Thoughts on 9 year old going abroad on school trip ?

OK
I think I used the expression of no educational benefit when asking the OP if the destination were Athens. If it were Skiathos, then no.

Going on holiday with parents is a whole different ball game!!

We couldn't afford expensive holidays when they were young but we did go camping in France via Britanny Ferries (as well as in this country) and they made some wonderful memories, including playing with children of all nationalities on the camp sites.
We managed trips abroad when they were a bit older and always made sure we visited interesting places as well as days on the beach or by the pool, again with friends they made on holiday.

As to a nine year old going on a school trip abroad. What are you afraid of? No teacher is going to allow any nine year old, whether young or old for her age to wander round a foreign city without adult supervision!

Neither should they allow 12 and 13 year olds wander round a foreign city on their own but that is precisely what happened on DD's school trip.

Quite simply she is too young!!!

Understand you feeling protective however it’s out of your hands. I wouldn’t want mine to go as think it’s too young but it’s parents decision.

Talking about sleeping in the same room as the children, IF I out myself here, then so be it in order to show how seriously I take these trips - which have formed a large part of my working life.
The Caroline Dickinson youth hostel case really really shook me. Especially as she came from our neck of the woods and the YH in Brittany was one I knew. When worried parents came to ask me what precautions I was taking, I said a member of my staff would sleep in every room, in the bed closest to the door, with the children. We piled all the suitcases up as a barricade and if anyone needed the toilet in the night we dismantled the pile. These were 9, 10 and 11 year olds. There was no way I was going to take any risks and parents needed to trust me 100%. Nothing is more precious than your child.
When school parties came to stay at my own property in France we took every precaution too, putting the two dogs by the front and back door.

Sorry to ramble here, the mention of the poor school girl churned things up for me.

If the parents are ok with it and the child is excited to go, please don't ruin it by putting YOUR anxiety and worrying onto them.

You don't want her to go, not because she doesn't want to go, but to make you feel better and to stop your worrying even if she misses out on something she wants to do.

March for the win

growstuff

I think children could learn quite a lot from a trip to Greece.

By coincidence, when my son was 9, we went on a holiday to Greece, which included a couple of days in Athens. When he returned to school that September, the history topic was Ancient Greece. The teacher asked him to take in some of the pictures he had standing in front of the Acropolis, some of the postcards he'd bought and one of those souvenir Greek vases. He wrote about the Acropolis and how it's much higher than the surrounding area and you could see for miles. He didn't have to imagine what it was like because he'd been there.

It is lovely if you can travel and experience things but it is possible to know everything there is to know about places you have an interest in and modern technology allows us to actually feel we are there.

I had an Aunt who had a very humble upbringing. She worked on the land in all weathers. She never went abroad as she could not afford it. But she read and read and had such an enquiring mind and good memory that if she got talking to someone who had holidayed in certain countries she would actually know more about the place than that person! Everything about it in fact. She was absolutely fascinating and probably the loveliest person I knew.

Many thanks for all comments now. Greece has now been eliminated which am pleased about but Spain could be on the cards for next Spring when she will be nearer her 10th birthday. I’m pleased. I don’t think it’s all about me being anxious but rather keeping a precious girl as safe as am able. I now don’t think I’m unusual. Just wary as these are totally different times even from when my children were young.

She is not yours to keep safe!

Joseann

Talking about sleeping in the same room as the children, IF I out myself here, then so be it in order to show how seriously I take these trips - which have formed a large part of my working life.
The Caroline Dickinson youth hostel case really really shook me. Especially as she came from our neck of the woods and the YH in Brittany was one I knew. When worried parents came to ask me what precautions I was taking, I said a member of my staff would sleep in every room, in the bed closest to the door, with the children. We piled all the suitcases up as a barricade and if anyone needed the toilet in the night we dismantled the pile. These were 9, 10 and 11 year olds. There was no way I was going to take any risks and parents needed to trust me 100%. Nothing is more precious than your child.
When school parties came to stay at my own property in France we took every precaution too, putting the two dogs by the front and back door.

Sorry to ramble here, the mention of the poor school girl churned things up for me.

But, Joseann as you well know not all teachers are like you.
I’m afraid I have too big an imagination where children’s safety is concerned.

I don't agree Primrose53. My son was interested in history from a very early age and he still remembers visiting the Acropolis, which he'd seen in pictures and already knew about. It brought Ancient Greece to life for him.

But Hithere the OP Drima loves her DGD and wants her to be safe. Is she not allowed her feelings?

She is but she needs to manage those feelings. Being risk adverse has its own risks.

I don't think she is being risk averse - just realistic

We are allowed to have our feelings

We cannot wish or modify other's actions to pacify those feelings

Of course we can Hithere People do it all the time. Have you never heard of charm and persuasion?

Yes I have heard of people using charm to get what they want. It's often not a positive quality.

It’s up to her parents at the end of the day, if they ask for your opinion then fine but otherwise it’s overstepping

Galaxy

Yes I have heard of people using charm to get what they want. It's often not a positive quality.

I think the word is manipulative.

Oh dear.

I think now we may leave it as me being definitely realistic, definitely not manipulative, am not a risk taker myself and feel I do have input into helping keep her safe as was trusted enough to look after her from babyhood until now. I hope she will always come to me as a trusted person as she grows, as my mother and mother in law did for all their grandchildren at certain times of their lives. We as parents can’t know/ think of everything. Good to talk though.

It's just our place to worry, Drina01

But not to show it!

Manipulative is very much the word

I still worry about the 30 something year olds going all the way to Cornwall😬

Like they did when I went to Antarctica.

Serve them right