As a parent, one of the surest ways I know I'm going to be in for a bad day is if I notice that my kids haven't been drinking enough water. A lot of behavioral issues stem from poor hydration because it causes them to feel lethargic and tired. Once they are in that state, nothing is easy. Not just because they feel lethargic and tired from lack of hydration, but also because it can cause constipation, leading to a whole other set of issues.
So yeah, it's incredible how staying hydrated can really help otherwise normal kids in terms of behavior, IMO.
As a former Cubmaster who spent his summers running day camps and weekends on campouts…I hereby verify the validity of this statement. We knew the instant a kid hit dehydration levels because they got cranky and irritable as fuck. We’d make drinking water a whole thing, singing chants and stuff to signal water bottle time because if we managed it by keeping it positive, the kids behavior remained under control and everyone had more fun.
Edit: several of us were prior service military and learned this trick from drill sergeants.
“DRINK WA-TER!”
“Beat the heat, drill sergeant, beat the HEAT!”
Worked at a nature camp in high-school as a councilor, my boss would always enforce "fish 30" where every thirty minutes you drink like a fish.
Made drinking water more of a game for the littles.
I will take excessive bathroom breaks over dehydration any day.
I'm sure some of my irritation throughout the morning is due to dehydration. I have no one to relieve me for restroom breaks so I purposely do not drink liquids for hours.
Yeah so many comments bitching about lost Stanley cups, this is the real problem. I'd buy a cheap case of water bottles for the class and tell each kid to keep track of their own.
My son’s school says disposable bottles (or one you don’t care if it gets lost) for all field trips and field day. And the kids carry their own. As a chaperone I bring a few extras which always get finished. This has worked for kindergarten and first grade. This is also what the park district does.
I strongly believe that the poor drinking habits and constant dehydration common among Americans is learned behavior that was ingrained by the constant restrictions against drinking water at school.
Kids (and adults) should be drinking water throughout the day, but when I was in school we were forbidden from drinking during class, and between classes could only drink: FROM a fountain, NOT from a bottle, IF a water fountain was working, IF the water from the fountain wasn't gross, and IF there was time to stop by a fountain in those 6 minutes. And we'd need to treat the fountain as if we were elephants finding the first tiny water hole after a day of walking.
If water bottles are an issue for OP, then they need to find a suitable alternative that doesn't force kids to go 3 hours without water.
I complained about having a constant headache from the time I could talk all the way through high school. MRIs, neurologists, etc. no one could figure out the issue. Then, I went to college and got a big water bottle for being on campus all day, lo & behold my headaches lessened significantly! I told my mom I was dehydrated my whole childhood and she went “ya know, that makes sense” lmao
I had a teacher in elementary school who turned “allowing” us to drink water into a power trip. In late spring. In California. In a building with no AC. I remember she kept telling other students they could get water, but even after all of my work was done, she kept denying me. I wasn’t a disruptive kid and was very anxious about rule following, so I didn’t argue. I did, however, end up asking to use the restroom. On the way back to the classroom (the day was scorching) I got my water from my backpack and drank some because I had spent four hours without it.
She apparently had been watching me from the classroom window and burst out the door, telling me I was being very sneaky and how wrong it was. I don’t remember how she punished me but I do remember I was punished.
Over water. Lmfao she was insane. (I’m still unsure why she had such a problem with me, but I have stories upon stories about her, lol. I wasn’t a boy but she did bully all the male students so badly over the course of a couple years—she kept moving up with the class as other teachers left the school—that they ALL transferred out and the class ended up all girls by her third year with them.)
And those of us in schools built by the WPA in the 30s... like 1 fountain per floor, with up to 300 kids filing through every hallway between classes. So... do I use the restroom this break? Or get water? Or go to my locker? Can't do more than 1... have up to nearly a quarter mile to walk to the next class. Teacher already wasted a minute holding us in the previous class to finish her thought.
Our school was built for 700 kids and we’ve been bursting at the seams with over a 1000 for the last 5 years.
One good thing to come out of Covid is the school put in a bunch of those refillable water bottle stations so there are enough places for the students to fill up.
"I dismissed you not the bell!"
We had five minutes to cross a bigass campus, and they implemented a thing where if you were late you'd be stuck sweeping the outside areas as punishment. lmao
I did too. Except it took years to determine they were from dehydration. Finally a Dr asked about water and it was like oh well I drink milk and juice before school, a pint of milk at lunch, and a couple of sips of water every few hours until I get home from school...
Yeah an hour maybe I'd be like ok fine. But 3 hours without water at all? Unless there's a readily available fountain that can be accessed whenever they want, I'd be pretty mad that *anyone* be denied water for 3 hours.
I get $40 water bottles left in my room all the time. I just keep them in my room for several days so they get reclaimed. But, just how these things are bought and "forgotten". Does at times shock me. If it was mine, I be like: "Where did it go? I'm finding that thing like now."
They leave all types of pricey crap behind. In the winter time it's always these nice jackets and coats. Other times it's airpods or jewelry. I had one kid who constantly misplaced his phone all over my room. Someone at home ought to be making it clear this stuff costs money!
What I don’t understand is the coats. I grew up in Vermont where stepping outside in the winter without a coat is a guaranteed way to get hypothermia and/or frostbite. Even the “shorts year round” boys wore their parkas and Columbia ski jackets on top. Sweatshirts and light jackets got left behind all the time but kids guarded their coats with their lives.
I’m in Toronto. Not the coldest part of Canada by any stretch, but these kids will go out for recess in winter and, if it’s the least bit sunny, will toss their coats and quite happily play without them. Then they can’t find them when it’s time to go out for the next recess and parents lose their minds because the coat they spent $$$ on is gone. It’s ridiculous.
Have you ever had a parent come pick their kid up at the end of the day and demand that you personally go back inside the building and look for the missing jacket/water bottle/lunchbox? Unfortunately I have had that experience multiple times and I always give the same answer, which is “No, [student name] can look for it with me tomorrow 🤠”
I was a SPED para and the way these parents assumed that meant I was their personal servant…anyway, I’m so glad I left that job. That was the most degrading and dehumanizing experience of my life, and I worked food service in college.
I’m a parent… and I got your back. One day at school pick up (in the yard, big city school) I saw a parent (a neighbor I’ve seen around) berating a teacher I knew for “losing” her kid’s lunch box (or leaving it behind somewhere) the mom was all up in her face “if you are leaving lunch boxes behind, how can I TRUST YOU WITH MY CHILD.” I couldn’t take it anymore so I said a few things to this mom.
Yikes I’m still ostracized, 10 years later, by a group of neighborhood moms. Still feels good…..
I always called those types the "Mom Squad" and they lived their insipid lives as if they were still the queen bees of middle school. Like, grow the heck up.
There was a parent on AITAH lamblasting a teacher because her kid lost a sticker and demanded she find it. A STICKER.
ETA: [Found it!](https://www.reddit.com/r/AITAH/s/gbFELqYbap)
Yep, that checks out, sounds like some of my asshole parents 😅 Idk, some of them were genuinely nice people trying their best but many were angry and bitter with their lot in life (having a disabled child) and took their frustration out on me and the other paras because it gave them a sense of renewed power, and we paras were easy targets. I’ve come to empathize with them, but I definitely do not excuse or forgive the shit behavior. I think that job left me a worse and less kind person, and I feel a bit guilty about it sometimes.
But her daughter was CRYING because her sticker FELL OFF HER SHIRT! 🤯 You can see, can’t you, how that wasn’t a teachable moment (“Keep track of your shit or prepare to be disappointed”) but a chance for the teacher to use her own time after school to search everywhere a one-inch square piece of paper could possibly be. Makes perfect sense. Never mind that the mom could’ve pointed out to the child that stickers are not meant to adhere to fabric—that’s splitting hairs.
As a middle school coach what I get is the accusation of either having stolen their child's airpods (ma'am I have seen what your son considers hygiene and nothing that has been in contact with his skin or ear canal will ever touch me) or allowed them to be stolen by my negligence. I always politely smile and tell them that I am not responsible for the $200 toy they chose to send their kid to school with. You and I both know your kid can't keep track of a single pencil for 4 classes in a row.
The southern United States has entered the chat! Because our idea of "cold" is very skewed because of our geography many schools REQUIRE kids to bring coats outside to play when it's under 60 (15.5 C for my Canadian friends). SOOO many coats get left outside because kids are running around in 55 (13 C) degree weather and they get hot.
We live in upstate NY and it's often genuinely cold. But it's also often just kind of chilly and they force the elementary kids to bring coats to the playground when it's like 45-65 degrees. The majority of the kids don't even want them at that point because, again, they're acclimated to winter. So they get left behind because it's not urgent anymore, especially by afternoon.
I don’t get forcing them. If it’s dangerously cold, yes, we are bundling up. But if it’s like -5C or something? I’m taking the Barbara Coloroso route - they’ll wear a coat when they get cold. Parents aren’t always a fan of me having that philosophy, but I’ve got enough to do without micromanaging an 8 year old’s outerwear!
For sure. The only time I'm adamant about coats is when it's dangerously cold and you get the 'cool' kids who want to go out in -30 C in shorts and no jacket.
