Getting your primary child ready for an overnight excursion     003

During Years 4, 5 and 6 primary schoolchildren are often taken on overnight excursions, where they are away from home for two to four days, or sometimes even longer. Parents seem to have mixed views about these excursions, especially since they are asked to pay for them. My view is that if parents fully understood the amount of educational preparation that goes into excursions and exactly what the teaching/learning activities and associated outcomes are, they would be very pleased for their children to have such opportunities. If parents took their children as a family group to the same activities the cost would certainly be far higher.

But there’s one thing that all parents agree on—they want their children to come back healthy. Unfortunately this does not always happen and many children come back with runny noses, coughs, headaches and tummy troubles. This should not happen and can spoil children’s experiences. Here are six practical steps parents can take to help their children remain well so they can make the most of these types of educational activities.

First, children need to be rested and ideally have some sort of physical fitness. So before excursions parents need to make sure children are having an appropriate amount of sleep and are doing some type of regular physical activity. Of course this is good advice for getting the best out of school as well.

Second, children’s bags need to be chosen and packed carefully. Now when the bus leaves mum or dad will perhaps carry the bag over to the bus but remember that for the next few days your child has to carry the bag. So don’t over pack. One of the main things to pack is sufficient warm clothing and one of the main things not to pack is any valuable item which could get lost. So only one small teddy bear please.

Third, during the excursion your child is responsible for what they eat and how much. This can prove too much responsibility for some children. Many teachers, on the way to the main destination, will often stop at a McDonald’s for morning tea or lunch. This is where problems can begin because children are able to make menu selections without parental knowledge. Sometimes children who hardly ever eat at McDonald’s indulge themselves with a double or triple helping. There are usually unfortunate consequences about 30 minutes later involving one or more teachers in cleaning duties, perhaps a just punishment for inadequate student supervision. Actually taking care with eating is something which needs attention throughout the excursion. Extra desserts, forcing down food which the child doesn’t like, and pigging out on lollies for half the night are behaviours which will have consequences.

Fourth, during excursions children are on the go for very extended periods of time. Proper rest at night is essential and teachers do their best to make sure this happens. Sometimes though, for example, children can be cold in bed, all night. Teach your child that being warm is important. Tell them to get up and get an extra blanket or two, or ask the teacher to come and turn up the heater if this is possible. Failing all this your child should simply pile on most of the clothes they have. In the morning they should be up and dressed, not running around in pyjamas getting cold.

Fifth, children should avoid as far as possible sitting next to children who are already sick. If someone is coughing and spluttering your child could sit somewhere else. Children should be washing hands before eating, and so on. There is only so much teachers can do with this sort of thing. Teach your child to manage his or her own situation. Of course children who are sick before an excursion shouldn’t be going.

Six, children who are not feeling well should tell their teachers and not just hope it gets better. Teachers themselves have some first aid training but if necessary they will not hesitate to call a doctor. Children can even be returned home or taken to a hospital.  If your child needs to take some medication all this has to be carefully arranged with the teachers beforehand, and the school will always issue instructions about this before excursions.

Well, everything is now ready for your child to have a wonderful excursion—which is what nearly always happens. The above points are pretty much common sense but once children jump on that bus common sense is often left at the school gate.

All content copyright—Mark Thackray—Australian Educational Services