Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Well I have real butterflies. Tomorrow Mikey goes on his first field trip. As some of you know, we had Mikey start school later than normal because we felt he was not ready (behaviour and accidents). So he started school 9 months later than he should have starting up in April this year. Despite travelling around the globe, we have kept Mikey on a short leash (literly at times). So tomorrow my little 5 year old is getting on a bus, going 70 miles south to London to the British Museum with no family. I thought about not allowing him, but I have been assured he will have a ratio of 2:1 with his classroom assistant. If he didn't go, he will miss out on a great trip (it's my favorite museum certainly in Europe, if not the world). But I will be so worried. Have we done the wrong thing, the right thing? What do you think? Both sets of grand parents think we are crazy. But working in London, I see school kids there every day! Big difference is our kids overlook cattle farm fields and are not street smart, and that extends to the teaching faculty. I don't think I will be able to breathe easy until tomorrow night.
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove It's very normal to feel this way. You probably are 100% accurate in not being able to breathe at all until tomorrow night. And that's okay. The sight of seeing Mikey after his trip will be so overwhelming. You will be proud of yourselves as parents, and proud of Mikey for getting to experience something extraordinary. There's a little person in there. He's got his own little perspective on the world now. As long as he's not freaking out about it, he'll probably remember this for the rest of his life. (((davewasbaloo}}} All will be well.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Why didn't Sarah sign up to go too - We always go on the fieldtrips.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo STIL - he is very excited to go. He knows how much we love the museum. And he is excited to go to the place daddy works. gottaluvdavillains - we wanted to (I even offered to meet them there if there wasn't room on the bus). The sad thing is, they told us they already had a full complement of chaparones (we never had a chance).
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains That's not an option for us - our schools are very fair and if too many parents want to chaperone they have a lottery and if you don't get picked you are still welcome to go on your own. As a matter of fact until they are in 4th grade we won't let them ride the bus (except the Baskin Robbins one) since they don't have seat belts - so for bussed events before that we have driven them there ourselves.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains Shoot I even drove or chaperoned them even in High School. Choir trips are quite fun... Especially the Disney ones!
Originally Posted By x Pirate_Princess x {{{dave}}} I felt the same way when Alex went on her first field trip. 120 miles to San Diego, to the San Diego Museum of Natural History. She had a blast, and while I was scared out of my mind, I had to realize that we can't shelter our kids forever. Of course, giving her a pre-paid cell phone helped ease my mind a bit (you know, because I'm THAT paranoid!!!) When she went on her second field trip to Sea World, we went with her. I'm sure everything will be fine. My biggest fear was the bus ride, not the destination, because she knows what to do if she gets lost. you didn't make a wrong decision in letting him go. Keeping him home will just make it harder the next time the opportunity comes up.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Dave, while you can never be TOO careful, go home, watch Finding Nemo, and steel yourself up. It's up to you to let him go or not, but you have to let him do those things eventually. If you trust the faculty then you should be golden. If not, well then maybe you should reconsider. Seems like you do though. It's only natural. You can never be too careful, until you begin having him miss out on things.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I am tempted to nip over to the museum at lunch time, but i feel that would be futile as it is huge!!!
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove DVC_dad, that's crazy. I was having "Finding Nemo" flashbacks while I was typing my thoughts earlier, too. Great minds thinking alike and all that jazz.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Finding Nemo is the last one I want to watch, losing him is a part of what I am worried about. No one ever watches your kids as much as the parents.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad STiL you are brilliant. lol Dave do any of the faculty leaders carry cell phones? Perhaps you could set up to call one and see where they are on your lunch break. I don't think nipping over on your lunch just to have a peed is going overbard. I would do that in a flash, of course taking care to not let the child SEE me doing so. Is the cell phone call out of the question?
Originally Posted By DVC_dad By the way Dave, while I know you are here posting, and knowing that you have curved down your reading of the WE section, I would like to draw your attention to this: <a href="http://mb.laughingplace.com/MsgBoard-T-97732-P-1.asp" target="_blank">http://mb.laughingplace.com/Ms...-P-1.asp</a> as I offer an apology to you by name from me specificially. Please pop in over there to see it when you have time old friend. Thanks.
Originally Posted By murfsmom dwb- i sooo know how you feel, been there done that many times as you well know ! it's always hardest for the parents, as long as mikey is ok with it thats what matters most, if you show how concerned you are that could scare him. but i know you and sarah will handle it just fine. mikey will have a lot of "firsts" during his school years!!! enjoy the fact that he is able to to do things like that, he will have so much to talk about when he gets home !! it will interesting to find out what things he liked the best at the museum !! you and sarah are great parents, you are doing the right thing. my dd is having a fit about our grandson going on a class trip to ( out of the state any way )with out his parents, he's 12, a little older than mikey but that does not makes it any easier !!!!! you will always worry about your kids no matter how old they are !!!!! let us know how his trip went, love you guys !!! p.s. sent a pkg off to you last monday !!!
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Oh and pleaes give my apologies to your Sarah as well if ever I have crossed a line there. By the way I'll bet your little boy will be fine! He's got a good set of parents for starters.
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove <<peed = peek lol sorry>> I thought you were actually offering that scenario as his "cover story" in case Mikey caught him. Double LOL!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo fraid there is a no cell policy in the museum :-( good idea though. Thanks Stevie, we have been going back and forth through it. It's been tough. But I am sure the Rosetta Stone, mummies, the Elgin marbles from the Acropolis, Sutton Hoo, the world's 1st known chess set from Lindesfarn, Tolland Man, and so many other treasures will be great!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Oh, and thanks for sending the package. something to look forward to!!!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo sarah is not easily offended Chris - thankfully that's how we have managed to stay together the last 11 years!
