Would you let an almost 5 year old go on a trip to the pumpkin patch

[arivecchi]

by himself on a bus?

DS1's class is going soon and they are all riding on a bus. I really do not like the idea much but need a reality check.

[ellies mom]

Sure. He'll have a blast and it will be a great adventure.



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[HIU8]

I take it that it's a class trip with teachers and hopefully parent volunteer chaperones? If so, then yes I absolutely would. I went with my DS in pre-k (I rode the bus as a chaperone). My DD will be going this year. I will also chaperone. If I could not, I trust the school. My DS is going on a field trip tomorrow on his school bus (without me). I think the first time the whole bus thing came up I was a little freaked. Then, once I went along the first time I got over it. I, however, will always drive them myself if it's a trip where parents are driving kids to the destination (most of the parents in DD's class know little to nothing about carseats and safety).

[JBaxter]

Why not? Here PreK kids ride buses all the time. I wouldn't have given it a second thought. What would he do if you didn't let him go?

[elliput]

Yep. :) Trips like this always have plenty of adult chaperons, and riding on the bus is a good experience at this age.

[Green_Tea]

I would.

I seem to be an outlier here in terms of these things, but DS went on at least 6 field trips with his class in Pre K4. He turned 4 that August, so was young. All of the field trips involved riding the bus, and one was to a zoo that's about 45 minutes away. He did fine on all of them, and had a great time.

He turned 5 this August, and next week will take the bus with his K class to the apple orchard. He's really looking forward to it.

ETA: I guess I am not as much as an outlier as I thought ;).

[cuca_]

Yes, I would. I think it will be pretty exciting for him. As long as there is adequate supervision, I would not worry. I know it is scary for you (I was so tempted to follow the bus the first time I put DD1 on it for K), but he will have a blast!

[gatorsmom]

by himself on a bus?

DS1's class is going soon and they are all riding on a bus. I really do not like the idea much but need a reality check.

If he is going with his class and the teacher and chaperones are going, then yes, in a heartbeat. He'll have a great time.

[designermv]

Yes, I would. I was nervous before my DD1's first field-trip (without me), I think it's pretty normal. ;)

[arivecchi]

There will be two teachers and several parent chaperones. I think the class has 16 kids. The patch is about 45 min. to an hour away though.

[gatorsmom]

There will be two teachers and several parent chaperones. I think the class has 16 kids. The patch is about 45 min. to an hour away though.

Everything will be fine. Is it the first year this teacher has taken kids to the patch? She probably has experience with this trip and this particular patch which is why she feel comfortable taking the kids on a bus for that long. I wouldn't worry about it.

If it makes you feel better, though, I was a wreck for the first 2 months of school when Gator was 4yo. He took the little bus to preschool because I was expecting the twins and just couldn't move. I knew it was safe and the easiest solution for him to get to school but I still worried. So, I understand your hesitation.

[ABO Mama]

The kinder's here go every year.

[kerridean]

I have and would again.

[sste]

Yes. I went with ds when he was 2.75-3.5. At 3.75 he went on bus field trips by himself. His buses had safety belts which is something though obviously no car seat. Ds loves field trips! I have never loved the bus part. The thing is if you keep him out not only will he miss that day but usually the class talks and does projects about the field trip before and after. And they often put up field trip photos. So it might be hard for your ds.

[Melanie]

With my first I wouldn't have. :) I might have gone, and still been worried about the no seatbelt situation (heck, I wrote a letter about it on his first class trip at age 7!). With my second, I still probably would have gone to make sure she behaved, but would have let her go.

[Gena]

Yes, I did and I would again.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I did! And like pp, I would do it again. He had a great time!

Beth

[nfowife]

Yes. The teacher will likely have each parent chaperone take their own kid plus 1-3 more around together depending on the number of parents there. So he'll be in a small group. He'll likely fall asleep on the way home, he'll be fine!

[buddyleebaby]

I would.

Are you nervous about the bus in particular?

I know, at that age, DD's trip bus was equipped with boosters.

[Octobermommy]

Yes. My dd went at the same age and had a great time. There was 1 parent volunteer for every 3 kids. I didn't go as I had a toddler and was 9 months pg. I was a little worried but she had a blast.

[mommylamb]

My DS is going to a pumpkin patch with his class on a bus next week. It does give me pause because of the no car seat thing, but I signed the permission slip anyway. I can't take the day off work, and he is so excited to go.

[ahisma]

I would, absolutely.

I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer buses to parent drivers. We don't have a van so I can't drive and I'm so, so nervous to send him with unfamiliar drivers.

[KathyN115]

Yes. I was nervous the first time she went on a bus for a field trip, but she was so excited. All the kids thought the bus trip was the best part of the day.

