Field Trip help

[petesgirl]

DS's kindergarten class is going to a pumpkin patch next week and I would like him to go. The dilemma is that they are asking for parent volunteers to drive, and requesting that all students bring a booster seat (obviously, no one can go without a booster and they asked for boosters only, no 'car seats'). Well, DS is still in a 5 point harness. He doesn't meet the requirements for even a high-back booster. I would like to ask the teacher if I can drive him myself. The thing I feel bad about is that they I don't feel comfortable driving other children in my car. I could only fit one other child besides DS in the backseat anyway so my car wouldn't be extremely helpful. Anyway, should I ask if I can just drive him myself or should I just plan on keeping him home that day? I would feel bad having him miss though...

[rlu]

I'd at least ask. Being a momma sometimes means stepping out of yourself or acting a way you might not have before. You are not asking for the moon here.

Unless they are restricting the number of parent volunteers, I don't think they will care if you only take him or one other.

[bisous]

A parent driving just their own child is a very common scenario at my school. VERY common. I would definitely ask.

[mom2binsd]

I would caution you that your DS might feel left out if nobody else from school is in the car with you. If you absolutely can't take another child with you, can you ask to install his 5pt harness seat in a classmates car (explain that he is under 30 or 40 lbs and doesn't meet the requirements for a HBB- not sure the minimum weight for a HBB these days). I know my kids LOVED the whole carpool to field trip part of school (they were also both in a 5pt harness until 1st grade, but I did allow them to ride in a HBB on rare occasions). I'm sure you don't want him to miss out, but for my kids at least, getting to the field trip was half the fun.

[PZMommy]

I'd ask if you can drive him.

There are high back boosters for 30 lbs though. My DS is tiny, but he is 5 and I allow him to use a HBB for carpool situations like this.

[ckso]

I was the same when DD was in school. I ended up partnering with another parent who was also going on the field trip. She drove and I just installed my convertible car seat in her car, we carpooled together

The school didn't care since we made our own arrangements. I know they tend to ask for regular boosters Because it's easier especially for those kids whose parents are not coming. but if a parent is willing is make arrangements themselves, they didn't care about that level of details.


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[ahisma]

I'm pretty sure he's no the only K kid in a 5 point harness, I knew of a few in our K classes. I always either drove another child (I agree that it would be nice for your DC, it's part of the fun of it) or paired up with a friend and went. I've also installed our carseat in a friend's car. I think you'll feel much better if you talk to the teacher.

[cheme]

Just ask the teacher. Most likely they will be completely fine with it. It will also be nice for you to go and meet some of the other parents. Most likely he isn't the only one in a 5 point harness and maybe you will meet someone you feel comfortable carpooling with in the future. I agree that the drive there is often one of the most fun parts for the kids!

[twowhat?]

I would just say you will be driving your DS to the field trip but will be unable to accommodate other kids. It's no big deal. Lots of parents won't drive another kid because they have someplace to go after the field trip, or don't want to clean out their car, or simply don't feel comfortable, or whatever. If you feel bad about it, offer to help chaperone during the field trip but don't feel bad about it!!! You driving your DS means one less kid to worry about with the carpool! If it makes you feel better, I wouldn't have felt comfortable with letting my kids ride in some other random parent's car to a field trip in K...fortunately they use big yellow school busses for all of their field trips:)

And I can totally believe that your DS may be the only kid in a 5 pt harness. I didn't see a single other K kid in a 5 point harness when my girls were still in theirs. And now that they're in 2nd all their friends ride without boosters.

[abh5e8]

I'd ask if you can drive him.

There are high back boosters for 30 lbs though. My DS is tiny, but he is 5 and I allow him to use a HBB for carpool situations like this.
It depends on your state laws. In my state, the child has to be four years old and over 40lbs to ride in a booster.

[klwa]

Not kindergarten, but our daycare usually asks the parents who go along to drive their own kids. Ask.

I know our school allows parents to drive their own kids but they have to check them out of school before they leave for the field trip & then check them back in with the teacher AT the field trip. (Yes, confusing.) Parents are NOT allowed to drive anyone else's children.

[Pear]

We had to tell the school that DD will only be in a 5 point harness. This caused major drop off and pickup problems, but we stood firm. she was not big enough for a booster. So don't ask. Just tell them a car seat must be used and therefore you will drive your child.

