Age of Kids carrying wallet/fanny pack, etc.

[bsmcneil]

At what age does it feel right to let your kid keep up with (at least some) of their own stuff? I realize - before anyone says it - all kids are different and we know our kids best. That said - what have you all found to work/not work, etc. Here are the pieces of the puzzle:

2 kids - one will be 8 and 360 days ( ) when we go and the other will be ~5 ½. Oldest has a wallet but doesn't really do much with it (same thing for youngest) though we haven't gone on trip like this. I think that by 8, I was in charge of my own wallet for the most part.
We'll all have magic bands - and I don't mind using that. On the other hand, I know there's something liberating and developmentally helpful to let kids manage their own funds (to a certain extent). Their grandma got them WDW gift cards. And I've gotten them each one for Droid Depot, and then my plan was to split up some of the ones I have (I bought a lot during Black Friday/around then) and maybe keep a relatively low balance (in case it gets lost).

So, on one hand, I like the idea of saying, "here is your gift card for souvenirs and I can give you tips along the way - but you're in charge". Or maybe one for just snacks so they don't have to worry about asking and hearing me say no - they can make those decisions. And I think there's something cool for kids to say, "No, I'm paying."

Anyway, the question is - should I keep ahold of everything and give it to them when they need (like in my bag)? Or, should I get them a wrist wallet (seems less likely to fall or be stolen)? Fanny pouches are an option. I also thought about trying to get a lanyard that has a clear plastic case for things like room key, cash, etc - also seems less likely to be forgotten somewhere or stolen.

Any ideas?

 

[stephk1981]

So, in general I agree with giving your children responsibility for their own ' stuff especially by age 8. However, IMO.....doing so at Disney can have huge ramifications. Kids carrying their own backpack for their water, sunscreen, etc ( anything that you don't care if they lose) is a great idea! Giving an 8 year old a gift card with large amounts of money or a wallet with cash, maybe not. We do live close by, so granted our amount of times in the parks are a greater percentage( meaning more times my kids could lose something!) I started trying at 9 with my oldest. I gave him a gift card that his grandmother gifted for a birthday. He lost it at some point throughout the day. I did have it added to me gift cards on the Disney gift card site, so I went on and transferred the rest of the amount to one of my other gift cards once we realized he had lost it. During that time, someone had found it and spent $60 of the amount on the gift card. I did not replace it, but it was a hard lesson for him. I think I would have felt worse for him if we didn't go often.
You have already said ' you know your kids best and you do! If you feel like they are ready for this responsibility, I personally, would start out small and only give them a small amount of their money or gift card to carry around each day. If it is lost that day, they still have some left for the rest of the trip. Have a great holiday with your children!

 

[Boopuff]

My girls carried a small “sling” pack at 5 and 8 they each had their water bottle and a rain poncho. They did a great job and my load was lessened!

 

[lanejudy]

Is your 8-yr-old actually responsible with his wallet, or just that he has one? My teen has a wallet, but is not the most responsible when it comes to carrying it around on vacation. I agree with PP that giving both kids responsibility for carrying their own water bottle, poncho, sweatshirt, etc. is great. But I also would be careful about how much $$ (gift cards or cash) to let them carry at one time. At that age we let DD have $X per day with a "spend it or save for tomorrow" kind of deal, with $X given each day (she usually spent it all each day!). But I kept her wallet in my bag to avoid loss. So maybe keep the gift cards on you, but tell the kids "you have $X to spend, let me know when you want it."

 

[colleen.jeanne88]

I plan to have my kids wear mini backpacks for their water bottles, mini fan, cooling towel, and ears. They will each have a gift card with a certain amount on it for their own souvenirs or anything I don't want to buy them but Ill keep it in my bag since I'm worried it would fling out while they were grabbing something else. If they were bringing their own wallet, I might but my kids dont keep cash so carrying a whole wallet for a single giftcard for them doesn't seem worth it to me.

