Compulsory Overseas Trip
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Letter of Indeminty!! Surely they will, all schools will make you sign it to cover their own &**^ :x In case of whatever happens, who ask you to sign it?? This is the part that I do no understand too!! They WANT you to consent and yet dont want to take the RESPONSIBILITY :stupid: :x
Even if you do write a letter to the school to ask them how can they assure you that your child will be safe, they would have already a protocol long standard letter that tell you blah..blah.blah...what do you, you are not the ONLY parent that worries :roll:
I can only rant that the system is HORRENDOUS for a child. I would be embarass if my child will learn independent only when go overseas or even appreciate me when he/she is away from me. I have always taught my kids what values are and how IMPORTANT family time is. Respect, shares, values are all taught from young at home.
Yup - some may say, why did you send her to the school then? OR since you are in such good relationship, you can talk your child out of it? Is just not easy! Yes, I do have excellent relationship with my dd, that's why I do not need the school to come interrupt our lifestyle and have us force to choose between family OR school?? Is not fair to have a young child to choose. See..the problem is that some kids are not complaining (or dare not complain) they just follow with the flow /peer pressure etc. And we dont want to deprive her or worry that she'll be labeled in school rite?? Then what to do?? FOLLOW Rules lor... :stupid:
Btw, am not expecting the school to abolish the programme but making it optional will be good. -
csc:
Hey buddy, I don't think removing the child from the school solves the problem because I hear most schools are doing that now, there are some compulsory stuff at P5 like the overnight camps for all schools if I am not wrong.
If I were in your shoes, nani, and if I am not in favour of my child's school policy of compulsory overseas educational trip or overseas community service to 3rd world countries, I would not hesitate to remove my child from the school with such programs and policies.csc:
Honestly, have you wondered why it must be made compulsory? This is because if not, there would be many who would opt out!!!I'm quite sure that the some other parents of your child's school supported the policies and it will not be fair to abolish the above programs just because minority of the parents do not agree to them and think they are 'rubbish'.
So not complaining does not mean they are minority. Not complaining simply means that parents try not to make themselves so negatively visible in front of the school, another form of protection. Unfortunately, not all schools are so forgiving once you step on the toes.
And just to add, I don't think nani nor I are aversed to such activities, it is the age appropriateness that I have something to gripe about and perhaps the compulsory act they have enforced, does not seem right.
I remember I had 2 island camps during my sec school.
My parents only permitted me to go for 1 and the other which I missed, I did not miss anything and I did not even miss not going... :lol: I only started having school camps in secondary schools never in primary. And if you ask me if I learn independence during the camps? No, I learned independence from helping at home and my daily bus journey to school plus my leadership positions in school. What I learned in camps? I learned how bxxxxy some of my camp-mates could be when I needed to be with them for more than 8 hours. I already learned teamwork alot during school hours and in my CCA. Those camps just taught me how to stay up till 3am-4am and yakked non-stop with my friends and truly the colours of people were also revealed at that kind of unearthly hour. The other thing I experienced was being \"tekan\" in the night as part of the activity planned. Honestly when I looked back now, those were quite bo liao experience, it was a time for some seniors(boys from elsewhere) to get close to the girls they like too. Any value-add to me? If anything, it built my resilience to those nonsense... :lol:
I am sure times have changed and the quality of camps should be better and if they really need to do it, it should still be secondary school age. if primary, then make it optional so parents do not feel the pressure. -
My comments are made purely based on nani's case - and in general , referring to secondary schools.
In primary schools, I don't think the overnight camps and even the NDP parades are compulsory - I know of a few friends' primary school kids who opted out of the camps or simply, by producing a medical certificate, exempted them from attending the camps.
As for me, I did not get to attend any overnight camp till my university days. I remember , watching with sadness, as I saw my classmates leaving for their ST John's Island Camp in Sec 3. My over-protective parents had refused to give their consent. I remembered arguing with them over the matter.
I felt even more left-out when my classmates kept talking about the camps for days even when it was over.
Maybe, that's why I'm pretty liberating in this aspect of allowing and even encouraging my kids to go for these trips even at a tender age of primary 4.Maybe, it has to do with my character as well. I backpacked and love rugged and adventurous trips and hope to pass on that spirit to my next generation. Actually, we have already developed the same liking.
Age appropriateness is subjective, I guess, for individual children.
