parent helper on a school trip? If not, why not?

[emkana]

My other thread is dying a death so I'll rephrase a bit.

Is it always a good idea to be a helper if you have the time? or not?

I know I would hate it. Out of guilt duty I have done a couple of walks to the church with them when ds was younger, that was enough.

It's not the dc, it's the mums that go - same ones, every time. At ds's school it's the ultra competitive, nosey, teacher arse-licky types that stand in huddles in the playground whispering behind their hands that I just can't bear to be around. Before someone says 'it's a good job people offer 'cos otherwise trip wouldn't run' bla bla - if those mums didn't go, I probably would, if I had time

But they're always there, with their pac-a-macs, tiny umberellas and packed lunch in a John Lewis carrier bag.

I volunteer for one out of three or so - the dds love it when I do.

The mums are lovely, the teachers are lovely, the kids are exhausting mostly lovely but I LOATHE the coach trip part! Or bus, or tube, or whatever!

Although dd1's class (Y4) are now at the enjoyable stage, where they don't shout and wriggle all over the place on journeys, and are quite self-sufficient in toilets

I did it for the first three years, as I was too anxious about letting DS go.

When he was older I carried on taking DC that needed one to one and had behaviour difficulties. They were all so well behaved I got a reputation as the child tamer. I really enjoyed it.

I love helping out in school and on trips. Before DS2 came along I read with the class, helped with swimming and went on class trips. Now DS2 is here they won't let me go with him in a sling which annoys me as I love a 'free' trip out but I do help with swimming when I can. The other parents in the class couldn't really give a shit about helping the class at all and it grips my shit like mad.