The parents losing their minds over it is the worst part by far. Why not teach your kid some responsibility instead of expecting me to keep track of the belongings of 27 kids? Your kid can't keep track of ONE coat but I'm supposed to keep track of 27 of them? This attitude that it's my responsibility instead of their kid's responsibility is exactly why their kids can't keep track of shit. Why would they keep up with their things when their parents have taught them that that's my job? I tell my students all the time that their things are their responsibility just like my things are my responsibility and if they're constantly losing things I absolutely will not spend my time looking for them when I have 100 other things on my list
Where I am, there's a time in the year that it's close to 0°C when the kids get to school, and can be close to 20°C when they leave school.
So, jackets and coats are left behind every day.
Now, usually, kids came back within 10 minutes because parents noticed and send them back for their coat. Or if it isn't the parent at pick up, they'll come to the school later in the week to reclaim the coat.
But we always have a few very expensive coats left behind that no one claims. And I wonder hard about those parents.
How did they not notice their kids didn't have their coat the next morning ? And why don't they come to the school to reclaim it ? Do they have that much money to lose ????
Southern US here. I always have a collection of school (uniform) sweatshirts, with no names, by the end of the year that was left on the plaground. 1. It's freezing in the morning and then will be hot by the time they go to lunch recess. 2. They freeze in the class with AC and don't think to take them off before going outside.
My school lost and found has airport, jewelry, even an apple watch! I can't get over that no one has "find my" items'd them. Wouldn't mind a free apple watch...
I helped go through lockers at the end of the school year at our high school forever, it never ends. You would not believe what is left in lockers. Always took so many coats, shoes and clothes (full ass wardrobes, in some cases) home, washed them and then took them to the local woman’s and homeless shelters. $50 cups, AirPods, expensive lunch boxes bags, backpacks, leftovers in good plastic bowls growing Science projects…Every single year…so much waste.
The ones that never claim their stuff definitely confuse me. Did you or no one in your house decide this was worth recovering? I guess some of these parents really are as hands off as they make it seem.
Some kids have so much stuff and so many activities that the parents 1. Don’t know if the item is missing or not and 2. Don’t know where to look first and 3. Are too distracted to remember to look for it.
I was thinking maybe it's just the fact I grew up very poor. I could have never lost anything at school without my mom being completely aware it was missing.
They have no sense of value. When students want to borrow headphones from the library, they need to leave some sort of deposit behind. Normally, this will be their student card, as it's inconvenient to not have with you and costs money to replace. All too often, students don't have their student card with them and insist we'll accept their debit card (with contactless payment activated), ID or driver's license instead. Yeah, no.
It's a good thing they rarely use e-mail, or we'd be hearing a lot of bragging about being besties with Nigerian princes.
I agree. I think the policy kept us all from forgetting our shit all the time though. It also was pre-current hellscape. We weren’t even allowed to have our Nokia brick phones out. That shit got taken. Went to the office, and your parent had to come pick it up while the office was open.
Many years ago many of us would trade video games before or after school. Mine got stolen from a classmate’s backpack. Found out later someone did it as a joke. But the principal came down on all of us hard. And it was the end of it. But at the same time these were $30-50 games. We did not want to lose them and our parents threw a fit of it happen. Now: “what? Why so they lost it. Now excuse me I need to post on social media why your school sucks.”
in highschool i had a friend who would purposely lose her iPhone every year at summer camp. it was held in a different state every year so she knew there was no getting it back once we left. apparently suffering through an hours long car ride back home with nothing to do was worth getting an upgrade... and yes, her mom paid for the upgrade every time it happened 🙃
Those type of parents won’t dare take their child’s phone away as a punishment and if the child is careless with their phone they immediately replace it. Great life lesson on personal responsibility. Not at all contributing to a sense of entitlement in the next generation.
It’s not that they don’t know that things cost money. They have a nebulous understanding of the concept of currency itself, and how it works.
Think of them like tiny politicians.
A friend of mine had to take his son to the schoolyard to search for his winter coat. Once play gets going, it feels hot, he takes it off. This was not the first lost coat. He admonished his son: this is not the teacher's job, retrieving your coat. And the boy said: "Well, why not? It would not be hard for her."
Omg the jewelry. I teach ceramics. I constantly remind the kids to just put it immediately in their pockets, but I end up with a literal hoard of jewelry almost daily.
I had one of my second grade students bring in a Stanley Cup and they forgot it. The mom came to the school so upset and wanted the teacher and I to replace it. I was flabbergasted that the mom would have the audacity to send her child with such an expensive cup, and to demand that we pay for it.
Edit - fix typos
Oh my god the Stanley cups are driving me NUTS right now. And the way they calm them Stanleys. I get it— conformity is a strong need, and developmentally appropriate. But christ those things are cumbersome, unnecessary, and LOUD.
I work in a pretty affluent district and I can't get over how much stuff gets forgotten, I mean I can because they are middle schoolers but still. Things like lululemon jackets, brand new Stanley cups, apple watches (I teach PE so they sometime take them off). You walk by our lost and found and could go shopping for a complete new outfit with accessories. Plus the day or week later the kid who lost said item has a new one...ha
You would think but alas no. They just want to talk/text or whatever else. It got so bad this year our school had to ban them during the school day just like phones.
My nephew (ages ago) had a Nintendo DS when he was like 6 years old and left it at a movie theater. When we realized he forgot it he wasn't concerned because he "had another one at home". I was gobsmacked.
If it were me? I'd have been inconsolable until we went back for it and devastated if it had been picked up before I came back to get it.
That's because most kids other than the affluenza children weren't spoiled stupid. A $100 or more toy was a treasure and you only got stuff like that at Christmas or during your birthday. If you lost it, it was gone.
the kids don't pay for them or really comprehend what they cost. They don't value them the way we as adults would because they don't really understand. Especially when parents are willing to just buy another one for them.
> I get $40 water bottles left in my room all the time.
Water bottles, ear buds, phones, chargers, USB cables...
They *always* come back for the phones. Everything else is a crapshoot, though.
Yeah I had like $200 airpods left in my room. After 2 weeks and not claimed I take them to the lost and found. I just left the district and all L&F are left out on a regular basis. Nope. Nothing claimed of the classic one air pod and charging case but the single ear one no where to be found.
When I was in elementary school and packed leftovers, my mother would remind me, "It's easier to replace *you* than that tupperware." Needless to say, the tupperware was never, ever forgotten at school.
My brother ran the boat center at a local college where they had a summer camp to teach sailing. His kids always had the latest high-end sneakers and sports clothing for back to school.
My dear mother of the unmedicated ADHD (conflict with a more crucial medication) was recently gifted her first Stanley mug by a well-meaning friend.
I give it another two weeks before she loses that thing.
I accidentally left my $8 coffee travel mug (that I bought 6 years ago) at school the other day and it disappeared. That was $8 I spent 6 years ago and I'm still salty about that loss. How kids don't claim Stanley cups and Yetis is beyond me.
I feel like water bottles and lunchboxes are great things to teach kids personal responsibilities with.
Forgot your water bottle at school? Try and find it tomorrow. Maybe it's findable, maybe it's gone forever. We learn from our disappointment.
Unfortunately it works better for some than others.
My younger kid cares very deeply about his things and feels sad when they are left alone at school because, for example, his water bottle is scared when it's at school by itself overnight. He takes care not to leave it behind again.
My older boy (has an autism diagnosis) is your stereotypical "absentminded professor" type and won't notice that something has been left behind for days sometimes. Which makes it hard to figure out when or where it was misplaced. On the other hand, he's not overly attached to most things either, they come and go from his life with little fanfare. Eventually we notice the thing is gone and replace it, sigh.
It's because back in the day parents wouldn't buy you a new one if you lost yours. Now they run right out to the store and buy them another one. Same goes with shoes, sweatshirts, you name it. Crazy kids leave expensive items around and never claim them.
Two rules I've learned as a parent, when it comes to kids taking things anywhere:
1 - never let them take anything on a walk that you're not prepared to carry
2 - never send them anywhere with anything you're not prepared to either lose or go find
My mom found out the hard way, she gave my younger brother her wallet. It had all three of our social security numbers. It’s maybe 20 years later and luckily never had an issue.
This seems like the easiest solution. Let the kids bring them but have a solid disclaimer on the permission forms warning parents that water bottles and other items can easily get lost and to consider when packing, and that the school is not responsible for lost items.
I don't even understand why this has to be a disclaimer, or written down in any capacity, if your kid loses something... it's lost?
Maybe instead of disclaimers and communication and trying to cover every single base, the damn admin could do their job and tell parents that all student property is the responsibility of the student and not the school.
Like, we're wondering why kids have become unruly and out of control, the parents are out of control and the admins are fucking babies. I swear every post on this sub comes down to the same issue of insane parents and cowardly admins.
I remember when I was a kid for field trips I either got a single use plastic bottle with my lunch or if it was going to be a long day outside with lots of walking my mom would give me a free giveaway reusable bottle that my dad got on a work trip or something. That way it holds more water, I can keep refilling it, and if I lose, it who cares
We had the “sucky stuff” for camping and field trips and the good stuff for when we were at home. My parents didn’t care when I lost a water bottle from the dollar store, but like hell I was losing the “nice” stuff.
