Am I Being Overly Protective?

[momshell7]

I would like to get some opinions. Today my son's class went on a walking field trip to another elementary school where they have penpals. The weather here today is very hot and humid. It is supposed to be 90 by noon. The kids have to walk 1.3 miles one way to the school. There aren't many, if any places along the way to stop in the shade and rest. This has me very upset. I don't think the kids should have to walk that far in this heat. They said on the news that today is an ozone action day and that you should stay inside as much as possible. They said that kids, elderly and those with cronic medical problems are the most suceptible to the effects of the pollutants that are in the air, especially on ozone action days. This has had me so upset I feel like there is a blender in my stomach. I didn't want to send my son to school but Jeff said that if I made sure he had sun block and lots of water he would be ok. I am still very worried. I feel like I am not doing my job of protecting him. He is not a big kid and I am afraid he will get over heated to easily. He also has a baseball game tonight and I am afraid that all this activity in this heat will be too much.

Am I just being an over-protective mom?

Michelle

 

[tobagotwo]

If he's of normal health, probably so.

Without getting into a big "when I was a kid" story, we did much more than that that, just for fun. And we walked over a mile to school carrying books, starting in kindergarten. (And since there was a big hill we had to walk over to get there and again on the way back, it could even be said that it was "uphill both ways!") The pollution was worse then, by far.

Sunblock is important, moreso now than then. And he might want to get a drink before he leaves, but carrying a canteen for "the journey" would be overkill. It's just not that far. At a 2.5 mph snail's pace, you're talking about a 30-minute meander. I've seen kids walk as a group, and I'll bet his biggest annoyance will be with how slowly some of the kids will dawdle along. Presumably his Phys Ed teacher works him harder than that.

The ballplaying, especially the Saturday daytime games, will be much more heat stress than the walk.

Just my opinion...

Best wishes,

 

[Ross]

Now when I was a kid...........He'll be just fine. Cut loose a little mom. I spent many a summer 90 degree days doing all sorts of stuff that they now say not to do. Once it was all done, time to go to the friends pool for the evening!

 

[Barry]

If this is the most hazardous thing your child faces in the course of growing up, he shall have led a very sheltered childhood indeed.

That said...

It is a bit weird that the school is having kids walk on the same day that there's local advisories that essentially say kids shouldn't be doing that. I guess I'd be inclined to let your kid go, but maybe ask the school officials to explain their decision to go ahead with the walk. (And you may find that they have an explanation that makes sense and allays your fears.)

 

[momshell7]

He survived!

He survived!

Well, I just picked him up from school and everything went just fine. I am glad I was overly paranoid for nothing I guess I am just very protective when it comes to Dylan. He just turned 9 on June 4th. Every year on his birthday I am reminded of how close we came to losing him when he was born. I guess that fear will always be with me. I am doing a lot better than I used to though. I used to be so afraid to have him out of my site. I was afraid that something would happen to him. I guess another part of it is that I am his mom and worrying about him is part of my job. Jeff is more laid back about it than I am so he forces me to let them be boys and run crazy from time to time.

Thanks again to everyone for your responses.

Michelle

 

[Ross]

Moms are moms. Mine used to follow me everywhere I went to make sure I was with who I said I'd be with and such. It was funny one night. I told her I was going to go meet McCloud at the corner. This was during CB radio days mind you. Well I went and met Police Officer Spenser in his cruiser on the corner just as I had said. Lee looked funny and then looked at me and said, "All right, who's behind that bush over there?" Pointing at a near by neighbors bush. There sits mom thinking she's all stealth and such.

 

[Debrinha GT]

A little about myself.

A little about myself.

I've had heart issues since I was very young as well as very poor eyesight(25%). I had to spent two years of my childhood in bed so you can imagine how difficult it was for my mum when I wanted to make up for lost time. With my brother and sister, no problem, but while they were allowed to lead a normal childhood and do what was normal for their age, I felt sufocated. I had a very annoying brother who wouldn't even let me chat with boys and kept making a fool out of me every time he saw me talking to any of his pals. I was so fed up at one point, but was too afraid of him to stick up for myself. I had never had a boyfriend before Robert and everybody was surprised when my mum let me travel to the other side of the world to meet this 17 year-old boy they knew nothing about except what he wrote in his letters, and get enagaged to him just like that. She said she was worried sick but felt she didn't have the right to get in the way there. She thought that if she stopped me from living this romance, one day I could hold her responsible should I have had an unhappy life with someone else. One thing I've learned from her experience is that there comes a time when you have to let go, however hard it may be. I've heard something said in Portuguese and I'll translate it as best as I can: "don't cut your child's wings, but prepare them for the flight instead."
Débora