My eldest came home with a letter mentioning a skiing trip abroad.  He seems to be growing up so quick since he left primary school.  I think it’s hard to give your children the freedom they crave.  But I know a school trip like this would be an amazing experience for him.  That is if I can just relinquish the apron strings a little.  He needs his independence to develop and grow as an individual.  Learning to make his own decisions and eventually making his own way in the world.  I don’t want to get in the way of letting him have an adventure.  I went to Paris when I was in primary school so I think its important to give him the same opportunities my parents granted me.

Here are some tips to help me feel better prepared when the time comes around!  Otherwise for many parents it really can be a nerve wrecking experience.  You don’t want your fears to rub off on your child, so instead focus on the preparations for the trip.

Speak to other parents

I have started contacting parents to see if any of his friends are going.  It would give me reassurance knowing he is amongst friends for a trip of this nature.  It will be company for him and mean he is not just stuck with much older children.  The problem with these types of trips is they are quite expensive so sadly not all children will be able to afford to go.  You might be able to know the room arrangements before your child travels which will again comfort you that they will be happy in their peer group.

Pack Thoroughly

I will make sure I go through his list to make sure he had everything he could possibly need.  I will feel better if I know I oversaw his packing just so nothing important is forgotten or left behind!  It helps to give your child a suitcase they can recognise and find easy enough to handle.  I will be looking at light weight options closer to the time and researching the best carry-on luggage options.

Recognisable Clothing

When he had his Cardiff trip, they had special t-shirts printed it was one way to identify the class.  It did make me feel better knowing they had some way to distinguish his group.  Especially when they are at busy attractions with lots of people.  If you want to design your own custom jacket it can be a good way to keep everyone together.  It could be useful pitching it to the school fundraising committee or seeing if all the parents just want to chip in, so their kids have a jacket or t-shirt.

Be Safe

Make sure your child understands the importance of listening to the safety protocols in the hotel and when out and about.  Do some research so you can give them a bit of guidance before they go.  In all likelihood the school will hold a meeting to discuss the finer details of the trip, make sure you and your child go so they can familiarise themselves with everything before jetting off on their adventure.

Focus on the positives

It’s quite natural to panic about all the things that might go wrong.  But try and remain positive think of how much your child might get out of a trip like this.