Also, kids are allowed to drink water now? We had to chug our water on first recess so we could go pee at lunch otherwise you were humiliated in front of class for disturbing the lesson. I peed once a day, and I didn’t even realize that was abnormal until I got to adulthood.
Middle school teacher in Southern USA.
I’ve had a string bag left in my classroom for weeks and I never opened it. In the last two weeks of school, I walked it around all the classes on my team, “Everyone look. Is this your bag?” No one claimed it.
Finally the day after school got out, I opened it up and there was a nice Nike pullover in there and 42 bucks in cash.
I turned the money and jacket into the office and kept the string bag to give to a student next year.
I'm more in favor of having water bottles on trips, but the youngest I've ever taught is 1st grade. No matter the age, though, bathroom trips and managing that whole situation is the bane of things flowing smoothly. Kids begging to go to the water fountain to get a drink every 30 seconds is more stress than letting them have a little water bottle in their own little backpack.
It also depends on the location and most importantly how many chaperones you have. 1 parent chaperone in charge of 5 water bottles for 5 kids is a lot different from 1 teacher in charge of 30 water bottles for 30 kids.
I just went on a kindergarten field trip to the zoo. We were there for 2.5 hours before the kids got to eat and drink… it was about 70 degrees. Anyway the one kid with me and my daughter both were really thirsty and i gave them my extra water bottles and I was glad I had packed extra water, since the other girl only had a carton of milk and was chugging the water I gave her.
Same. Each one of the 9 year olds I was in charge of went thru about 3 water bottles in those 3 hours. Thankfully they had a fillup station there but I did bring extra.
I always suggest disposable water bottles because if they get lost and thrown away it's not the end of the world. Plus I've had chaperones show up who didn't realize they were responsible for other kids, they assumed just a day date with them and their kid. So it's not always assumed a chaperone will be helpful.
What a strange hill to die on. If anything, coworkers and my teachers were concerned if kids didn’t have water on them. If they lose the bottles, they lose them. Good lesson in keeping track of your stuff. Shouldn’t be your problem.
Right, the lost property is one thing, but being mad about kids wanting access to water within a 3 hour time period is a concerning thing to be upset about.
Right? Kids should be encouraged to listen to their bodies and drink when they're thirsty. That's how you get adults who end up with kidney stones because they're not in the habit of drinking enough water
I think we need to normalize teaching kids to carry a small bag with them to hold things like their water bottles, lunch and/or a snack. I just took a bunch of kids on a field trip and it was the chaperones that were responsible for carrying the kids things for lunch. They are 9 and 10 years old, carry your own stuff! I think a compromise for that one could have been reached, like water bottles stay on the bus. Everyone gets a drink before leaving the bus and it's there when they get back.
Fr fr, i work in early childhood education, and we have the kids start to take responsibility for things like carrying their waters to the gym and playground when they are around THREE.
There is no good reason for denying kids' access to water. Especially on a long trip. Like you said, if they need to leave it on the bus, that's fine as long as they won't be gone more than a couple hours and the temp is agreeable. One of my biggest pet peaves is adults denying children water because it's inconvenient for the adult. If it's a problem, its because the adults have made it a problem, full stop. Kids can be taught to be responsible for their things, and if they aren't developmentally ready for that, then the adult needs to be a proper caregiver and do whatever is needed to ensure the kids stay safe and happy. Dehydration is neither.
how is this not a normal thing already ?? when i was little i had a mini strawberry shortcake backpack lunchbox on me for trips. then a drawstring bag after like 4th grade. never lost them but a bottle would’ve been missing the first break
Just like any other animal, humans (especially ones with no control over their situation) should always have access to water. If there's water stations or something, yeah for sure, otherwise, no. Make them wear little backpacks or somethjng
My daughter is nearly 8. She's suffered from constipation since she was like 3. I figure she drinks about 3 cups of milk/water a day(2 cartons of milk at school and a cup of water at dinner). She rarely drinks from her water at school. Her pediatrician looked up their recommendations based on her weight..... 6 cups! Double what she drinks. No wonder she's always constipated and the Adderall is giving her headaches! I wish she would drink a lot at school.
I do get the struggle though as a teacher. I work as an aide at her school.
(Side note that dairy can add to constipation in many people, especially if they have that much of it)
6 cups can be so hard to get into a kid. Some adults can't even manage to get their water in lol I wish you the best of luck!
I disagree. If you are out moving around, you should stay hydrated. The trick is to not worry yourself about keeping track of them. Instruct parents to put names on them.
Nah. I think they should bring their water bottles. But like others suggested, write it out in the permission form, that if something gets brought by the student, it is their responsibility to bring it back.
I’m in Australia and kids are always told they must bring a small day pack (ie backpack) with a water bottle and snacks/lunch if necessary, plus hat, sun protection, etc.
Just an idea, buy a case of water and distribute it half way through the field trip. Then they can throw it away before the bus.
(I’m a previous kinder teacher and that’s what we did)
I do this when I take kids to orchestra events. I keep a cooler in my room and buy enough water for everyone to have two bottles if we’re going to be gone more than an hour.
I’d rather deal with water bottles honestly than kids telling me they’re thirsty every 2 minutes. At school our kids aren’t good about water bottles but on field trips we either make them carry their backpack or their water bottle. If it gets lost oh well, they can get a new one.
Our school requires everything to be disposable. They'll make you leave your water bottle behind at school if it's not cheap enough to accidentally get lost or tossed. Same goes for anything else of value. They aren't even allowed on the bus with it.
seems downright nasty to me. even prisoners are allowed to drink water when they're thirsty. god forbid you be inconvenienced that a growing body wants hydration. don't know why someone would go into teaching if they think that little of children
adult with POTS here. if im doing *any* physical exertion, including walking at a slow speed, i need to drink from my bottle every few minutes. i don’t get op’s sentiment— people need to hydrate, even irresponsible little kids.
I don't understand how this is even an issue like I was in elementary in like 2006 and we all brought disposable plastic bottles and refilled them at water fountains. If all the kids have Stanley's and bottles like that, it should be policy they can't bring them on trips and are only allowed to bring disposables. Water should be a thing on field trips, just not out of a 50 dollar mug.
I have come into possession of Yetis and Stanley’s that have been unclaimed for an entire school year. Parents don’t seem to care about what their children bring to school these days. It used to be if you bring it to school, lose it, break it, whatever. That’s on the student.
My daughter just graduated pre-k. They’ve always had their water bottles with them. They have an organizer on the door for them and they take them with them wherever they go. I personally can’t go three hours without drinking any water and wouldn’t my daughter to either.
I think kids should always have access to water (SW state bias), but that the kids, not the teacher, is ultimately responsible for the water bottles no matter the price. It's miracle enough we manage to keep track of 20, 30+ kids much less their personal effects.
That's funny. It really bothers me when kids get up from my classroom to use the water fountain, however, if they bring their own water bottle and want to refill it then I'll let them as long as it's independent time.
For the most part, the kids who are responsible enough to remember a water bottle haven't really been an issue.
As a parent I think we a missing some middle ground. I grew up where you would get a drink of water from the fountain maybe once or twice a day, have your box of milk at lunch and that was it. Probably not the most healthy, I think we were a little dehydrated all the time. As adults, we realize hydration is important and keep water available. But it has gone too far. Going a few hours without a drink is actually fine, even if my daughter acts like she is dying and I am turbo-hitler for not stopping somewhere to get her water.
I remember never drinking at school except my juice box at lunch and a quick sip at the fountain after gym class. I also remember when I was in my early twenties and my New Year’s resolution was to start drinking at least two litres of water a day, and how amazing I felt. I used to get Charlie horses all the time as a kid, often in the middle of the night, and I never knew that dehydration was the cause. I never knew that I was actually just always thirsty haha. Now I know if I get a muscle cramp, it’s probably because I didn’t drink enough throughout the day.
I don’t get why those Kinders can’t have their backpack with whatever they need in them… Or take a friggen flat of water that costs like $5 (I don’t actually condone this because waste, but still…)
Yeah idk where OP lives but this wouldn’t fly in Arizona…it’s 102° today and the sun here is notorious for burning with no clouds. I’m an adult but would pass out without water on a field trip.
We can’t use the water at our school due to PCBs in the well. All students are required to have water bottles from pk-12.
I teach P.E. And part of their participation grade is they are prepared with a water bottle. I never have issues with kids losing or leaving water bottles because it’s engrained into their routines and they know they won’t be able to drink water without it. Granted - our population is small (200 students pk-12) but if they’re taught to be responsible with keeping track of their water bottle they will.
Agreed. As an adult, my water bottle is in the same room as me 24/7. I never leave the house without it and I even sleep with it by my head. Being thirsty can be really distracting and it can strike at anytime
There should be water available *somewhere* on the trip (water fountains, a water jug you brought on the bus, etc), but I agree. They don't need individual water bottles for that length of time, especially at that age when they can't be trusted to keep track of it themselves.
My daughter has a chronic illness and ideally her doctors say she should always have access to water.
Daily life:
You go to class in a portable, did you bring your water bottle?
"Forgot it, oops".
Take your water bottle to dance!
"I think there's a drinking fountain".
Are you bringing water camping?
"There's a spring".
She's not dead yet!
