He's tripping
When I signed Jack up for summer camp, I had visions of him running around on the playground and bringing home fingerpainted construction paper, full of stories about what he did all day before dropping off for a long nap due to his utter exhaustion.
As week 1 of summer camp wraps up, I have found that as always, my expectations were way out of whack. Oh sure, he ran around on the playground, but that's about all I know. Because the child of few words -- and we all know, he surely doesn't get that from his mother -- won't tell me what he did all morning.
I picked him up the first day very excited to hear all about it. Based on his reports from preschool this year, I knew I would have to ask some questions, but he would usually offer up a few tidbits. Imagine my surprise when I got nothing. I asked what he did and he said, "I don't know." Really? You sat around and did nothing for three hours? Nothing?
Finally about 10 minutes later, he managed to remember something. "Mommy, I sit on a chair in the gym!" OK, think, think. I asked if he had a timeout and he said no. I asked if he was sitting with the teacher, he said no. I asked if other kids were sitting too and he said yes. Hmmm. Then he offered up another detail. "Mommy, I stand in front of a chair and then I sit in it!" Lightbulb moment -- "Buddy, did you play musical chairs?" I asked. "Yes I did!" I felt like I had just played the final round of $64,000 pyramid and lived to tell the tale.
Based on his inability to share details, I am a little worried about tomorrow. Tomorrow the camp is taking a field trip to a different park. On a school bus. Two counselors and 23 3-year-olds. Oh yes, my 3-year-old is going on a field trip with two counselors I have met for approximately 10 total minutes. To say I am slightly concerned is an understatement.
However.
The park they are going to just happens to be our neighborhood park. Not only will Jack feel comfortable there, but he knows the rules there. You don't leave the park, you don't climb up the slide, you play nicely in the shady portion of the sandbox so Mommy doesn't die of heatstroke in the sun. I figured if he goes on a fieldtrip, this is a good one to go on. It doesn't hurt that I am planning to stalk every moment of this fieldtrip from outside the park. I am not above espionage and not only do I want to make sure he's OK, but I am more excited about the opportunity to watch how he interacts with other kids in his natural habitat when I am not around. My telephoto lens is going to come in quite handy for once.
No matter the outcome of this fieldtrip, however, he won't be attending the other two. One is to a nature museum and one is to the Shedd Aquarium. As in a place I could conceivably lose him and I am his mother. He would be with an adult and five other kids. If I was in charge of six kids at the Shedd, I would consider it a success if I emerged with two of them.
I mean who in their right mind from the park district thought, "Hey! You know what would be awesome? Pile all the kids on a bus, bring two extra adults (they specifically said they would only choose TWO parents to help chaperone) and take them them a dark, cavernous museum with lots of corners and hallways and spaces where there are deep pools of water! That sounds like so. much. fun!"
That sounds like so. many. problems. waiting. to. happen! So my child will not be attending those field trips. My sister accused me of being an over-protective mom, but hello, he is THREE. He won't listen to me, what makes me think he would listen to some other mom who has no ability to threaten him with the loss of bis bath?
How about you -- would you (or have you) sent your 3-year-old on field trips without you present?
As week 1 of summer camp wraps up, I have found that as always, my expectations were way out of whack. Oh sure, he ran around on the playground, but that's about all I know. Because the child of few words -- and we all know, he surely doesn't get that from his mother -- won't tell me what he did all morning.
I picked him up the first day very excited to hear all about it. Based on his reports from preschool this year, I knew I would have to ask some questions, but he would usually offer up a few tidbits. Imagine my surprise when I got nothing. I asked what he did and he said, "I don't know." Really? You sat around and did nothing for three hours? Nothing?
Finally about 10 minutes later, he managed to remember something. "Mommy, I sit on a chair in the gym!" OK, think, think. I asked if he had a timeout and he said no. I asked if he was sitting with the teacher, he said no. I asked if other kids were sitting too and he said yes. Hmmm. Then he offered up another detail. "Mommy, I stand in front of a chair and then I sit in it!" Lightbulb moment -- "Buddy, did you play musical chairs?" I asked. "Yes I did!" I felt like I had just played the final round of $64,000 pyramid and lived to tell the tale.
Based on his inability to share details, I am a little worried about tomorrow. Tomorrow the camp is taking a field trip to a different park. On a school bus. Two counselors and 23 3-year-olds. Oh yes, my 3-year-old is going on a field trip with two counselors I have met for approximately 10 total minutes. To say I am slightly concerned is an understatement.
However.
The park they are going to just happens to be our neighborhood park. Not only will Jack feel comfortable there, but he knows the rules there. You don't leave the park, you don't climb up the slide, you play nicely in the shady portion of the sandbox so Mommy doesn't die of heatstroke in the sun. I figured if he goes on a fieldtrip, this is a good one to go on. It doesn't hurt that I am planning to stalk every moment of this fieldtrip from outside the park. I am not above espionage and not only do I want to make sure he's OK, but I am more excited about the opportunity to watch how he interacts with other kids in his natural habitat when I am not around. My telephoto lens is going to come in quite handy for once.