Anyway, to each his own. :celebrate: -
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daisyt:
hi nani, for my case, the school is paying everything. However, to me, its not about who is paying. My main concern is safety in Jakarta. I am thinking if the school would want the parents to sign any Letter of Indemnity for such trips. :?
Not sure if you are talking about complusory here. Reading on the negatives of safety and street kids in Jakarta already turn me off from visiting relatives there, dont even talk about school doing service trip there :shock: .
Again, I just dont understand what are the school objectives by sending our kids to 3rd world countries for service?? If is just to let them know how fortunate they are, I would rather they make it complusory for all schools to service the orphange here or even schedule schools to help with distributing food from the heart, etc. SERVICE can be found and start within our own country, need not make us PAY and risk our kids overseas!!
Just my 2 cents. -
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[quote]she would like to help other people again if given the chance. [/quote]
Was wondering, your niece really sincerely want to help other ppl or isnt the overseas experience that was fun & make her grow up?
My take is that helping other ppl don't need to be confine to just overseas, there are many ways to help even within our own country. I'm not directing this to you or your sis, but it just boils me to hear parents bragging about their kids going \"OVERSEAS\" to help people!! But when in Singapore, they dont even give a heck to the poor or even send their parents to old folks home!!
[quote]Such invaluable experience is an eye opener for them and is good for them since they grow up in very sheltered and comfortable environment. [/quote]Not sure how sheltered you niece is. But am sure if parents here can bring up and inculcate more self dependent, for eg. washing their own cups and bring their own cups to the sink, making their own bed, or even cooking their own simple meal if need, etc..instead of relying on maids, I think the kids are already consider self-dependent. -
csc:
Sounds like a good tip.
In primary schools, I don't think the overnight camps and even the NDP parades are compulsory - I know of a few friends' primary school kids who opted out of the camps or simply, by producing a medical certificate, exempted them from attending the camps. I know they usually send the kids to Labrador Park(not even school compounds!) for the P5 camps and heard that NDP currently is compulsory in our school.csc:
We often feel we miss something when we don't get ourselves involved. I have reviewed my life over the years and I hardly feel that I am short of anything including experience. For example I will never argue with my parents to go for midnight shows nor disco and I still get to go eventually at an older age and never missed it too. However, at secondary level, most likely I will permit the experience of camping in school for my child.As for me, I did not get to attend any overnight camp till my university days. I remember , watching with sadness, as I saw my classmates leaving for their ST John's Island Camp in Sec 3. My over-protective parents had refused to give their consent. I remembered arguing with them over the matter.
I felt even more left-out when my classmates kept talking about the camps for days even when it was over.
Parents will always worry, it is a built-in function. Up to working days, my dad would still wait for me at the void deck to get home for those late nights.csc:
My character is also adventurous and I have done strange things. However, I did all these things when I was old enough to make decisions for myself. I hiked Grand Canyon to the Colorado River in the coldest winter in USA then, I also sped at 200+km(legally) in Europe before. I have been on more F&E trips than guided tour so I believe my child who goes on such trips with us learn the ropes. Children indeed should learn but should be under a safe environment until they are old enough to fend for themselves. I feel sometimes we are trying to make them do too many things too soon. If given the time, I rather the children spend it on reading and day community service in Singapore.Maybe, that's why I'm pretty liberating in this aspect of allowing and even encouraging my kids to go for these trips even at a tender age of primary 4.Maybe, it has to do with my character as well. I backpacked and love rugged and adventurous trips and hope to pass on that spirit to my next generation. Actually, we have already developed the same liking.
csc:
That is true. However, when they conduct mass programme they have to use the bell curve as the benchmark, not the exceptions. Actually the children are supposedly receiving training at home to make them ready for certain independence but in everything we try to accelerate for them....EVERYTHING.... :faint:Age appropriateness is subjective, I guess, for individual children.
csc:
[/quote]Anyway, to each his own. :celebrate:
I also agree but the schools not thinking this way leh..... *sigh*
:celebrate: to you. Appreciate your patience to share the benefits of such programmes. -
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KS2me :celebrate: :snuggles: I couldn't agree more with your post. From the nitelife experience to the f&e trips to WE actually training our kids at home inorder to PREPARE them for the so called learning \"independence\" trips. All boils them to brining up...
Wish we have a easier way to say \"NO\" and not having to argue/challange our kids for things that are not within our control :idea:
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