There’s plenty of other conditions that can limit physical activity outside. I have absolutely no tolerance for heat - if I’m outside and active in anything above about 80 and I can get a migraine that can potentially make me ill for days at a time and maybe send me to the ER. If it’s 90 outside, it’s almost 100% guaranteed that I’ll get a horrible puking migraine if I’m outside for more than about 15 minutes, unless I’m sitting in the shade drinking cold water. If I had a child that suffered from the condition, there’s no freakin’ way I’d approve a 5 hour walk during the heat of the day in 90 degree temps. So I agree with the OP 100%, even though I’m one of those child-free people. I also agree that birdgirl is coming off like an idiot in this thread.
I just wanted chime in to say, sorry about the mix up! My bad biggirl!
Of course hiking can be safe. It can also be a good way to get yourself hurt or killed if you’re not prepared. There’s always at least one story a year of someone lost, hurt, or killed by going onto the Sandias and Manzanos without being prepared. And these mountains are just east of the city. People have houses all the way up to the open-space area. Here’s the bare minimium I would take if I was going hiking, even in the Sandias, which I know quite well, and either by myself or with a group:
At least two quarts of water, maybe more in summer
Some granola bars and trail mix, if not more, like my RapidFire and a butane tank, along with a pot and some ramen noodles and a MRE (only if I knew I was really going all day, though it might be tricky to use in the Cibola, but if it came to life or death, why not?)
Lighter, and matches for backup
Whistle
Compass (and GPS, if I had one)
Map
Knife
Poncho
Light jacket (assuming I was going this weekend, so it’d most likely be enough)
Extra pair of socks
Aluminum blanket (or maybe one of those plastic yellow things)
Cell phone
Signal mirror
Sunscreen
Bug spray or Jungle Juice (not really needed, but hey, Be Prepared, after all)
First aid kit
Plus, I’d at least leave a note of where I’m going and about how long I plan to be.
Simple enough, right? All off the top of my head (if I missed one of the essentials, tell me now).
And I agree with the consensus that birdgirl is way off. You shouldn’t go off by yourself unprepared, but if you do, it’s your own damn fool neck on the line. You do not take a bunch of others, especially kids with you.
Parents have the absolute right to know exactly where their kids are going and what they are doing . The school has the responsibility to let the parents know this info, along with any necessary supplies that may be needed. It’s ridiculous that a parent should have to “google” to find information about a field trip. I dont think the director lied, but it does concern me that no one seemed to know what was going on.
This argument over being overprotective is absurd ,seeing as how the main point is the fact that NO ONE, including the teachers, knew what was going on.
Sheesh.
Oh FYI
** I have no kids
** I worked at a day-care/summer program for over 8 years
Another-while it may be uncommon nowadays, I’m sure there are parents who don’t have a computer or at least internet access at home.
I’m also going to point out that not only can one get a sunburn in the shade, one can get a sunburn on a cloudy day.
birdgirl, let me see if I can make you understand (although after reading your previous posts, I am rather doubtful).
How in the world would DEVA know that she hadn’t received enough information until everyone got back and she heard the reports? If she was told the name of the place and the director said it was a technology school (not that she didn’t know), DEVA was doing what the average parent would do. Nothing that occured before the trip was enough to raise a red flag.
Hindsight being 20/20, it’s easy for idiots to berate DEVA about not asking questions, but anyone else with half a brain would have reacted the same way. And indeed, the very teachers participating in this field trip were under the same impression as DEVA. Assuming no other parents questioned the director (a point you seem to be stuck on), this is because there were no indicators that something like this would happen.
I might also add that you are being a real jerk about this. You go from telling everyone they are overreacting to implying that anyone who wouldn’t google their child’s field trip destination is a bad parent (whose kids apparently deserve to suffer accordingly).
I’m sure this will make no difference to you, so please go back to beating that dead horse.
I keep imagining the teachers in pumps and dresses or shirt/tie and (whatever you call men’s) dress shoes trying to fumble thru the woods and keep a cheery face on to encourage the kids.
Yes, that’s not criminal, but it is plain old stupid. Field trips are supposed to be fun, the entire idea is the opportunity to learn something in a different environment. If you’re distracted by bugs, heat, improper clothing and thirst you’re not learning much of anything, eh?
I’d like to hear updates. BTW, how is your son, DEVA?
Wow! I step away from the computer for a couple of days and my baby is grown all up with over 100 replies!
I didn’t expect or intend for this thread to get so long and involved.