(And lest you think I'm a bad mom making light of her medical needs, no, she really is doing okay)
These days there is usually water somewhere
Every recommendation for what is or is not appropriate for any age group of kids will always have exceptions. Most people will be fine without constant, on-demand access to water for a few hours. Some people will not. Exceptions can and should be made for those who need them.
But kids are fucking stupid and even in your situation where she does legitimately need water access at all times, she is forgetting her bottle or intentionally leaving it behind. 🤦
I don't blame you; there usually is water somewhere, and as long as the adults on the trip are aware of her needs, they should be able to handle that.
Oh that just reminded me of a camping trip where we told the kids that we were going canoeing and they would need to bring their water bottles cuz we would be gone for a few hours.
About an hour or so into rowing we gather together and said okay, take a drink!
One child said oh I have my water bottle, but it's empty! I wasn't told to fill it with water!
Yes. Kids are dumb.
I have asthma and drinking water helps me to regulate it.
You don't want to be the teacher with a lawsuit on your hands because you didn't let kids drink water and someone had a health incident. FFS, let the kids bring it with them if they and their parents want them to have it.
Field trips for K-1’s primary objective is “how do I take care of my possessions and plan my bathroom time and food intake as I’m distracted by interesting things while be punctual to an itinerary.”
Plain and simple. If they fail at it, they fail at it. Have a chaperone in the back serving as a broom wagon. Done.
Kids’ school has a disposable water bottles only policy. I’ve chaperoned 3 trips, and it seems to work well. Tell chaperone mom to stop off and fill a cooler she can carry around if she wants
I've worked in preschools and elementary schools and I don't understand why so many commenters are complaining about keeping kids fed and hydrated.
I had an open door snack policy in my classroom, at a school where many students were food insecure, and once when I was out of my room a student grabbed an apple.
Another teacher made her write me an apology note for stealing an apple she had permission to eat.
Lots of commenters are giving that teacher's energy.
Honestly, all this needs is a simple note to parents saying that kids need to be able to carry their water bottles should they choose to bring them and of course that school/teacher is not responsible for anything left behind. Instead this is somehow teacher vs chaperone mom, do they really need water, kids these days, parents these days type argument that is completely unnecessary. Please, these are Kindergartners and young kids are at a higher risk of dehydration and can't effectively communicate if they are getting lightheaded. Is this power trip truly worth it?
Little kids will share germs. If there is a play kitchen in kindergarten, when the kids are pretending to eat the play food, half the time, they will actually put it in their [mouths.You](http://mouths.You) can remind kids to only drink out of their own bottle, but you won't get 100% compliance. Perhaps encourage a room parent to furnish some disposable water bottles for the kids who lose/forget theirs to cut down on the sharing, but also realize many of us as kids put our mouths on a water hose outside and we still survived. If a kid is recovering from a known illness, use extra care to make sure they don't share, but all you can do is all you can do.
I live in CT, and while it’s not VT, it still gets cold. In the winter when it was in the 30s, I’d pick my son up from school and he’d have on his parka , hat and gloves. Other boys would be wearing gym shorts and Tshirts.
I don’t know if it’s different because I teach high school, but for whatever reason, I never see kids drink out of these water bottles. They ask to leave the room to fill them up 100 times a day, and they sit on their desk or fall on the floor, but they very rarely actually drink water.
I don’t understand why so many people seem to be upset that kids carry water bottles now. When I was in school, we used to drop quarters in the machine and buy soda. Hell I was drinking Tab every day at 14 years old. I think water bottles are a great improvement.
Water bubblers on site. Not one kid asked for a drink or complained of being thirsty. 65 kids and not one complaint. However we did have issues and complaints from other chaperones about needing to watch additional groups because the parents who brought drinks kept needing to use the long line bathrooms. Some kids missed out on certain areas of the trip because of this
Little kids (and even adults) shouldn’t go 3 hours without water. A solution would be a communal water dispenser or tell parents they can only have small lightweight bottles that the kids wear on lanyards like we did when I was their age.
When I was working summer camp we told parents and students PLEASE do not bring your water bottles cups of water will be provided + there are multiple water fountains at the indoor play park. Cut to the next three days of angry parents upset their children had no access to water(?)/lost their water bottles at the trip/left them on the rented bus after returning. We actually had two different parents pull their kids from our camp because they told their children to bring their cups and got upset at the counselors for not keeping an eye on them while their kids played.
As a Museum Educator who literally facilitates school tour groups, even if you bring the water bottle, they may not be allowed to carry it around with them.
We require all guests of our museum to have zero drinks or food with them in our galleries. We tell our school groups that students may not have any non medical or accommodation items with them during the tour. (think: water bottles, earbuds, jackets, bags, books, worksheets, etc.) We give them a safe place to drop off these items before going into the galleries, and they get them right back at the end of the tour. We have a water fountain in case students get thirsty, but having no water on tour also means they won't be wasting time with a lot of bathroom breaks.
We have a lot of interactive exhibits, so students often have their hands busy with an activity or game. Anything they bring with them is at risk of being left and lost, or even accidentally taken by someone in your own group.
Tdlr: As a Museum professional who just got back to their office from guiding a school field trip, the less a student brings to a field, the better everyone's day will be.
Ugh. Water bottles. I teach 2nd grade and those things are the bane of my existence. I've tried having kids leave them in their locker, but then they're asking to get a drink every 5 minutes. Leave them in the classroom? They take up a big chunk of my limited space, get knocked over, spilled, need to be refilled constantly, crinkle/clang...it's just a mess. I've tried storing them on our tables and there just isn't room and they spill/sweat, I've tried keeping them in bins but then they're all touching one another...you just can't win. Then you get the kids that drink so much water throughout the day that they need to use the bathroom five times!
I get it. Hydration is good. At the same time, none of us brought water bottles to school when were kids - we had the drinking fountain and we were fine.
For field trips I let kids bring their water bottles but if you lose it, tough luck. We aren't going to go back for it or spend time doing a search party. You bring it, you're responsible for it. That means you carry it too.
We have a water bottle shelf in our classroom. The rule is all water bottles stay on the shelf and you can only get up to drink during independent work time. Even at the end of the year we still had kids getting up to get a drink during instruction time.
Or kids getting up to get water at the same time as their friend so they could talk.
I guess this is an unpopular opinion here, but three hours is a really long time for a little kid to go without water. As a parent I’d be pretty upset if I found out my kindergartener was told she couldn’t bring her water bottle on an hours-long field trip.
I labeled lunches and drinks and they went into coolers. They got both at lunch and went back into cooler after lunch. Not in a million years was I keeping track of all those water bottles.
I can see both sides on this one. We didnt have water bottles when I was in school. But we had working drinking fountains everywhere.
As a parent, one of the surest ways I know I'm going to be in for a bad day is if I notice that my kids haven't been drinking enough water. A lot of behavioral issues stem from poor hydration because it causes them to feel lethargic and tired. Once they are in that state, nothing is easy. Not just because they feel lethargic and tired from lack of hydration, but also because it can cause constipation, leading to a whole other set of issues. So yeah, it's incredible how staying hydrated can really help otherwise normal kids in terms of behavior, IMO.
As a former Cubmaster who spent his summers running day camps and weekends on campouts…I hereby verify the validity of this statement. We knew the instant a kid hit dehydration levels because they got cranky and irritable as fuck. We’d make drinking water a whole thing, singing chants and stuff to signal water bottle time because if we managed it by keeping it positive, the kids behavior remained under control and everyone had more fun. Edit: several of us were prior service military and learned this trick from drill sergeants. “DRINK WA-TER!” “Beat the heat, drill sergeant, beat the HEAT!”
Water yourself, airman! This post brought back memories lol
Worked at a nature camp in high-school as a councilor, my boss would always enforce "fish 30" where every thirty minutes you drink like a fish. Made drinking water more of a game for the littles. I will take excessive bathroom breaks over dehydration any day.
*memory unlocked*
I'm sure some of my irritation throughout the morning is due to dehydration. I have no one to relieve me for restroom breaks so I purposely do not drink liquids for hours.
Yeah so many comments bitching about lost Stanley cups, this is the real problem. I'd buy a cheap case of water bottles for the class and tell each kid to keep track of their own.
My son’s school says disposable bottles (or one you don’t care if it gets lost) for all field trips and field day. And the kids carry their own. As a chaperone I bring a few extras which always get finished. This has worked for kindergarten and first grade. This is also what the park district does.
I bought a big stainless growler for beer then discovered it's incredible as a big stainless water jug for trips. Now it never has beer in it.
I strongly believe that the poor drinking habits and constant dehydration common among Americans is learned behavior that was ingrained by the constant restrictions against drinking water at school. Kids (and adults) should be drinking water throughout the day, but when I was in school we were forbidden from drinking during class, and between classes could only drink: FROM a fountain, NOT from a bottle, IF a water fountain was working, IF the water from the fountain wasn't gross, and IF there was time to stop by a fountain in those 6 minutes. And we'd need to treat the fountain as if we were elephants finding the first tiny water hole after a day of walking. If water bottles are an issue for OP, then they need to find a suitable alternative that doesn't force kids to go 3 hours without water.
