Field trips for pre-schoolers -- am I overreacting?

[thegreggersmom]

My son turned 3 in Feb and is now in a preschool room at day care which consists of 3, 4 and 5 year-olds. They take field trips about 4 to 6 times a year. I chaperoned on my son's first one and it was a 35 minute school bus trip, one way, to a theatre to see a play -- so a little over an hour round trip. I was satisfied with the adult/kid ratio as far as supervision but that was a long time on a school bus and it was primarily on highways.

The next one is scheduled for later this month and it's going to be a visit to a petting farm. This trip will be closer to an hour, one way, and the route will contain two highways.

I am just not comfortable with putting my son on a school bus for so long on highways. They buses are not equipped with seatbelts and yes, I know the height of the seats is supposed to act as protection, but my son is just 3 ft tall and weighs 30 lbs -- I think getting slammed into the back of a bus seat could do a lot of damage to him.

I guess I could take more vacation time and chaperone again, but I'd really rather not use up time off this way. Another option would be to just have him stay back at the school. I know of only one other family who does this, and their daughter just spends the time with a younger class.

So I am looking for feedback on whether or not I am being too protective? Do other preschools send their kids on such treks for trips? Again, I am fine with trips in the immediate area and I am absolutely okay with the supervision...it's the lengthy highway travel on school buses that has me nervous.

 

[Captain_Hook]

My son's preschool does have an occasional fieldtrip - I think there were only two this year (One to a pumpkin patch/local farm and the other to the local fire department). The parents are responsible for their child's transportation to the location and stay to chaparone. The class is cancelled for that day. If my mom, my husband, or I can't take him -- he doesn't go. Because of my work schedule, I was unable to go to either trip.

I don't think I would ever send my child on a school bus (at this age, at least). Even if I were on the bus, I wouldn't feel confident in my ability to protect my son in an accident. That is why he rides in a carseat!! If I were in your shoes (and had the ability to go to the field trips) I would drive separately.

 

[LuLuO]

An hour each way on a bus for a 3 year old is kind of much IMHO. I would probably drive my child to and from. But I don't know that I would want to burn a vacation day to do it. Maybe you could take him to the petting farm on a weekend and let him stay behind at the school on the trip day.

 

[nchulka]

I really wouldn't give it a second thought. 4-6 times a year is not much. I would be glad they are taking the kids out to experience new things. If they were taking these trips weekly that would be a bit much. Don't make him stay behind to play in the baby room. All his friends will come back talking about how much fun they had. Think about the statistics on fatal bus crashes compared to the number of children who ride buses daily in this country and then think about your poor son sitting in a room with the babies, sad that all his friends are out somewhere fun without him.

 

[bearlyanne]

My four year old goes on a lot of field trips to. They can range up to over an hour of travel time. I feel that buses are pretty safe and the experience of the field trip outweighs the paranoia I might have.

 

[Becc1]

I don't think that you are overreacting. My DS attended ECI (early childhood intervention) at a special needs school right when he turned 3 and although they provided bus transportation with seatbelts, I still drove him to school everyday. I got a little more comfortable once he turned 4 and was a little bigger and let him ride but only with the bus with seatbelts. And even now at age 8 I go on every feild trip with him, sometimes we ride the bus, sometimes we drive seperately.

 

[imthatgirl]

I don't think you are over reacting. We didn't put our kids in preschool until the year before they went to Kindergarten. I personally feel 3 is so young to be at school let alone off on buses and field trips.

At 4 and 5 I am much more comfortable with the whole field trip/school thing. If I was you I would probably have my kid sit out.

 

[Hannathy]

My four year old goes on a lot of field trips to. They can range up to over an hour of travel time. I feel that buses are pretty safe and the experience of the field trip outweighs the paranoia I might have.

I agree with this. I couldn't imagine making my child miss out on a field trip and feel so bad before, during and after due to my irrational fears.

For those that insist on driving them instead of letting them ride the bus you do realize you are putting them in more danger driving them than letting them ride the bus?

 

[kirstenb1]

When our dd's daycare had field trips, they used the daycare vans. We all brought our kids' carseats and put them in the vans that day. I've never heard of a daycare using a school bus.

 

[kirstenb1]

Our younger dd attends a special ed preschool. I have had her ride the bus everyday to school since she was 3. However, each child is strapped into a 5 point harness seat that's already on the bus.

Obviously I have no problem with her riding a bus. I would have a huge problem at the age of 3 if there were no carseat. OP, I'd be concerned too.