I have definitely cooled off and my son is safe and sound. He has made clear that he doesn’t want to go on a trip like that again. I knew there was a red flag when they returned from their hike because as soon as he came into the school he simply walked into my room and placed his head on my shoulder…not speaking. After I asked him what was wrong he went on to explain all the reasons why he did not enjoy himself: “I’m hot, Mommy…a big bug kept flying around my head because I think it liked the stuff you sprayed in it…I’m tired…”
By the way: the kids DID have water bottles with them and the teachers had packed a lunch for everyone.
As it turns out, this field trip was added to the summer itenerary at the very last minute (last week) by our Regional director. And as it turns out, our regional director was given this charge by Ms. Leopold: owner of all of our schools. Now, Ms. Leopold either owns this outdoor technology school or knows the owner(s) very well and set this whole thing up. These are all incidentals and the situation has been rectified (momentarily). How my husband and I proceed from here is personal.
I would like to thank all of you who have supported my rant and taken the time to reply. You are all pretty much in-line with my thinking.
Most of you don’t “know” me very well as I am still a fairly new member here, but let me say this: When I am deciding to contribute to a thread/discussion, particularly one that I disagree with, I try very hard to understand all perspectives. I then work hard to be respectful when/if I agree to disagree with an OP. This is my own version of objectivity. Because Birdgirl has chosen to not extend the courtesy of being respectful or objective, I will not at this time be responding to her. NO one ever EVER has to agree with me…but for you to make such sweeping judgements is presumptuous at best.
DEVA : so good to hear all’s well that ends well. Your story brought out the best (and, for some posters, the worst) in those of us who love children. Kisses to your son.
And DEVA, I hope you can find a way to take your son out for a FUN hike in the woods on a not-so-warm day, maybe this fall, so he will remember how much fun it CAN be! I’m glad all’s well.
But it still sounds like everybody who planned this Field Trip From Hell, from start to finish, made a giant of it. I hope there are some valuable lessons learned for all concerned.
Jeez, I have GOT to stop leaving words out. This is about the fifth time today.
It should, of course, be “made a giant MESS of it.”
<Note to self: You HAVE to use Preview! All the time! Because you’re typing like an idiot!>
I’m glad things are working out then, DEVA.
As for nature loving, the best way to describe it:
I like nature. Unfortunately, nature doesn’t like me.
I suggest that next time you act on that wish.
Thanks ladies!
Funny you should suggest that we should take him for a hike in the Fall. My husband and I love the outdoors and take our kids for hikes through a sizable wooded area nearby on a regular basis. We, of course, are PREPARED for those “mini-hikes” and love them. There’s even a creek that we try to find tadpoles and frogs in. Big fun!
Well, then, have a great hike and think of me down here in the mosquito-infested, humidity-drenched swamps, where hiking isn’t really a viable option for several more months yet! (Although you could bring your son down here to look for water moccasins and baby alligators! :D)
DEVA, have you though about enrolling your son in summer camp? I once volunteered for an entire season for Camp Patahontas, a program for 8 to 14 year olds that splits its time between Arlington and Prince William Forest. Details for Patahontas and other Arlington camps can be found here.
I’ve been to Indian Pipe. It’s beautiful, we had a great time, but it’s not all heavily wooded and even in areas where it is, it’s friggin’ hot – largely because the trees tend to form areas that just hold in the humidity like a sauna. We were there in July and it was about 97 and muggy as hell and there were mosquitos everywhere and it was so damned friggin’ hot it was hard to pay attention, frankly.
I wouldn’t have wanted to be there on a hotter day, a day with a heat index of 107 would’ve been madness! The air quality down there is better than in DC but it’s still gets dangerously hot and humid. (For those of you familiar with Harrisonburg, Staunton or even Charlottesville, it’s in that general area, at that kind of altitude.) It’s a fine place to end up with heatstroke, dehydration, allergy problems or heat-exertion-humidity induced asthma.
There were several children in our group who were taken back to the building midway through our session because they (and the adults who went with them) were obviously not dealing well with the heat. I wanted to leave myself but couldn’t. Thank God, quite literally, for Aquafina, is all I can say. No one should have to be outside for extended periods in high heat – I can’t figure out why the Indian Pipe people haven’t modified their program for extremely hot days, but they’re of the Birdgirl frame of mind, I guess.
DEVA, I’m glad that all is well and that you and your hubby plan to take this in hand. 
(I’d love to be a fly on the wall, but that’s just my instinctive nosiness.)
(shrug) I don’t recall Charlottesville being all that uncomfortably hot compared with other places I’ve lived, but I was a kid at the time and not the walking heat storage unit I am today.
I’ve got very fair skin.
A FOUR hour trip when I was a kid burned me so bad I was out of school for a week (2nd degree, with blisters and everything).
Kiss my pale ass.
Rigel