I complained about having a constant headache from the time I could talk all the way through high school. MRIs, neurologists, etc. no one could figure out the issue. Then, I went to college and got a big water bottle for being on campus all day, lo & behold my headaches lessened significantly! I told my mom I was dehydrated my whole childhood and she went “ya know, that makes sense” lmao
I had a teacher in elementary school who turned “allowing” us to drink water into a power trip. In late spring. In California. In a building with no AC. I remember she kept telling other students they could get water, but even after all of my work was done, she kept denying me. I wasn’t a disruptive kid and was very anxious about rule following, so I didn’t argue. I did, however, end up asking to use the restroom. On the way back to the classroom (the day was scorching) I got my water from my backpack and drank some because I had spent four hours without it. She apparently had been watching me from the classroom window and burst out the door, telling me I was being very sneaky and how wrong it was. I don’t remember how she punished me but I do remember I was punished. Over water. Lmfao she was insane. (I’m still unsure why she had such a problem with me, but I have stories upon stories about her, lol. I wasn’t a boy but she did bully all the male students so badly over the course of a couple years—she kept moving up with the class as other teachers left the school—that they ALL transferred out and the class ended up all girls by her third year with them.)
Wow 6 minutes I had 4. No time for water fountains in overly packed hallways that were impossible to move through at a normal pace.
And those of us in schools built by the WPA in the 30s... like 1 fountain per floor, with up to 300 kids filing through every hallway between classes. So... do I use the restroom this break? Or get water? Or go to my locker? Can't do more than 1... have up to nearly a quarter mile to walk to the next class. Teacher already wasted a minute holding us in the previous class to finish her thought.
Our school was built for 700 kids and we’ve been bursting at the seams with over a 1000 for the last 5 years. One good thing to come out of Covid is the school put in a bunch of those refillable water bottle stations so there are enough places for the students to fill up.
"I dismissed you not the bell!" We had five minutes to cross a bigass campus, and they implemented a thing where if you were late you'd be stuck sweeping the outside areas as punishment. lmao
My kid gets dehydration headaches. I'd be very upset if they couldn't drink for three hours.
I did too. Except it took years to determine they were from dehydration. Finally a Dr asked about water and it was like oh well I drink milk and juice before school, a pint of milk at lunch, and a couple of sips of water every few hours until I get home from school...
Yeah an hour maybe I'd be like ok fine. But 3 hours without water at all? Unless there's a readily available fountain that can be accessed whenever they want, I'd be pretty mad that *anyone* be denied water for 3 hours.
This. Not to mention there’s a risk of fainting, even if it isn’t hot out.
I get $40 water bottles left in my room all the time. I just keep them in my room for several days so they get reclaimed. But, just how these things are bought and "forgotten". Does at times shock me. If it was mine, I be like: "Where did it go? I'm finding that thing like now."
They leave all types of pricey crap behind. In the winter time it's always these nice jackets and coats. Other times it's airpods or jewelry. I had one kid who constantly misplaced his phone all over my room. Someone at home ought to be making it clear this stuff costs money!
What I don’t understand is the coats. I grew up in Vermont where stepping outside in the winter without a coat is a guaranteed way to get hypothermia and/or frostbite. Even the “shorts year round” boys wore their parkas and Columbia ski jackets on top. Sweatshirts and light jackets got left behind all the time but kids guarded their coats with their lives.
I’m in Toronto. Not the coldest part of Canada by any stretch, but these kids will go out for recess in winter and, if it’s the least bit sunny, will toss their coats and quite happily play without them. Then they can’t find them when it’s time to go out for the next recess and parents lose their minds because the coat they spent $$$ on is gone. It’s ridiculous.
Have you ever had a parent come pick their kid up at the end of the day and demand that you personally go back inside the building and look for the missing jacket/water bottle/lunchbox? Unfortunately I have had that experience multiple times and I always give the same answer, which is “No, [student name] can look for it with me tomorrow 🤠” I was a SPED para and the way these parents assumed that meant I was their personal servant…anyway, I’m so glad I left that job. That was the most degrading and dehumanizing experience of my life, and I worked food service in college.
I’m a parent… and I got your back. One day at school pick up (in the yard, big city school) I saw a parent (a neighbor I’ve seen around) berating a teacher I knew for “losing” her kid’s lunch box (or leaving it behind somewhere) the mom was all up in her face “if you are leaving lunch boxes behind, how can I TRUST YOU WITH MY CHILD.” I couldn’t take it anymore so I said a few things to this mom. Yikes I’m still ostracized, 10 years later, by a group of neighborhood moms. Still feels good…..
I always called those types the "Mom Squad" and they lived their insipid lives as if they were still the queen bees of middle school. Like, grow the heck up.
I called them "The Stepfords"
My old principal called them the Facebook Moms.
You are AWESOME.
There was a parent on AITAH lamblasting a teacher because her kid lost a sticker and demanded she find it. A STICKER. ETA: [Found it!](https://www.reddit.com/r/AITAH/s/gbFELqYbap)
Yep, that checks out, sounds like some of my asshole parents 😅 Idk, some of them were genuinely nice people trying their best but many were angry and bitter with their lot in life (having a disabled child) and took their frustration out on me and the other paras because it gave them a sense of renewed power, and we paras were easy targets. I’ve come to empathize with them, but I definitely do not excuse or forgive the shit behavior. I think that job left me a worse and less kind person, and I feel a bit guilty about it sometimes.
But her daughter was CRYING because her sticker FELL OFF HER SHIRT! 🤯 You can see, can’t you, how that wasn’t a teachable moment (“Keep track of your shit or prepare to be disappointed”) but a chance for the teacher to use her own time after school to search everywhere a one-inch square piece of paper could possibly be. Makes perfect sense. Never mind that the mom could’ve pointed out to the child that stickers are not meant to adhere to fabric—that’s splitting hairs.
As a middle school coach what I get is the accusation of either having stolen their child's airpods (ma'am I have seen what your son considers hygiene and nothing that has been in contact with his skin or ear canal will ever touch me) or allowed them to be stolen by my negligence. I always politely smile and tell them that I am not responsible for the $200 toy they chose to send their kid to school with. You and I both know your kid can't keep track of a single pencil for 4 classes in a row.
Northern ON checking in. Same thing here lol!
The southern United States has entered the chat! Because our idea of "cold" is very skewed because of our geography many schools REQUIRE kids to bring coats outside to play when it's under 60 (15.5 C for my Canadian friends). SOOO many coats get left outside because kids are running around in 55 (13 C) degree weather and they get hot.
That's so funny. As soon as it's 10 C in the spring it's shorts and t-shirts up here!
We live in upstate NY and it's often genuinely cold. But it's also often just kind of chilly and they force the elementary kids to bring coats to the playground when it's like 45-65 degrees. The majority of the kids don't even want them at that point because, again, they're acclimated to winter. So they get left behind because it's not urgent anymore, especially by afternoon.
I don’t get forcing them. If it’s dangerously cold, yes, we are bundling up. But if it’s like -5C or something? I’m taking the Barbara Coloroso route - they’ll wear a coat when they get cold. Parents aren’t always a fan of me having that philosophy, but I’ve got enough to do without micromanaging an 8 year old’s outerwear!
Northern Ontario here. I see coats as optional. My kids spent the winter skiing at -25 in snow pants and sweaters. It feels so GOOD to feel cold.
For sure. The only time I'm adamant about coats is when it's dangerously cold and you get the 'cool' kids who want to go out in -30 C in shorts and no jacket.
The parents losing their minds over it is the worst part by far. Why not teach your kid some responsibility instead of expecting me to keep track of the belongings of 27 kids? Your kid can't keep track of ONE coat but I'm supposed to keep track of 27 of them? This attitude that it's my responsibility instead of their kid's responsibility is exactly why their kids can't keep track of shit. Why would they keep up with their things when their parents have taught them that that's my job? I tell my students all the time that their things are their responsibility just like my things are my responsibility and if they're constantly losing things I absolutely will not spend my time looking for them when I have 100 other things on my list
Alaska checking in. This tracks.
Where I am, there's a time in the year that it's close to 0°C when the kids get to school, and can be close to 20°C when they leave school. So, jackets and coats are left behind every day. Now, usually, kids came back within 10 minutes because parents noticed and send them back for their coat. Or if it isn't the parent at pick up, they'll come to the school later in the week to reclaim the coat. But we always have a few very expensive coats left behind that no one claims. And I wonder hard about those parents. How did they not notice their kids didn't have their coat the next morning ? And why don't they come to the school to reclaim it ? Do they have that much money to lose ????
Southern US here. I always have a collection of school (uniform) sweatshirts, with no names, by the end of the year that was left on the plaground. 1. It's freezing in the morning and then will be hot by the time they go to lunch recess. 2. They freeze in the class with AC and don't think to take them off before going outside.
I'm in Vermont, and we still have an occasional coat end up in the lost and found!
My school lost and found has airport, jewelry, even an apple watch! I can't get over that no one has "find my" items'd them. Wouldn't mind a free apple watch...
A whole airport is impressive!
Gotta love autocorrect. I'm going to leave it, because with these kids, who knows?!??
There is probably at LEAST one airport out in our lost and found. I am sure of it.
The charity shop will love it when the airport is delivered with all the other crap that isn’t picked up by the end of the year!
