Overnight school field trip vent

[meandtheguys2]

Had they said they would call, I would have wondered but not been irate. Mistakes happen.

 

[mickeyboat]

I think quite a few posters missed the update. The school told the parents they would call when they arrived at their destination. They were due to arrive at 10:30. They arrived at 11:30 but called at 8AM the next morning.

I would not normally have expected them to call either. However, if they said they were going to call, and didn't, you can bet I would be worried. I would have expected a reasonable amount of time to anticipate delays, but late hour or not, I would have still expected them to call. I probably would have called the hotel to make sure they had arrived.

Denae

 

[MUFFYCAT]

boy, no matter what, they're damned if they do an damned if they don't. If they called at 11:30, there would be parents complaining that they called too late, now since they were trying to be courteous ,they still get ragged on.

It's not a big deal IMHO

I agree. I think the school did fine by waiting till the morning.

 

[PatsGirl]

You said your child was 14 years old? That makes him/her most likely a freshman in high school. He called you when he arrived, one hour late? Geez, it's not like they were 6 hours late. The school should do away with their policy of notifying parents altogether. At this age, the kids should be responsible for contacting the parents (if the parents find it necessary) and if they don't have a cellphone (my kids don't/won't at this age) can use one of their friends because we all know that 80% of these kids have them. The school or chaperones should have a number where you can reach them in an EMERGENCY only. Personally, I don't think it's necessary for parents/students to be in touch at all when on a school-sponsored chaperoned trip of this sort. Yep, I'm one of those parents who really like the no-call home policy of many overnight camps -- it's called indepenence. At 14, it's time to at least fringe those apron strings

 

[Bichon Barb]

It's official. Our generation is way more neurotic than our parents ever were.

God help these kids when they go off on their own into the world--if their parents let them.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

It's official. Our generation is way more neurotic than our parents ever were.

God help these kids when they go off on their own into the world--if their parents let them.

You are so right!

 

[mickeyboat]

Whether anyone agrees it is necessary is moot. The school said they would call and they didn't - period. The OP has every right to be irritated, and I bet a lot of other parents will be too.

I am not a helicopter parent by any means. I would not expect them to call. But once they said they would call, I expected to get a call. And if I didn't, I would be worried. What is wrong with that?

 

[mickeyboat]

It's official. Our generation is way more neurotic than our parents ever were.

God help these kids when they go off on their own into the world--if their parents let them.

No, I don't think this situation illustates that at all. When I was a kid, if I told my parents I would call them when I got somewhere, and I didn't, they would be worried. And I would probably lose the priviledge to go there again under those circumstances for a very long time.

 

[rgf207]

It's official. Our generation is way more neurotic than our parents ever were.

God help these kids when they go off on their own into the world--if their parents let them.

ITA. I went on field trips when I was in school and I didn't have a cell phone. We actually got stranded in a snowstorm (the bus broke down). I'm still alive and my parents did not have a heart attack.

 

[mommasita]

No, I don't think this situation illustates that at all. When I was a kid, if I told my parents I would call them when I got somewhere, and I didn't, they would be worried. And I would probably lose the priviledge to go there again under those circumstances for a very long time.

ITA.

If no call was coming, I would have wondered, but not WORRIED. I am a Mother till I clothes my eyes that final time, and in this case, I would not have slept until I heard. I don't care if it 3 am or 3 pm, the call would have been welcomed.

 

[CathrynRose]

At 14, it's time to at least fringe those apron strings

God help these kids when they go off on their own into the world--if their parents let them.

Oh ha ha ha.

The school said they'd call. They didnt. What would be so nuerotic about a parent being worried who DIDNT get the phone call??

And it's out of state too, correct?

Yeah - totally neurotic to expect a call when youre told youre gonna get one.

No one here calls a spouse, mom, dad, brother or sister when they get to their vacation destination, as an adult? No one?

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I would have expected the call from the school at anytime of the night but would drop the subject since your son called and understood you would be upset about him being late. I tell my kids to keep their phones with them on a trip and to call and update me with any "changes"... (They are always allowed a small carry with bag and if your child doesn't abuse the priveledge of the phone no one will never know they have it.) If everything is going pretty much as planned I do not expect them to call me, cause they are suppose to be having fun!

 

[Bichon Barb]

Did the school say they would call each and every parent or did the school say they would let the kids use their cell phones to call their parents when they got there?

I find it really hard to believe that the plan was to have the chaperones dial every parent at 10:30 at night. And if it was and they neglected to do so at 11:30 when most people are asleep, I don't think it's a big deal. I don't think a bus ride to DC is dangerous or involves risk. If one thought that, they should probably keep their child at home.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

It's official. Our generation is way more neurotic than our parents ever were.

God help these kids when they go off on their own into the world--if their parents let them.

My oldest DD is away at college. I'm really fine with that, thank you very much. She contacts us, phone or email, to chat (or when she needs something ). My other DD is going next year. I'm fine with that too. I've let all my kids go to Europe with groups. I've let my kids go away with other families. They've gone to camp and I didn't speak to them the entire time. I was fine with that too. Oldest DD has traveled with friends on school breaks; she'll be going to school in Spain this summer, and possibly from there to Japan and Korea.

If someone SAYS they are going to call, I expect a call. If I say I'm going to call somewhen when xyz occurs, I call. Period.

This past weekend, I drove to Niagra Falls...about an 8 hour drive...with my DD and 3 foreign exchange students from college. I told DH I'd give him a call when we arrived. Not because we're neurotic. Not because he's a "helicopter husband". But because it's a long drive and he'd want to know we got there safely. And because I SAID I'd call, I did.

 

[kribit]

I would have called the hotel around 11ish. I'm sure they would have known if a busload of kids checked in.

 

[Bichon Barb]

No. I don't call my husband when I land to tell him I landed safely. I might call home once a day to say hi when I'm on a trip. I didn't buy my first cell phone until a couple of years ago. I don't expect a call when my husband lands or arrives at his destination either.

My older son went to Boston in 7th grade (Friday to Sunday)--before he had a cell phone. I didn't hear from him or any chaperones the entire time.

And I was only half joking about kids being on their own. I have a 14 year old. It's only four more years until he's off to college. And I don't expect him to call me every night to check in either.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

But if you were that worried why not call the hotel like someone said before?


Also now that you know the school works like that then don't have your children go on any more trips.
Don't ruin the fun for the other kids because some parents are neurotic.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Whether anyone agrees it is necessary is moot. The school said they would call and they didn't - period.

I would not expect them to call. But once they said they would call, I expected to get a call. And if I didn't, I would be worried. What is wrong with that?

When I was a kid, if I told my parents I would call them when I got somewhere, and I didn't, they would be worried. And I would probably lose the priviledge to go there again under those circumstances for a very long time.

No one here calls a spouse, mom, dad, brother or sister when they get to their vacation destination, as an adult? No one?

All of the above.

 

[mommasita]

I think we should all just be civil, and not call each other neurotic.

Let us abide by the DIS rules please. Surely, this can be done civilly.

 

[mickeyboat]

The school, however, didn't bother to call until 8:00 AM this morning. There was a recording informing us they had arrived safetly in DC at 11:30 last night, but they felt it was too late to call us then.

It looks to me like it was not a matter of a chaperone calling every single parent, rather a call to the school's automated phone message system, which would then send a call to the parents.

And again, even if it was the case that the chaperones called every family, they said they were going to call and they didn't. That is the point.