 

[pjacobi]

I would not recommend anyone carry anything of value in a fanny pack, such as a wallet. Fanny packs are an easy target for pickpockets. Disney World is a very safe place, but don't develop the habit of putting valuables in a fanny pack.

-Paul

 

[GoofyDad_4427]

Every kid is different. My very responsible 15 year old lost his wallet in the bathroom of a Miller's Ale House recently. I can't imagine giving my boys anything of value at all to carry around the parks when they were 8 years old. Partly because i wouldnt want them to have to worry about in on vacation, but mostly because i wouldnt want to have to worry about them having it.

 

[MrsPete]

Several random thoughts:

- I completely agree with having kids ages 6-12ish manage their own money as a learning tool; however, I don't agree with pushing those lessons at Disney. This is the kind of thing you want to teach them at home -- not during a multi-day vacation, where they're going to be excited, overly tired, etc. Do these things at home in small burst /with low stakes. Let the kids order and pay for a pizza from your local pizza place, let them pump gas and put your credit card into the machine -- choosing, speaking to the cashier, making the payment, saying thank you -- all of these are important steps that children need to learn and practice, but AT HOME they'll focus more on the learning experience and are more likely to succeed.

- If you want to tie money lessons to your Disney trip, consider giving them X amount and having them buy snacks, drinks, breakfast items for your room. Let them make lists of things you need to bring. Be prepared for this to take much longer than it would take you -- learning always takes longer.

- My kids are adults now, but -- when they were small -- we didn't give them spending money for Disney. We focused on the experience rather than buying stuff that just ended up in next year's yard sales anyway. When we implemented this plan, the kids didn't even blink; they realized that they went on 5-6 vacations per year, which was more than any of their friends. Zero regrets.

- As for hauling their own gear -- raincoats, etc. -- I'd say a string backpack would be lightweight and easy. I wouldn't haul water bottles -- not when it's so easy to order /pick up cold ice water from any Quick Service restaurant.

- Last thought: I teach high school seniors, and practically every single day one of my students loses something. A computer left charging in first period science class, a ring set down on the sink while washing hands in the bathroom, a phone left in the gym locker, a bookbag left in the cafeteria. Likewise, they aren't particularly good at watching after their things. I'm thinking about going out to watch softball practice and seeing the girls' backpacks -- full of wallets, phones, school computers -- piled behind the dugout (out of everyone's line of sight). The things in the school's lost and found are amazing. My conclusion: Kids NEED lessons in taking care of their things /need NOT to be saved from the consequences of their own mistakes -- while those mistakes are still small enough not to matter.

- Back to the original question. When would I allow kids to carry things that matter? Park tickets, money or credit card? When they're old enough to split off from the family and go ride something on their own. 14-15? Let them carry things of little value prior to this time (snacks, disposable ponchos), and pay attention to how they manage those small responsibilities.

 

[Rory607]

My H and I have always taken turns carrying the backpack and I also carry a small crossbody for my phone and credit card. I agree that Disney really isn’t the place I would start teaching them to take responsibility for money and/or gift cards. I would be upset if they lost a gift card and it would really put a damper on the trip.

My daughter is 11 and got a Loungefly backpack for Christmas, so she is planning on taking that on our next trip, but this will be the first time she has had her own bag. She is responsible and I might give her a small amount of cash to have on her, but nothing else of much value. Otherwise, she can have a hoodie, sunscreen, etc. My son is 8 and so far this year he has lost two coats and numerous water bottles at
school, so he’s not ready for his own bag

 

[Elephantay]

I agree with the previous posters. At that age, I would just carry the stuff. Especially for a five year old

If you want them to do it, I'd ask them what type of thing they want to use. Keep in mind backpacks can be very hot, kids will get fussy, getting on and off rides will need to be managed differently, etc. We use fanny packs as adults, keeping the pouch in front.

