I feel a bit ridiculous but

[porridgelover]

could you hold my hand please? My 8year old ASD son is going on a trip away with his Scout group today. While he has been away on school trips, I usually travel with them as a Parent Helper.
This is his first trip on his own. They are going to a nature park about 2.5 hours away and he wont be home til past 7pm tonight.

I am so nervous.

I found it hard to sleep last night- I have envisaged everything from the bus crashing, him having a meltdown, he getting lost (poor spatial awareness), him having a toileting accident (happens- we don't leave home without spare underwear), him acting out with all his sensory issues. I was trying so hard this morning to not let him know that I was nervous and that I trusted him to have a nice day.
In RL everyone will advise me not to be ridiculous; but I think you guys will understand why I am worried. I am thinking of getting in the car and driving after them and sitting in the car-park with a book, just in case. Am I mad?

No. Not mad. Just a mum! :)
Speaking as a former beavers leader he will come home later exhausted but elated.
I hope the day isn't too stressful for you x

One thing I did with worriedarents was take their mobile number and phone them during the trip to let them know their dc was ok?
Would the leaders do that?

Thanks. I will probably text the leader later- I dont want to be annoying him when they are busy watching lots of kids.

I sympathise, I am not sleeping well ATM, my 13 ( undiagnosed at the moment but spectrummy) is on a school trip to France for 10 days without his phone! It's the 30 hour coach journey from Scotland to the Meditarranean that is worrying me, he finds sitting for any length of time hard but he was determined. I don't know how he will cope with the heat as he has. Never experienced it before!

DS2 did not last the two nights at scout camp due to cold, I had to collect him early but he still talks about it as if he had a great time, I seem to feel these slight setbacks more than he does.

Good point. I am more worried than he. I texted leader but no reply yet. At least you people know Im being crazy but its normal.

Hopefully he's having a fantastic time, nothing will go wrong and it will be a little easier next time for you when he does these things without you.

He's home, bathed and asleep. I feel a bit foolish but a lot relieved...apparently he was 'great', good behaviour all day.
I am delighted for him as it was a big step away from me (and thats normal, what he should be doing, instead of relying on me to 'interpret' between him and the world.)