No matter the outcome of this fieldtrip, however, he won't be attending the other two. One is to a nature museum and one is to the Shedd Aquarium. As in a place I could conceivably lose him and I am his mother. He would be with an adult and five other kids. If I was in charge of six kids at the Shedd, I would consider it a success if I emerged with two of them.
I mean who in their right mind from the park district thought, "Hey! You know what would be awesome? Pile all the kids on a bus, bring two extra adults (they specifically said they would only choose TWO parents to help chaperone) and take them them a dark, cavernous museum with lots of corners and hallways and spaces where there are deep pools of water! That sounds like so. much. fun!"
That sounds like so. many. problems. waiting. to. happen! So my child will not be attending those field trips. My sister accused me of being an over-protective mom, but hello, he is THREE. He won't listen to me, what makes me think he would listen to some other mom who has no ability to threaten him with the loss of bis bath?
How about you -- would you (or have you) sent your 3-year-old on field trips without you present?
posted by Amy at
2:24 PM
15 Comments:
I would absolutely NOT do those field trips. I'm pretty laid back but sometimes you just have to use common sense. Loving your blog - stumbled upon it when I was trying to come up w/ my own mom blog domain name! Because I'm a bit of a snarky mom myself.
I agree 100%. I would NOT let my three year old go somewhere that i fear I would lose him. We've already gone on one of his daycare field trips and he didn't listen to us OR anyone else there so I think we'll stick to the safe and easy trips for now til he's older.
Good job on figuring out the musical chairs. I love when i'm able to figure things out from the very very small details that Riley provides.
A) i am tending towards overprotective "no one does it as well as me" mommy territory so no, i can't imagine i would have let my 3 year old go on those trips. B) I'm very familiar with the Shedd, and it's crowds, darkness, nooks, etc. i practically hyperventilated taking my kids there last spring and we had 4 adults to 2 kids. plus, its so corwded little kids can't see anything anyway. You made the right choice. he can see all the cool stuff at the aquarium and museum when he is bigger.
23 kids and only 2 adults? Will DHS even let that happen in a daycare?
Sounds like we have the same conversations with our 3 year olds. X-man doesn't often give out information about what he did (I love his explanations about the story they learn at church!).
And I would totally stalk the park, too...to totally watch him interact with other kids without me!!
I am with you! Absolutely NOT! In fact at my son's school one parent has to accompany the child on any field trip.
I don't blame you one bit. A 23:2 ratio seems a bit scary.
I would opt out of the field trips as well. I can't see them turning out well. We are planning our first trip to the zoo tomorrow and I'm thrilled that Sweet Pea will be confined to her stroller and/or front carrier. I try to stay laid back but that's pretty easy at this point since she is only 5 months old and she isn't mobile other than her quick rolls. Besides, wouldn't the Shedd be more fun with just the 4 of you?
My son is quite the talker normally. Until you ask about his day. He only mentions what other kids did wrong. Finding out what he did is liking pulling teeth sans Novocaine. You did a great job figuring it out. At 3, I would not allow my child on a field trip unless I was there and then we might even skip it if I were forced to watch more than 1 other child. I'm in Pittsburgh so I known not the places you mentioned, but they sound ominous and I agree with your foresight.
I think I stumbled on your blog through Gosselins Without Pity and you always bring a smile to my face when I read about your family's antics. Thank you. My kids are 10 and 17 so they don't do such cute things on a regular basis anymore.
Not in a million years. My kids 5, 3 and 1 get misplaced/hurt/naked when I am standing right there all the time. Makes me seem like a winner at this mommy thing, huh?
I can't wait to hear how park spying goes as this is my ultimate fantasy since my 5 year old boy is also a man of few words, unless you would like a monologue from whatever his favorite movie is.(We are currently on Ratatouille and the kid knows almost every line-he has no info on school, but can go on and on and on about his shows. Is is terrible to wish he would shut-up sometimes?) Love your blog, I found you through Jennsylvania.
nope, i wouldn't let him go on that field trip without me either. and i wouldn't really feel comfortable being a chaperone and having to look after all those kids and my own kid. i think it sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
should have said YOU sound perfectly reasonable...sorry...should have proofread. ;)
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Not only would I not send my kid on the Shedd trip, I can't imagine who the hell would volunteer to be one of the two parent chaperones.
oh hell no! No way would Ethan be going on those field trips. I am having an anxiety attack just thinking about it.
No. Oh no, no, no, no, and NO! My 10-yo just missed a Boy Scout rafting trip because... moms don't go on Boy Scout overnights (or possibly any trips)! So the boy didn't go. Everyone returned in one piece (albeit, very, very wet...imagine 3"-of-rain-in-the-bottom-of-the-tents wet), so MAYBE next year.
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