Talk to me about chaperoning for a field trip

[liz]

DS has a field trip coming up and because I WOTH I wind up missing most (really all) his school day activities. I am seriously thinking about going on this last field trip since DS will be going to middle school next year. This day trip is to a museum in a city an hour away taking the bus. Hit me with your thoughts, ideas and tips!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I like chaperoning. It's cool to see the kids all together and their dynamics. Each trip has been different. Sometimes I've been solely in charge of 4-5 kids, other times I've been paired with a teacher or chaperone. I feel more useful when just me.
I take my job of keeping kids together and successfully getting them back to school to be my priority. Lots of internal head counts and corralling. :)

[TwinFoxes]

I don't have any tips other than make sure you come back with the same and same number of kids you left with. ;)

[mom2binsd]

I hate riding a bus with a passion, so I've done this but I drive myself. I know my children love it when I've been able to go. It's a lot of work keeping an eye on them but you really learn a lot about the other kids personalities too (the good and the bad).

[Twoboos]

I chaperoned a field trip for my 5the grader back in the fall. I was on the bus. It was SO LOUD!! So be prepared for that. Plus big yellow school buses are just not comfortable for adults, lol.

I was also constantly doing a head count to make sure I had the right number of kids.

Have fun!

[mmsmom]

Our district requires background checks for chaperones & those can take some time so if you need them make sure to get the process started soon. Our school has a chaperone guidelines document as well that lists expectations and provides tips. Sometimes I have a group of 3-5 kids and sometimes almost every kid has a chaperone... Really varies.

[PZMommy]

Go for it if you can. The kids love when their parent comes along.

As a teacher, my expectations are that you will help with the students. I've had parents want to sit and chat with me about their child etc, and that is not what it is about! Field trips are very stressful for teachers, so helpful parents make it much easier. Depending on the grade and venue, sometimes I give each parent 5 or 6 kids to be in charge of, and other times we stay as a group. I still assign kids to a parent though. Also make sure you have a watch or cell phone so you can keep track of the time and where you need to meet at certain times. We can't always have parents ride the bus, so be sure to check on that. My district only requires background checks for overnight trips, not regular field trips.

[kristenk]

I've chaperoned a bunch of trips and each one varies. You never know if you'll be in charge of 3 kids or 8! It can be a little hectic but it's usually fun.

Make sure to have your cell phone with you and program in the teacher's cell phone (and maybe another parent) so you can easily contact them, if necessary.

Fill out any background check paperwork your school has. Our school district requires chaperones to have a background check completed.

Request to be a chaperone/fill out the chaperone request form ASAP. Teachers at DD's school have turned parents away b/c there were just too many people who wanted to chaperone! Priority went to people who hadn't chaperoned that year and people who turned in paperwork first.

I like to have a few bandaids, pocket pack of tissues, extra pencils, etc. with me.

For some trips, chaperones are in charge of hanging onto the lunches of the kids they're supervising. Having a backpack helps tons.

Even if kids ride the bus, at our school district, parents drive themselves or carpool. Chaperones don't go on the bus.

Have fun!

[daisysmom]

I have chaperoned a few. Like the PPs, can't underscore enough how the key seems to be keeping track of the kids assigned to you. This was not a time to chat with the teacher or other moms, IMO. I was assigned to 5 kids and we made up a little saying that used the first letters for each kids name (for example, their names were Peter, Tommy, Lucy, Sarah and Jane... and my saying was Plasma Screen Just Lucky or something like that... which if I said loud enough, got the attentiion of those in my little group). We were at a state park for the last one I went to, and the boys especially (not to stereotype) in my group were real runners, and there was a lake and the kids were hanging off the dock. The lawyer in me got concerned about liability but I realized that this was par for the course... none of the other parents or the teachers seemed concerned at all. So I just really focused on keeping track of my kids - including my DD, but no more special attention for her than for the others. Frankly it was exhausting!

[hellokitty]

It depends on the group of kids you are assigned. One bad kid can make it very challenging.

[Kindra178]

I enjoy it but it's definitely exhausting. I have never been in charge of more than 4 kids (which is plenty). In my experience, the traditional challenging kids have been excellent for me. I have had more trouble with the traditionally good gifted kids who don't want to move on, want to choose what to do next and want to talk my ear off about their knowledge in random topics (this would be great if it were a playdate but at a busy Chicago museum, I need to be counting heads, anot not chatting about the Tuskegee Airmen).

[pinkmomagain]

Chaperoning is pretty benign, in my experience, so I haven't developed any tips regarding it. I will say, however, that if you have not been on a school bus in many years, you may be surprised to find it quite nauseating (particularly to travel an hour away). This is no cushy coach bus or SUV. So if you are susceptible to motion stuff (and as we age we can become more susceptible -- I can no longer swing on a swing), I would suggest you sit towards the front and chew some gum.

Enjoy the experience. I'm sure your dc will be thrilled that you are coming!

[bigsis]

Definitely go for it! I WOTH too and I've chaperoned a few field trips and my kids love it when I go. The thing around here is to go to Subway and pick up sandwiches for our lunch. So all you need is a nice cooler for lunch/snacks and your phone/camera. :) Have fun!

[twowhat?]

I haven't done it for all the reasons you state but my mom has a few times.

Definitely get background check out of the way - we had to go through a state background check so it can take a week. Depending on the venue, be prepared for it to be tiring - you are watching kids other than your own after all, even if your child is in your group, and some kids are harder than others (the teachers do try to even it out when they assign groups). Always useful to have a backpack with bandaids, a pack of tissue (at a minimum). My mom also likes to bring a tiny hand sanitizer bottle. Depending on the trip, you may have to carry all of your group's sack lunches so make sure your backpack is comfy - 3 kids' lunches with water bottles is significant! Be sure the kids know what to call you - if they're little be sure they know it's OK to say "C's mom" to get your attention. Count, count, count!!!

Uncontained venues (like the zoo) are much harder. You may not be able to ride the bus (or want to, as PPs pointed out!) so be prepared to have to drive, pay for parking, etc.

COMFY SHOES and a sun hat if outdoors.