 

[lovethattink]

I am overprotective, and never sent my kids on a field trip without me until I felt comfortable. For my oldest that was 4th grade. My youngest is 6 years old and has epilepsy, I think I will probably be a presence on field trips until he is much older.

 

[crazyredhead]

My kids attended/attend a cooperative preschool. They did several (4?) field trips a year but none were further than 15 minutes away. I can't imagine a small bladdered 3 year old on a bus for an hour. (YIKES!) At our school, parents were asked to volunteer to drive/chaperone as many kids as they could safely fit. All drivers had to provide proof of insurance. All kids had to bring their own carseat/booster seat on the field trip with them and parents were asked to install it in the driver's car at dropoff.

 

[amy-momofthree]

I don't think you are overreacting. I don't feel comfortable with field trips until the child is 6 or 7. I even went with my childrens classes on field trips in Kindergarten and first grade. I just have a fear of letting my child in public places without me and yes, buses make me nervous too.

In the end, you are the parent and you have to do what you feel is best for your child. Mom's have instincts and I feel we need to act on them, even if it makes us seem a little paranoid.

 

[crisi]

Do what you are comfortable with and don't look to others. If you aren't comfortable, continue to chaperon or have them stay back (be prepared for the Mommy battle - your kids are fairly likely to find this unreasonable - they are getting to the age where what everyone else does IS a big deal, and getting left out hurts their feelings).

Our kids did the same, we let them. Its hard to find good field trips for little kids, and yet the little kids want the variety - they also LOVE feeling very grown up with the field trips.

One thing to keep in mind is that they grow up really quickly and if you don't let go in stages, you can be letting go big all at once. This may be too big a stage for you, and you have time, three is pretty young - but one of my Scout's Moms has been a little helicoptery. I thought she was going to stowaway when I took her daughter to weekend camp in forth grade - but her daughter hadn't really ever done anything more than a sleepover a few blocks from home. Letting go a little has been good for both of them - her daughter is getting much more independent and mature - Mom has started to realize that - being a Mom there is always worry, but you don't need that obsessive worry - she came back fine last time.

 

[DisGirl819]

I wouldn't be comfortable with my 3 year old on a bus for an hour! She doesn't even like being in the car that long. Plus I don't like that they don't have seatbelts or any kind of harness for kids that young. I think I'd keep my kid out of that field trip just because of the long bus ride.

 

[scrapquitler]

My son turned 3 in Feb and is now in a preschool room at day care which consists of 3, 4 and 5 year-olds.
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I used to work for Head Start, and this would NOT have flown in the program where I worked. The kids were transported to/from Head Start on school busses, but in my state, if the child is of the age/weight that a car seat is required, then any field trip or transport in the school bus could only be done in a school bus (usually the short ones) that is equipped with CAR SEATS.

No way would I allow my child on a school bus without a car seat if he were of the age and size that a 5 point harness were required.

 

[FormerFF]

If you look at the statistics, transportation by school bus is far safer than by private car. I would be somewhat leery of van transportation, many states have outlawed vans for school transit because of their considerably worse safety record.

 

[3happydancers]

Our preschool, through the public school system, is not allowed to transport pre-k students. Years ago, they did allow class trips but has since stopped, I believe due to liability issues. Now, I believe they do not plan any trips. All activities are done at the school. For example, the school will set up a "pumpkin farm" for the pre-k students to go pumpkin picking. They will also bring in other activities set up in our gym like puppet shows. When our kids move up to kindergarten, trips are then allowed. We have full day "K" so time is not an issue. Most trips are very local so pretty much no highway driving.

Do what you feel comfortable doing. Personally, I think 3 is too young to be in any vehicle without restraints (and I am a school bus driver) no matter the statistics. You can't drive your own child in your car without proper car seats at this age and weight, so I feel the same rule should apply. Not to mention that the school bus drive could be held liable if an accident should occur so I myself would not want the responsibility. (Just my opinion, everyone has different levels of comfort)

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I don't think preschoolers need fieldtrips at all. They are only in school a few hours a week. Bring programs to the school.

 

[The Hendies]

I have worked with school age children as well as pre-school age for years. My best advise is do what you feel comfortable with. Some parents are OK with field trips while others are hesitant to send their child, it doesn't make one parent a better parent than another. Personal preference. If I did send my 3 year old on a field trip, I would insist on a booster with a seat belt at the very minimum.
My other thought is that some parents already expose their children to these kinds of activities with their family. I have worked with plenty of families that if we did not take them to the zoo, park, pumpkin patch, whatever, they would just never go.