Chaperones at theme park

[gotomu212]

I think a school trip to a relatively confined place is a great place for your daughter to spread her wings a little and get comfortable being in charge of herself. I think knowing how to handle yourself when alone is a really important skill and for some kids it takes a little more practice and prodding.

She'll have a buddy, they will check in every couple of hours, and at a normal amusement park they'll be running into other groups of kids around every corner.

 

[Hikergirl]

To answer your question, 12 would be the age in which I was comfortable with that.
I can't wrap my brain around having only 3 teachers chaperone for the 7th and 8th grades. We have around 850 kids in our middle school, and the 8th grade 6 flags trip is coming up. They need parents to go otherwise they would not be able to.
I am guessing your child attends a very small school.

 

[dotfurio]

DD's first trip to an amusement park where they could go off on their own was 7th grade band. They just had to check in with chaparones every so often. I know there were more parents that wanted to go than they needed, so a lot of parents drove down and went on their own. If it's open to the public you could always do that.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Last year my 9 and 12 year old went off on their own in the parks and we texted with the oldest.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Last year my 9 and 12 year old went off on their own in the parks and we texted with the oldest.

But were you also in the park?

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I got my first theme park annual pass in 8th grade and my mom would just drop my friend and I off in the morning and pick us up in the evening. My mom always felt it was safer than the mall or other usual hang out spots- security screening, security guards all around the parks, cameras everywhere, etc. I think it's important for middle schoolers to develop a little bit of a sense of autonomy.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Our middle school band goes to a contest at a local theme park each year. We went along when DS was in 6th grade, mostly because we wanted to see them
perform and see the awards ceremony. DS went off into the park with his friends while we did our own thing. In 7th and 8th he went with the group and we stayed home. He was fine.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I actually think this is why she is so uncomfortable (if age matters she is 12). I was supposed to chaperone for the trip, along with several other parents, but they forgot to tell us that we needed to have fingerprints done in order to go and it is now too late for any of us to get it done (I went to the sheriff's office and asked). There will only be three chaperones total for their entire 7th and 8th grade class, and they are the teachers. There was a really huge breakdown in communication between the teachers, administration, and parents. She may be nervous because they told her there were all these chaperones, and now all the sudden there are only teachers.

That's a terrible sign for the attention to detail of those that would be chaperoning. Are they really going to be attentive to what they need to be doing when they couldn't even be bothered to notify parents of the need to be finger printed? And with just three of them for an entire group of 7th and 8th graders, my 12 year old would not be going under those conditions.

 

[asta]

One other big issue is how they are pairing the kids up. I chaperoned on field trips several times when my daughters were in school. On one particular trip they paired a snotty little mean girl up with three other girls in my group. She spent the entire trip trying to get away from my group so she could be with her friends. It made for an unpleasant and unsafe time for everyone. I eventually marched her over to the teacher and let her spend the rest of the trip with a little one on one time with the teacher.

Middle school girls can be extremely mean. I would make sure your daughter is OK with who she is paired with.

 

[mjkacmom]

One other big issue is how they are pairing the kids up. I chaperoned on field trips several times when my daughters were in school. On one particular trip they paired a snotty little mean girl up with three other girls in my group. She spent the entire trip trying to get away from my group so she could be with her friends. It made for an unpleasant and unsafe time for everyone. I eventually marched her over to the teacher and let her spend the rest of the trip with a little one on one time with the teacher.

Middle school girls can be extremely mean. I would make sure your daughter is OK with who she is paired with.

Our kids make their own groups.

 

[Poohforyou]

That's not enough chaperones, now that you've found out that none of the patents can go due to the fingerprint situation. Sounds like it needs to be rescheduled to a time when more chaperones can go.

The way it works in our district is that a handful of district employees go on trips like this and stay in a centralized location. The kids have a few checkin times during the day but are otherwise free to go around the park in small groups.

There is always a nurse along in order to assess any injury or handle medication needs.

I don't know why more than a few adults would be needed. The kids know all school rules are to be followed and there will be consequences for those who don't comply.

Our district has been doing trips like this for years without any major issues. Certainly nothing the district chaperones couldn't handle.

As for fingerprinting, our district has required that for years for anyone with direct contact with students.

 

[Kimberle]

Yikes! With only 3 teachers, I think I'd be taking the day off work and driving myself to the park! Have you talked with other parents? What are their plans? Maybe a bunch are planning on doing the same.

 

[tzolkin]

I'm sorry, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around a middle schooler who wants mom or dad to tag along with them as they run around an amusement park when no other adults will be tagging along with kids. I teach 6th graders and have two teens myself. They would have been mortified if either my husband or I even thought about coming along in that situation. You said that you are uncomfortable. Are you possibly projecting your fears on to her, or could she be picking up your anxiety?

I think plenty of kids might feel more comfortable knowing there are adults around. What about the kids who are shy? Or the kids who don't have friends? They may enjoy walking around a park with an adult and a group rather than feeling left out when all the other kids are off with their little cliques.