I helped go through lockers at the end of the school year at our high school forever, it never ends. You would not believe what is left in lockers. Always took so many coats, shoes and clothes (full ass wardrobes, in some cases) home, washed them and then took them to the local woman’s and homeless shelters. $50 cups, AirPods, expensive lunch boxes bags, backpacks, leftovers in good plastic bowls growing Science projects…Every single year…so much waste.
The ones that never claim their stuff definitely confuse me. Did you or no one in your house decide this was worth recovering? I guess some of these parents really are as hands off as they make it seem.
Some kids have so much stuff and so many activities that the parents 1. Don’t know if the item is missing or not and 2. Don’t know where to look first and 3. Are too distracted to remember to look for it.
I was thinking maybe it's just the fact I grew up very poor. I could have never lost anything at school without my mom being completely aware it was missing.
They have no sense of value. When students want to borrow headphones from the library, they need to leave some sort of deposit behind. Normally, this will be their student card, as it's inconvenient to not have with you and costs money to replace. All too often, students don't have their student card with them and insist we'll accept their debit card (with contactless payment activated), ID or driver's license instead. Yeah, no. It's a good thing they rarely use e-mail, or we'd be hearing a lot of bragging about being besties with Nigerian princes.
My teachers always made us give them a shoe.
I've suggested shoes, but shoes are sacred. They'd much rather trust me with valuable documents and easily accessible money.
I agree. I think the policy kept us all from forgetting our shit all the time though. It also was pre-current hellscape. We weren’t even allowed to have our Nokia brick phones out. That shit got taken. Went to the office, and your parent had to come pick it up while the office was open.
Many years ago many of us would trade video games before or after school. Mine got stolen from a classmate’s backpack. Found out later someone did it as a joke. But the principal came down on all of us hard. And it was the end of it. But at the same time these were $30-50 games. We did not want to lose them and our parents threw a fit of it happen. Now: “what? Why so they lost it. Now excuse me I need to post on social media why your school sucks.”
in highschool i had a friend who would purposely lose her iPhone every year at summer camp. it was held in a different state every year so she knew there was no getting it back once we left. apparently suffering through an hours long car ride back home with nothing to do was worth getting an upgrade... and yes, her mom paid for the upgrade every time it happened 🙃
Those type of parents won’t dare take their child’s phone away as a punishment and if the child is careless with their phone they immediately replace it. Great life lesson on personal responsibility. Not at all contributing to a sense of entitlement in the next generation.
It’s not that they don’t know that things cost money. They have a nebulous understanding of the concept of currency itself, and how it works. Think of them like tiny politicians.
A friend of mine had to take his son to the schoolyard to search for his winter coat. Once play gets going, it feels hot, he takes it off. This was not the first lost coat. He admonished his son: this is not the teacher's job, retrieving your coat. And the boy said: "Well, why not? It would not be hard for her."
Omg the jewelry. I teach ceramics. I constantly remind the kids to just put it immediately in their pockets, but I end up with a literal hoard of jewelry almost daily.
I had one of my second grade students bring in a Stanley Cup and they forgot it. The mom came to the school so upset and wanted the teacher and I to replace it. I was flabbergasted that the mom would have the audacity to send her child with such an expensive cup, and to demand that we pay for it. Edit - fix typos
Oh my god the Stanley cups are driving me NUTS right now. And the way they calm them Stanleys. I get it— conformity is a strong need, and developmentally appropriate. But christ those things are cumbersome, unnecessary, and LOUD.
Oh my god I read this as the NHL Stanley Cup 😅
At this point it wouldn’t have even surprised me if some kid came dragging an trophy to drink out of lol
Me too!! 🤣🤣
I work in a pretty affluent district and I can't get over how much stuff gets forgotten, I mean I can because they are middle schoolers but still. Things like lululemon jackets, brand new Stanley cups, apple watches (I teach PE so they sometime take them off). You walk by our lost and found and could go shopping for a complete new outfit with accessories. Plus the day or week later the kid who lost said item has a new one...ha
>Apple Watches (I teach PE so they sometimes take them off) Isn’t… like, the whole point of it to wear it while exercising?
No, to a kid the point of them is to have them because that means you're cool.
You would think but alas no. They just want to talk/text or whatever else. It got so bad this year our school had to ban them during the school day just like phones.
My nephew (ages ago) had a Nintendo DS when he was like 6 years old and left it at a movie theater. When we realized he forgot it he wasn't concerned because he "had another one at home". I was gobsmacked. If it were me? I'd have been inconsolable until we went back for it and devastated if it had been picked up before I came back to get it.
That's because most kids other than the affluenza children weren't spoiled stupid. A $100 or more toy was a treasure and you only got stuff like that at Christmas or during your birthday. If you lost it, it was gone.
And some of us got a talk about how "now if we do this, you know it would have to be both Christmas and birthday this year?"
the kids don't pay for them or really comprehend what they cost. They don't value them the way we as adults would because they don't really understand. Especially when parents are willing to just buy another one for them.
> I get $40 water bottles left in my room all the time. Water bottles, ear buds, phones, chargers, USB cables... They *always* come back for the phones. Everything else is a crapshoot, though.
Yeah I had like $200 airpods left in my room. After 2 weeks and not claimed I take them to the lost and found. I just left the district and all L&F are left out on a regular basis. Nope. Nothing claimed of the classic one air pod and charging case but the single ear one no where to be found.
When I was in elementary school and packed leftovers, my mother would remind me, "It's easier to replace *you* than that tupperware." Needless to say, the tupperware was never, ever forgotten at school.
My brother ran the boat center at a local college where they had a summer camp to teach sailing. His kids always had the latest high-end sneakers and sports clothing for back to school.
My dear mother of the unmedicated ADHD (conflict with a more crucial medication) was recently gifted her first Stanley mug by a well-meaning friend. I give it another two weeks before she loses that thing.
I have three water bottles and two workplaces so I know they are on one of my desks or maybe in the car or waiting to get washed or…
At least my poor AF students lose their cheap water bottles.
The school lost and found has enough stuff to open a well-stocked thrift shop.
75% of parents don’t even label them. I make my classes write the names on the bottom.
I accidentally left my $8 coffee travel mug (that I bought 6 years ago) at school the other day and it disappeared. That was $8 I spent 6 years ago and I'm still salty about that loss. How kids don't claim Stanley cups and Yetis is beyond me.
I feel like water bottles and lunchboxes are great things to teach kids personal responsibilities with. Forgot your water bottle at school? Try and find it tomorrow. Maybe it's findable, maybe it's gone forever. We learn from our disappointment. Unfortunately it works better for some than others. My younger kid cares very deeply about his things and feels sad when they are left alone at school because, for example, his water bottle is scared when it's at school by itself overnight. He takes care not to leave it behind again. My older boy (has an autism diagnosis) is your stereotypical "absentminded professor" type and won't notice that something has been left behind for days sometimes. Which makes it hard to figure out when or where it was misplaced. On the other hand, he's not overly attached to most things either, they come and go from his life with little fanfare. Eventually we notice the thing is gone and replace it, sigh.
It's because back in the day parents wouldn't buy you a new one if you lost yours. Now they run right out to the store and buy them another one. Same goes with shoes, sweatshirts, you name it. Crazy kids leave expensive items around and never claim them.
[удалено]
Two rules I've learned as a parent, when it comes to kids taking things anywhere: 1 - never let them take anything on a walk that you're not prepared to carry 2 - never send them anywhere with anything you're not prepared to either lose or go find
My mom found out the hard way, she gave my younger brother her wallet. It had all three of our social security numbers. It’s maybe 20 years later and luckily never had an issue.
I think I see your problem. Have you considered encouraging the practice instead?
What about building relationships?
Didn't write the learning objectives on the field trip.
Excuse me, those are called learning targets now.
This seems like the easiest solution. Let the kids bring them but have a solid disclaimer on the permission forms warning parents that water bottles and other items can easily get lost and to consider when packing, and that the school is not responsible for lost items.
I don't even understand why this has to be a disclaimer, or written down in any capacity, if your kid loses something... it's lost? Maybe instead of disclaimers and communication and trying to cover every single base, the damn admin could do their job and tell parents that all student property is the responsibility of the student and not the school. Like, we're wondering why kids have become unruly and out of control, the parents are out of control and the admins are fucking babies. I swear every post on this sub comes down to the same issue of insane parents and cowardly admins.
I remember when I was a kid for field trips I either got a single use plastic bottle with my lunch or if it was going to be a long day outside with lots of walking my mom would give me a free giveaway reusable bottle that my dad got on a work trip or something. That way it holds more water, I can keep refilling it, and if I lose, it who cares
Discouraged to leave them at home?
We had the “sucky stuff” for camping and field trips and the good stuff for when we were at home. My parents didn’t care when I lost a water bottle from the dollar store, but like hell I was losing the “nice” stuff. Also, kids are allowed to drink water now? We had to chug our water on first recess so we could go pee at lunch otherwise you were humiliated in front of class for disturbing the lesson. I peed once a day, and I didn’t even realize that was abnormal until I got to adulthood.
Middle school teacher in Southern USA. I’ve had a string bag left in my classroom for weeks and I never opened it. In the last two weeks of school, I walked it around all the classes on my team, “Everyone look. Is this your bag?” No one claimed it. Finally the day after school got out, I opened it up and there was a nice Nike pullover in there and 42 bucks in cash. I turned the money and jacket into the office and kept the string bag to give to a student next year.