[MSWR0319]

When DS was in Pre-K, we had a similar situation. I ended up riding along with another mom and putting DS's 5 point harness in her car. Everyone else was in a booster, but it worked out fine. The mom actually talked to me about car seat safety and how her twins who were younger than my child were in a booster and she was asking if she should put them back in a 5 point. There were other kids in 5 points regularly but they brought boosters for that day. I'd just ask. It can't hurt!

[petesgirl]

Thanks for the support! I think I'll offer to drive, even though it will be just DS and one other child. Even though that means I have to take a defensive driving course before field trip day...

[mackmama]

Definitely let your child go to the pumpkin patch, and I think he'll want to be in the car with other kids. Just explain the situation to the teacher, and I'm sure the teacher will find a driver who is willing to install the 5-point harness seat (or you can offer to install it). Or drive him yourself with just one of his friends, and tell the teachers you will meet everyone else there.

[mackmama]

Thanks for the support! I think I'll offer to drive, even though it will be just DS and one other child. Even though that means I have to take a defensive driving course before field trip day...

Can you share a bit more about your discomfort in driving other kids and needing to take a defensive driving course?

[twowhat?]

Can you share a bit more about your discomfort in driving other kids and needing to take a defensive driving course?

The defensive driving may be a requirement for parent volunteers who are driving other kids (along with background check). As for driving other kids, I was uncomfortable with it for a long time, though I can't exactly pin down why. Just general overall sensitivity around kids and car wrecks, I think. Now I'm OK with it but I'd be lying if I said it didn't makee me a little extra nervous...to be responsible for someone else's kid in a situation where there's a chance you could get in a wreck.

[mackmama]

The defensive driving may be a requirement for parent volunteers who are driving other kids (along with background check). As for driving other kids, I was uncomfortable with it for a long time, though I can't exactly pin down why. Just general overall sensitivity around kids and car wrecks, I think. Now I'm OK with it but I'd be lying if I said it didn't makee me a little extra nervous...to be responsible for someone else's kid in a situation where there's a chance you could get in a wreck.

Interesting that the driving course might be a requirement. I also wasn't implying any judgement at all about OP's discomfort - more just curious about it. I can relate to feeling that added responsibility when I first started driving other people's kids around in preschool. I think I'd feel more concerned about my child being driven by another parent though.

[SnuggleBuggles]

This discussion is very interesting to me. Our school does not and would not use parent volunteers for this. They rent a school bus for field trips.

[twowhat?]

This discussion is very interesting to me. Our school does not and would not use parent volunteers for this. They rent a school bus for field trips.

Right, this is why it's interesting to me too! Our schools do not allow parents to drive kids other than their own. Buses are always rented for field trips AND parent volunteers are NOT allowed to ride the bus! So if your kid is going on a field trip and wants to ride the bus with her friends, then you as the parent have to drive separately. A lot of the volunteer parents coordinate carpooling for this but it's a lot simpler to carpool as adults:)

I'm sure all this has something to do with liability, etc.

[bisous]

This discussion is very interesting to me. Our school does not and would not use parent volunteers for this. They rent a school bus for field trips.

Our school has never rented a bus that I know of. All field trip transportation is provided by parents. If we had to pay for a bus for the trip, we wouldn't be able to afford to go.

[marymoo86]

This discussion is very interesting to me. Our school does not and would not use parent volunteers for this. They rent a school bus for field trips.

Me too. Except wouldn't need to "Rent" a bus. They just use a bus from the school?

[Kindra178]

Our school has never rented a bus that I know of. All field trip transportation is provided by parents. If we had to pay for a bus for the trip, we wouldn't be able to afford to go.

Our PTO pays for the buses usually.

[vonfirmath]

Me too. Except wouldn't need to "Rent" a bus. They just use a bus from the school?

Our school and district do not own the school buses. They contract with an outside agency. So that agency would still need to be paid for time outside of regularly paid hours. And the bus can only be used in the time between when the last morning drop off and the first afternoon pick up.

[bisous]

Our PTO pays for the buses usually.

The PTSA pays for our music program, Spanish language program, art program, PE and any field trip expenses. Having parents' drive allows for a lot more money to go towards those enriching programs. At our school parents like to drive and usually there are more drivers than needed and sometimes more than allowed. It is system that works really well. I'm in CA and our schools are shockingly underfunded. I like the way our school has figured out how to provide so many enriching programs and experiences to our kids, regardless.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Our school and district do not own the school buses. They contract with an outside agency. So that agency would still need to be paid for time outside of regularly paid hours. And the bus can only be used in the time between when the last morning drop off and the first afternoon pick up.