While I do think this is a fine age for kids to be able to explore without constant adult supervision (we specifically plan trips where my kids can go off on their own when we travel), I do think it's a bit ridiculous to not have chaperones. The kids should have the option of going off on their own if they would like to, but should be able to stay with an adult or group if that's what they feel more comfortable with.

We did a school field trip to Disney when I was a kid. (I think we may have been a bit younger, 5th grade?) My mom was a chaperone and we wound up with an extra group of kids. One chaperone had brought her new boyfriend and told the kids in her group that she would just meet them at the exit when it was time to leave. The kids had never been to Disney before and felt fairly lost and overwhelmed. They were excited when they ran into us because they were much more comfortable joining our group than wandering the park unsupervised. Another time we went in 7th or 8th grade we were allowed to park hop. I think it's a bit much for most kids who have never been to Disney to be able to navigate between parks alone. This was also before cell phones, so there was no way of knowing where the students were or finding them in an emergency unless a chaperone accompanied them.

 

[mjkacmom]

I think plenty of kids might feel more comfortable knowing there are adults around. What about the kids who are shy? Or the kids who don't have friends? They may enjoy walking around a park with an adult and a group rather than feeling left out when all the other kids are off with their little cliques.

While I do think this is a fine age for kids to be able to explore without constant adult supervision (we specifically plan trips where my kids can go off on their own when we travel), I do think it's a bit ridiculous to not have chaperones. The kids should have the option of going off on their own if they would like to, but should be able to stay with an adult or group if that's what they feel more comfortable with.

We did a school field trip to Disney when I was a kid. (I think we may have been a bit younger, 5th grade?) My mom was a chaperone and we wound up with an extra group of kids. One chaperone had brought her new boyfriend and told the kids in her group that she would just meet them at the exit when it was time to leave. The kids had never been to Disney before and felt fairly lost and overwhelmed. They were excited when they ran into us because they were much more comfortable joining our group than wandering the park unsupervised. Another time we went in 7th or 8th grade we were allowed to park hop. I think it's a bit much for most kids who have never been to Disney to be able to navigate between parks alone. This was also before cell phones, so there was no way of knowing where the students were or finding them in an emergency unless a chaperone accompanied them.

I don't think kids are ever allowed off on their own, they have to stay in their groups.

 

[Allison]

My kids did this in middle school. No big deal.

 

[AlexisK]

I agree with Middle School being an appropriate age for venturing out on their own. My girls are 10 and every time we are at DW, they ask if they can roam by themselves. I told them 12. As far as the class trip scenario goes - I agree that there seems to be lapse in planning to make sure that the chaperones had their background checks taken care of, and if only 2 or 3 (if I remember correctly) teachers going, I could understand a small l evel of anxiety from some of the kids. I'll also say this - as someone that spent every major school field trip from Jr High - High School at some form of amusement park, we might have started out in smallish groups in the morning but by the time we were ready to leave for the day we had sort of all found each other and had merged into a very large group. I think she'll be ok, but still, very poor planning on the part of the school. PS - I can't wait for my girls to be 12 and they can go and enjoy the park with checkin times... One day soon I'll be that mom sitting in the shade at Epcot while my girls are on rides and my husband and I are enjoying the Biergarten.

Have a great day everyone!
Alexis

 

[sam_gordon]

I agree middle school age for this kind of trip. That being said, there's been a lot of people commenting on the small number of chaperones. First, how many kids are going? Less than 100? More than 500? Second, the chaperones (IMO) aren't there to oversee the kids 100% of the time. Even if you had 50 adults for 40 kids, it's possible for the kids to be out of sight of an adult and get into trouble. The chaperones main task will be making sure all the kids are there at the designated check in times/locations.

 

[potterfanatic]

After talking everything over with my daughter I found out that most of her anxiety is due to the change in plans and that while she is buddied up with one of her best friends, her friend wants to ride all the wild rides and my daughter mostly just wants to go to the water park. I think she may just need a few days to adjust. We have also come up with some tips she can use to ease her fears if she gets nervous while she's there. Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[monorailsilver]

Does she have a phone? She can check in with you during the day or if it's an iPhone you can check her location periodically. Or like a PP said you can go to the park if it's open for non schools that day and just be there if she needs you.

My son is going to our CT amusement park next week and already saying-I better have a good chaperone who lets us wander more then 4 feet away.

He has a phone but wound never check in unless I told him to and even that he would forget...he is 8th grade/13.

 

[cabanafrau]

After talking everything over with my daughter I found out that most of her anxiety is due to the change in plans and that while she is buddied up with one of her best friends, her friend wants to ride all the wild rides and my daughter mostly just wants to go to the water park. I think she may just need a few days to adjust. We have also come up with some tips she can use to ease her fears if she gets nervous while she's there. Thanks everyone for your help!

Knowing your daughter's primary concern, if you were attending as a chaperone would you be the decision maker in what the kids do for the day?

IMO this situation is a great life experience for your DD, the kind of experience that comes in handy for navigating those teen years where independence and self reliance become more and more the norm en route to the college years. Encourage her to brainstorm a solution with her friend.