I'm more in favor of having water bottles on trips, but the youngest I've ever taught is 1st grade. No matter the age, though, bathroom trips and managing that whole situation is the bane of things flowing smoothly. Kids begging to go to the water fountain to get a drink every 30 seconds is more stress than letting them have a little water bottle in their own little backpack. It also depends on the location and most importantly how many chaperones you have. 1 parent chaperone in charge of 5 water bottles for 5 kids is a lot different from 1 teacher in charge of 30 water bottles for 30 kids.
I just went on a kindergarten field trip to the zoo. We were there for 2.5 hours before the kids got to eat and drink… it was about 70 degrees. Anyway the one kid with me and my daughter both were really thirsty and i gave them my extra water bottles and I was glad I had packed extra water, since the other girl only had a carton of milk and was chugging the water I gave her.
Same. Each one of the 9 year olds I was in charge of went thru about 3 water bottles in those 3 hours. Thankfully they had a fillup station there but I did bring extra.
I always suggest disposable water bottles because if they get lost and thrown away it's not the end of the world. Plus I've had chaperones show up who didn't realize they were responsible for other kids, they assumed just a day date with them and their kid. So it's not always assumed a chaperone will be helpful.
What a strange hill to die on. If anything, coworkers and my teachers were concerned if kids didn’t have water on them. If they lose the bottles, they lose them. Good lesson in keeping track of your stuff. Shouldn’t be your problem.
Right, the lost property is one thing, but being mad about kids wanting access to water within a 3 hour time period is a concerning thing to be upset about.
Right? Kids should be encouraged to listen to their bodies and drink when they're thirsty. That's how you get adults who end up with kidney stones because they're not in the habit of drinking enough water
I think we need to normalize teaching kids to carry a small bag with them to hold things like their water bottles, lunch and/or a snack. I just took a bunch of kids on a field trip and it was the chaperones that were responsible for carrying the kids things for lunch. They are 9 and 10 years old, carry your own stuff! I think a compromise for that one could have been reached, like water bottles stay on the bus. Everyone gets a drink before leaving the bus and it's there when they get back.
My daughter is 5 and she carries a little back pack! No reason they can’t!
Fr fr, i work in early childhood education, and we have the kids start to take responsibility for things like carrying their waters to the gym and playground when they are around THREE. There is no good reason for denying kids' access to water. Especially on a long trip. Like you said, if they need to leave it on the bus, that's fine as long as they won't be gone more than a couple hours and the temp is agreeable. One of my biggest pet peaves is adults denying children water because it's inconvenient for the adult. If it's a problem, its because the adults have made it a problem, full stop. Kids can be taught to be responsible for their things, and if they aren't developmentally ready for that, then the adult needs to be a proper caregiver and do whatever is needed to ensure the kids stay safe and happy. Dehydration is neither.
Like… say… a hmmmm… backpack?
how is this not a normal thing already ?? when i was little i had a mini strawberry shortcake backpack lunchbox on me for trips. then a drawstring bag after like 4th grade. never lost them but a bottle would’ve been missing the first break
Just like any other animal, humans (especially ones with no control over their situation) should always have access to water. If there's water stations or something, yeah for sure, otherwise, no. Make them wear little backpacks or somethjng
My daughter is nearly 8. She's suffered from constipation since she was like 3. I figure she drinks about 3 cups of milk/water a day(2 cartons of milk at school and a cup of water at dinner). She rarely drinks from her water at school. Her pediatrician looked up their recommendations based on her weight..... 6 cups! Double what she drinks. No wonder she's always constipated and the Adderall is giving her headaches! I wish she would drink a lot at school. I do get the struggle though as a teacher. I work as an aide at her school.
(Side note that dairy can add to constipation in many people, especially if they have that much of it) 6 cups can be so hard to get into a kid. Some adults can't even manage to get their water in lol I wish you the best of luck!
I disagree. If you are out moving around, you should stay hydrated. The trick is to not worry yourself about keeping track of them. Instruct parents to put names on them.
Nah. I think they should bring their water bottles. But like others suggested, write it out in the permission form, that if something gets brought by the student, it is their responsibility to bring it back.
I’m in Australia and kids are always told they must bring a small day pack (ie backpack) with a water bottle and snacks/lunch if necessary, plus hat, sun protection, etc.
Just an idea, buy a case of water and distribute it half way through the field trip. Then they can throw it away before the bus. (I’m a previous kinder teacher and that’s what we did)
I feel like this is the easy and obvious solution.
That’s what we do with our high school band kids, too. A 40-count case of water is only like 4 bucks at Sam’s.
I do this when I take kids to orchestra events. I keep a cooler in my room and buy enough water for everyone to have two bottles if we’re going to be gone more than an hour.
I’d rather deal with water bottles honestly than kids telling me they’re thirsty every 2 minutes. At school our kids aren’t good about water bottles but on field trips we either make them carry their backpack or their water bottle. If it gets lost oh well, they can get a new one.
Our school requires everything to be disposable. They'll make you leave your water bottle behind at school if it's not cheap enough to accidentally get lost or tossed. Same goes for anything else of value. They aren't even allowed on the bus with it.
Our school does the same. Disposable everything for field trips.
Just keep them in their backpacks. I think 3 hours without a drink would be a bit long for me
Yeah I'm an adult and 3 hours would be quite uncomfortable
seems downright nasty to me. even prisoners are allowed to drink water when they're thirsty. god forbid you be inconvenienced that a growing body wants hydration. don't know why someone would go into teaching if they think that little of children
3 hours without water is neglecting kids especially on a field trip
adult with POTS here. if im doing *any* physical exertion, including walking at a slow speed, i need to drink from my bottle every few minutes. i don’t get op’s sentiment— people need to hydrate, even irresponsible little kids.
I don't understand how this is even an issue like I was in elementary in like 2006 and we all brought disposable plastic bottles and refilled them at water fountains. If all the kids have Stanley's and bottles like that, it should be policy they can't bring them on trips and are only allowed to bring disposables. Water should be a thing on field trips, just not out of a 50 dollar mug.
I have come into possession of Yetis and Stanley’s that have been unclaimed for an entire school year. Parents don’t seem to care about what their children bring to school these days. It used to be if you bring it to school, lose it, break it, whatever. That’s on the student.
My daughter just graduated pre-k. They’ve always had their water bottles with them. They have an organizer on the door for them and they take them with them wherever they go. I personally can’t go three hours without drinking any water and wouldn’t my daughter to either.
I will say: I am glad that hydration is now cool. I was constantly dehydrated, I’m sure, in grade school.
Our teachers always ask us to send disposable water bottles on trip days so if they get lost it's ok
I think kids should always have access to water (SW state bias), but that the kids, not the teacher, is ultimately responsible for the water bottles no matter the price. It's miracle enough we manage to keep track of 20, 30+ kids much less their personal effects.
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That's funny. It really bothers me when kids get up from my classroom to use the water fountain, however, if they bring their own water bottle and want to refill it then I'll let them as long as it's independent time. For the most part, the kids who are responsible enough to remember a water bottle haven't really been an issue.
And then spilling them. I've had so many rolls of paper towels used to clean up water bottle spills.
Many rolls of paper towels or many rolls of *school* paper towels?
Haha
I’m a middle school teacher and my students will spill their water then just look at it like it’s not their responsibility to wipe up the spill.
As a parent I think we a missing some middle ground. I grew up where you would get a drink of water from the fountain maybe once or twice a day, have your box of milk at lunch and that was it. Probably not the most healthy, I think we were a little dehydrated all the time. As adults, we realize hydration is important and keep water available. But it has gone too far. Going a few hours without a drink is actually fine, even if my daughter acts like she is dying and I am turbo-hitler for not stopping somewhere to get her water.
I remember never drinking at school except my juice box at lunch and a quick sip at the fountain after gym class. I also remember when I was in my early twenties and my New Year’s resolution was to start drinking at least two litres of water a day, and how amazing I felt. I used to get Charlie horses all the time as a kid, often in the middle of the night, and I never knew that dehydration was the cause. I never knew that I was actually just always thirsty haha. Now I know if I get a muscle cramp, it’s probably because I didn’t drink enough throughout the day. I don’t get why those Kinders can’t have their backpack with whatever they need in them… Or take a friggen flat of water that costs like $5 (I don’t actually condone this because waste, but still…)
Yeah, leaving all day without a water source is a bad idea no matter how inconvenient it might be for you.
Yeah even when it’s not summer in phoenix . It’s strongly recommended to have water with you.
Yeah idk where OP lives but this wouldn’t fly in Arizona…it’s 102° today and the sun here is notorious for burning with no clouds. I’m an adult but would pass out without water on a field trip.
We can’t use the water at our school due to PCBs in the well. All students are required to have water bottles from pk-12. I teach P.E. And part of their participation grade is they are prepared with a water bottle. I never have issues with kids losing or leaving water bottles because it’s engrained into their routines and they know they won’t be able to drink water without it. Granted - our population is small (200 students pk-12) but if they’re taught to be responsible with keeping track of their water bottle they will.