[niccig]

Yes, I would. I was nervous before my DD1's first field-trip (without me), I think it's pretty normal. ;)

:yeahthat: I was nervous too. I spoke with a mother that was going and she said she would keep an eye on DS for me. On another field trip that I couldn't go on, DS fell and scraped his knee. One mother comforted him, and a dad put a band aid on it for him. It's nice to know there's a village to look over your kids when you can't go along.

[s7714]

Well considering my now 6 and 8 year olds both did exactly that I'd have to say yes! ;) They both went on 2-3 other bus field trips when they were 5 too. I got to go on one of the trips--it wasn't as chaotic as I expected to be. I admit I still worry a little about them getting separated everytime they go on one but they have SO much fun!!!

[Kungjo]

Sure. He will be fine. If you're worried, can you perhaps volunteer as a chaperone or go and meet them there?

[Kindra178]

I would. Ds1 will be going to Chinatown with his class soon - I am going to try to go, mostly because he has a peanut allergy and I love Chinatown. But . . . I wouldn't think twice about a pumpkin farm.

[daniele_ut]

I would, absolutely.

I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer buses to parent drivers. We don't have a van so I can't drive and I'm so, so nervous to send him with unfamiliar drivers.

:yeahthat:

I drove for ALL of DS's Kindergarten field trips last year because I didn't want him in unfamiliar vehicles. He's at a different private school this year and they also use parent drivers for field trips. They had their first one last week and I wasn't able to drive, unfortunately. I would MUCH rather they use buses.

[deborah_r]

Yes, I would. Both my kids went on many field trips in preschool on buses. I went with DS2 in August on two bus field trips, each about 45 minutes away (science center and beach). Also some field trips where we took the city bus to the Metro Rail ( I attended some, but others I could not).

[arivecchi]

I would love to go but I have not had the Virtus training yet that his Catholic school requires or undergone the background check or signed the code of conduct..... the list of requirements goes on and on..... I have no idea if the bus is equipped with anything - seatbelts or boosters. I worry about the bus ride (such a long one at that) and I also worry about him separating.

[sste]

The nice thing about a pumpkin patch is that there is usually nowhere to go! My height of fear about DS separating are when he is in big museums or large waterparks on field trips. The pumpkin patch is a good starter . . . and honestly I can't imagine your DS wandering very far off.

That is a crazy amount of paperwork to go with your child. In our old preschool, parent chaperones just signed up their names to go! I don't think our new one does field trips. If you really want to go could you avoid all that stuff if you drove your DS separately?

I think you should call the school for info and that will likely make you feel better. They can tell you the bus situation. Also our programs have always used pinnies or wristbands with the program name and phone or t-shirts with the phone - - and most often two of the above for extra safety. By the time they are done the kids are practically in prisoner orange and are NOT going to get very far!!

[gatorsmom]

That is a crazy amount of paperwork to go with your child. In our old preschool, parent chaperones just signed up their names to go! I don't think our new one does field trips. If you really want to go could you avoid all that stuff if you drove your DS separately?



I can answer this as I had to go through Virtus training and be background checked too. All that paperwork is the result of the scandals in the Catholic church and their effort to prevent any problems in the future. The training is thorough and very well done. I hated that it took up one full Saturday morning, but it's worth it, imho.

[gordo]

Since I am letting my 3 year old go on a field trip to the pumpkin farm tomorrow, yes I would let my 5 year old go.

[dcmom2b3]

I would. DD (who is almost five) had her class trip to the pumpkin patch last Friday, and rode a bus to and from camp every day this summer. It was fine.

Her first field trip without me was last year, I recall having a conversation with her about what to do if she got separated from the group, etc. I was a wreck, she was fine!

[dogmom]

I would, absolutely.

I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer buses to parent drivers. We don't have a van so I can't drive and I'm so, so nervous to send him with unfamiliar drivers.

Yes, he's statisically safer on the bus that you driving him in your car, even in the safest car seat out there. Besides the whole mass/momentum thing on the bus side, it's a big yellow school bus, people tend to see it. Unlike the driver talking on the cell phone that will drive through the intersection and hit your car.

[MoJo]

I would, absolutely.

I'm probably in the minority, but I prefer buses to parent drivers. We don't have a van so I can't drive and I'm so, so nervous to send him with unfamiliar drivers.

Me too. My three year old is going next week. At first I told her preschool "No" because I'm not sending her with unknown parents. I *would* have let her go on the bus. Turns out they just scheduled the trip on a day I'm off so I can take her, but this is going to be an issue many, many times for me. (I don't have a van either, and I have to take my 15 month old too. . . which means I'm not officially a chaperone or driver since I'm only taking my own family.)