Same. Last field trip, we ran late and the bus driver was (rightfully!!!) so upset because we threw off his pick up schedule.

[ett]

Kids take buses on all our field trips too. There's no space for chaperones so they have to drive themselves. The cost of the bus and field trip is bundled together so I don't know how much the bus part cost. The most expensive field trip I've paid for is around $35. We have 100 kids/grade. I can't imagine teachers trying to coordinate rides with parents driving. And what happens if a place can't accommodate that many chaperones or parking spaces?

[mom2binsd]

Public school here, all field trips for elementary are on school buses, paid for by the school (they use the district buses but there is a fee to use them for field trips). For special trips like 6th grade excursion up to Chicago or down to St. Louis (over 2 hour trips), our PTO rents the buses with bathrooms. Regular field trips are either covered by PTO, school and sometimes we have a small fee (5.00 that probably also covers admission to a museum or where ever they are going). I have never heard of public schools using parent transportation for field trips (is OP's child in a public elementary school). Parent chaperones can either ride the bus or drive themselves (for in town events, and personally that's what I do as I hate riding a school bus!).

In our church based preschool we had a church bus that was used to drive the kids and parents were also permitted to drive their kids (but both of mine LOVED riding the bus).

[baymom]

Our school and district do not own the school buses. They contract with an outside agency. So that agency would still need to be paid for time outside of regularly paid hours. And the bus can only be used in the time between when the last morning drop off and the first afternoon pick up.

:yeahthat: I was under the impression that very few districts operated their own buses--maybe it's just in my area. Our yellow school buses are actually owned and operated by an outside company that contracts with our district. We used to have a combo of parent driven fields trips and bus trips, but just last year, the PTO decided they would pay for all bus transport on field trips.

[NCGrandma]

:yeahthat: I was under the impression that very few districts operated their own buses--maybe it's just in my area. Our yellow school buses are actually owned and operated by an outside company that contracts with our district. We used to have a combo of parent driven fields trips and bus trips, but just last year, the PTO decided they would pay for all bus transport on field trips.

Like so many other BBB topics, this varies by location! Here, school buses are owned and operated by each local school district. No idea how they handle field trips.


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[petesgirl]

Can you share a bit more about your discomfort in driving other kids and needing to take a defensive driving course?

Oh, the district requires we take a driving course and present a copy of a valid driver's license and a clean driving record. As far as driving other kids... I don't know... I just know anything could happen at any time and I'm nervous to take responsibility for a child, especially one whose parents I don't know at all.

[petesgirl]

This discussion is very interesting to me. Our school does not and would not use parent volunteers for this. They rent a school bus for field trips.

I think the reason we don't have busses is because our elementary school is in an all-walking neighborhood, no busses assigned to it from the district. I dont know why they couldn't get one for the day though. I feel like that would be easier for everyone because they have already said whether the kids go or not depends on getting enough rides.

[boolady]

We are in an exclusively walking district and the school and PTO pay for bus service for field trips and away middle school sports games.

[PZMommy]

I think the reason we don't have busses is because our elementary school is in an all-walking neighborhood, no busses assigned to it from the district. I dont know why they couldn't get one for the day though. I feel like that would be easier for everyone because they have already said whether the kids go or not depends on getting enough rides.

We don't have buses for our regular school. However, for field trips we must rent a bus from the district. It costs around $500 per bus. Our PTA gives each grade level buses for one field trip. If we do any other trips, we must pay for the bus in addition to whatever the cost is to where we are going. The best part is, we can't require a parent to pay. We can only ask for a donation. So we typically find one free place to go, and use our free buses for that, and that is the only trip we do. Too many of our parents could not afford to pay $15+ for a field trip. The last time we organized a trip that required parents to donate money, each of the teachers ended up having to pay nearly $100 cover the cost for the parents who didn't pay.

[elephantmeg]

we have a monthly pizza night which raises the money to pay for gas and drivers for school buses for field trips. They rent commercial buses for long trips (3-4 hours away in higher grades). Parents do not drive other people's kids. I do however spend a million hours driving around the girl scout troop! Some trips they can't hold the parents and the parents car pool