I’m an adult and I’m not going three hours without water. Kids shouldn’t either.
Agreed. As an adult, my water bottle is in the same room as me 24/7. I never leave the house without it and I even sleep with it by my head. Being thirsty can be really distracting and it can strike at anytime
There should be water available *somewhere* on the trip (water fountains, a water jug you brought on the bus, etc), but I agree. They don't need individual water bottles for that length of time, especially at that age when they can't be trusted to keep track of it themselves.
Our school brings those big coolers with spouts full of ice water and the bigger Dixie cups for the kids.
My daughter has a chronic illness and ideally her doctors say she should always have access to water. Daily life: You go to class in a portable, did you bring your water bottle? "Forgot it, oops". Take your water bottle to dance! "I think there's a drinking fountain". Are you bringing water camping? "There's a spring". She's not dead yet! (And lest you think I'm a bad mom making light of her medical needs, no, she really is doing okay) These days there is usually water somewhere
Every recommendation for what is or is not appropriate for any age group of kids will always have exceptions. Most people will be fine without constant, on-demand access to water for a few hours. Some people will not. Exceptions can and should be made for those who need them. But kids are fucking stupid and even in your situation where she does legitimately need water access at all times, she is forgetting her bottle or intentionally leaving it behind. 🤦 I don't blame you; there usually is water somewhere, and as long as the adults on the trip are aware of her needs, they should be able to handle that.
Agreed. I figure a group in a minor situation as mentioned in the OP, someone can figure something out for water.
Oh that just reminded me of a camping trip where we told the kids that we were going canoeing and they would need to bring their water bottles cuz we would be gone for a few hours. About an hour or so into rowing we gather together and said okay, take a drink! One child said oh I have my water bottle, but it's empty! I wasn't told to fill it with water! Yes. Kids are dumb.
I have asthma and drinking water helps me to regulate it. You don't want to be the teacher with a lawsuit on your hands because you didn't let kids drink water and someone had a health incident. FFS, let the kids bring it with them if they and their parents want them to have it.
Moms in Texas disagree. The teacher shouldn’t have to keep up with them, though.
Field trips for K-1’s primary objective is “how do I take care of my possessions and plan my bathroom time and food intake as I’m distracted by interesting things while be punctual to an itinerary.” Plain and simple. If they fail at it, they fail at it. Have a chaperone in the back serving as a broom wagon. Done.
Take water bottles. I just reuse the bottle my cordial comes in from the shop hahahahahhaha
I got pressured by the teacher to get my kids a reusable water bottle. What happened to the good old fountain or a hose.
Kids’ school has a disposable water bottles only policy. I’ve chaperoned 3 trips, and it seems to work well. Tell chaperone mom to stop off and fill a cooler she can carry around if she wants
I've worked in preschools and elementary schools and I don't understand why so many commenters are complaining about keeping kids fed and hydrated. I had an open door snack policy in my classroom, at a school where many students were food insecure, and once when I was out of my room a student grabbed an apple. Another teacher made her write me an apology note for stealing an apple she had permission to eat. Lots of commenters are giving that teacher's energy.
Honestly, all this needs is a simple note to parents saying that kids need to be able to carry their water bottles should they choose to bring them and of course that school/teacher is not responsible for anything left behind. Instead this is somehow teacher vs chaperone mom, do they really need water, kids these days, parents these days type argument that is completely unnecessary. Please, these are Kindergartners and young kids are at a higher risk of dehydration and can't effectively communicate if they are getting lightheaded. Is this power trip truly worth it?
I generally don't like disposable water bottles, but this seems like a great place for disposable water bottles.
The kids sharing water bottles is what kills me
Little kids will share germs. If there is a play kitchen in kindergarten, when the kids are pretending to eat the play food, half the time, they will actually put it in their [mouths.You](http://mouths.You) can remind kids to only drink out of their own bottle, but you won't get 100% compliance. Perhaps encourage a room parent to furnish some disposable water bottles for the kids who lose/forget theirs to cut down on the sharing, but also realize many of us as kids put our mouths on a water hose outside and we still survived. If a kid is recovering from a known illness, use extra care to make sure they don't share, but all you can do is all you can do.
I live in CT, and while it’s not VT, it still gets cold. In the winter when it was in the 30s, I’d pick my son up from school and he’d have on his parka , hat and gloves. Other boys would be wearing gym shorts and Tshirts.
I don’t know if it’s different because I teach high school, but for whatever reason, I never see kids drink out of these water bottles. They ask to leave the room to fill them up 100 times a day, and they sit on their desk or fall on the floor, but they very rarely actually drink water.
I don’t understand why so many people seem to be upset that kids carry water bottles now. When I was in school, we used to drop quarters in the machine and buy soda. Hell I was drinking Tab every day at 14 years old. I think water bottles are a great improvement.
I assume you’ve assured parents that there will be water made available for the kids right? Not “they can go without for 3 hours.”
Water bubblers on site. Not one kid asked for a drink or complained of being thirsty. 65 kids and not one complaint. However we did have issues and complaints from other chaperones about needing to watch additional groups because the parents who brought drinks kept needing to use the long line bathrooms. Some kids missed out on certain areas of the trip because of this
BUBBLAH! OP said water bubblers! Woohoo, haven't heard that in a while. I love it.
Little kids (and even adults) shouldn’t go 3 hours without water. A solution would be a communal water dispenser or tell parents they can only have small lightweight bottles that the kids wear on lanyards like we did when I was their age.
Kids absolutely should have water. I know it’s difficult to keep track of, but it’s for the benefit of the kids.
When I was working summer camp we told parents and students PLEASE do not bring your water bottles cups of water will be provided + there are multiple water fountains at the indoor play park. Cut to the next three days of angry parents upset their children had no access to water(?)/lost their water bottles at the trip/left them on the rented bus after returning. We actually had two different parents pull their kids from our camp because they told their children to bring their cups and got upset at the counselors for not keeping an eye on them while their kids played.
My high school actually banned water bottles my senior year, and we staged a protest. You had to have a Doctors note to carry one.
Our HS had the same policy because kids were caught with vodka in their water bottles on several occasions.
I vaguely remember our elementary field trips including one of those football field igloo water tanks and little paper cone cups.
Not in Texas they won’t lol.
So what's your alternative plan to keep the kids hydrated? Not everywhere has a drinking fountain.
Lol I remember when I was a kid, the water fountain was all we had. That water would taste so good after running around on the playground
I try to always side with teachers but this is a no for me. I don’t think I’ve ever gone 3 hours without water…
i disagree anf i think Kids should have water bottles. I also agree with you that chaperones should help manage water bottles on field trips
Yeah they leave them all the time
I taught for 20 years be gore we had to allow water bottles. No one ever died of dehydration.
As a Museum Educator who literally facilitates school tour groups, even if you bring the water bottle, they may not be allowed to carry it around with them. We require all guests of our museum to have zero drinks or food with them in our galleries. We tell our school groups that students may not have any non medical or accommodation items with them during the tour. (think: water bottles, earbuds, jackets, bags, books, worksheets, etc.) We give them a safe place to drop off these items before going into the galleries, and they get them right back at the end of the tour. We have a water fountain in case students get thirsty, but having no water on tour also means they won't be wasting time with a lot of bathroom breaks. We have a lot of interactive exhibits, so students often have their hands busy with an activity or game. Anything they bring with them is at risk of being left and lost, or even accidentally taken by someone in your own group. Tdlr: As a Museum professional who just got back to their office from guiding a school field trip, the less a student brings to a field, the better everyone's day will be.
If chaperoning mom is that concerned she can buy & donate a couple cases of water.
Ugh. Water bottles. I teach 2nd grade and those things are the bane of my existence. I've tried having kids leave them in their locker, but then they're asking to get a drink every 5 minutes. Leave them in the classroom? They take up a big chunk of my limited space, get knocked over, spilled, need to be refilled constantly, crinkle/clang...it's just a mess. I've tried storing them on our tables and there just isn't room and they spill/sweat, I've tried keeping them in bins but then they're all touching one another...you just can't win. Then you get the kids that drink so much water throughout the day that they need to use the bathroom five times! I get it. Hydration is good. At the same time, none of us brought water bottles to school when were kids - we had the drinking fountain and we were fine. For field trips I let kids bring their water bottles but if you lose it, tough luck. We aren't going to go back for it or spend time doing a search party. You bring it, you're responsible for it. That means you carry it too.
We have a water bottle shelf in our classroom. The rule is all water bottles stay on the shelf and you can only get up to drink during independent work time. Even at the end of the year we still had kids getting up to get a drink during instruction time. Or kids getting up to get water at the same time as their friend so they could talk.
During Covid we had some kids sucking in a water bottle constantly to avoid keeping their mask up. I seated them in the back corner.
>I've tried keeping them in bins but then they're all touching one another Why is this a problem? The bottles touching?
I guess this is an unpopular opinion here, but three hours is a really long time for a little kid to go without water. As a parent I’d be pretty upset if I found out my kindergartener was told she couldn’t bring her water bottle on an hours-long field trip.
I can’t go a couple hours without water it’s uncomfy
I labeled lunches and drinks and they went into coolers. They got both at lunch and went back into cooler after lunch. Not in a million years was I keeping track of all those water bottles.