On our trips, we offer to buy everyone a hat and article of clothing ( tshirts or bathing suit or whatever). I want to encourage hats because the sun is exhausting...
Everyone can choose any special treat- one each day. We dont fuss about it and its fun for kids to be able to look at cupcakes and ice cream carts and popcorn and know that THEY get to pick. Whenever they want. Thats a huge joy for little ones!
Often the kids will have a gift card they got as a gift from a family member who knew we were going to WDW as extra spending money. That can be used for anything. We have many lightsabers

 

[Lilsia]

We raised our kids taking them to WDW and we don't bring anything into the parks that does not fit in our pockets. I year my husband though that we would need a backpack full of stuff and after a couple of hours in the heat with his back sweating, he said never again especially since we used nothing out of the bag. No need for the kids to carry a wallet, they were almost always with me and when they got older, I just had them charge everything to the magic band and we could square up when we got home if they were paying with their own money. We did not need anything else that required a bag.

 

[Lilsia]

Several random thoughts:

- I completely agree with having kids ages 6-12ish manage their own money as a learning tool; however, I don't agree with pushing those lessons at Disney. This is the kind of thing you want to teach them at home -- not during a multi-day vacation, where they're going to be excited, overly tired, etc. Do these things at home in small burst /with low stakes. Let the kids order and pay for a pizza from your local pizza place, let them pump gas and put your credit card into the machine -- choosing, speaking to the cashier, making the payment, saying thank you -- all of these are important steps that children need to learn and practice, but AT HOME they'll focus more on the learning experience and are more likely to succeed.

- If you want to tie money lessons to your Disney trip, consider giving them X amount and having them buy snacks, drinks, breakfast items for your room. Let them make lists of things you need to bring. Be prepared for this to take much longer than it would take you -- learning always takes longer.

- My kids are adults now, but -- when they were small -- we didn't give them spending money for Disney. We focused on the experience rather than buying stuff that just ended up in next year's yard sales anyway. When we implemented this plan, the kids didn't even blink; they realized that they went on 5-6 vacations per year, which was more than any of their friends. Zero regrets.

- As for hauling their own gear -- raincoats, etc. -- I'd say a string backpack would be lightweight and easy. I wouldn't haul water bottles -- not when it's so easy to order /pick up cold ice water from any Quick Service restaurant.

- Last thought: I teach high school seniors, and practically every single day one of my students loses something. A computer left charging in first period science class, a ring set down on the sink while washing hands in the bathroom, a phone left in the gym locker, a bookbag left in the cafeteria. Likewise, they aren't particularly good at watching after their things. I'm thinking about going out to watch softball practice and seeing the girls' backpacks -- full of wallets, phones, school computers -- piled behind the dugout (out of everyone's line of sight). The things in the school's lost and found are amazing. My conclusion: Kids NEED lessons in taking care of their things /need NOT to be saved from the consequences of their own mistakes -- while those mistakes are still small enough not to matter.

- Back to the original question. When would I allow kids to carry things that matter? Park tickets, money or credit card? When they're old enough to split off from the family and go ride something on their own. 14-15? Let them carry things of little value prior to this time (snacks, disposable ponchos), and pay attention to how they manage those small responsibilities.

I loved reading your post. I think that some people are just flighty and lose things. My SIL is like that, she has lost her purse countless times. Most of the time she forgets it at a store or restaurant and she gets it back. But no amount of lessons have changed her behavior. LOL

 

[Anna131517]

I would not do this at Disney just because I like to limit the kids purchasing anything until right before we leave the parks, and my kids have no patience!

 

[Skywalker3]

I would start with them just carrying around backpacks/fanny packs/wallets w little to nothing of value, just to get used to the idea of carrying something. It's a LOT to remember to get stuff off of the rides, get stuff out of the storage area on the rides, etc. especially if it's not something one deso a lot. My son, at 12, the first time I left him in Mousegear to check out on his own w one of our Disney rewards cards, promptly lost the gift card....luckily it only had like $2.00 left .DD had already been going to the mall w a bag/purse, but even one of her first times doing that, she left it in a store. I wouldn't want my kids to feel bad though, on vacation, if they lost something, especially a gift card or money, or important souvenir. Start w something cheap

 

[courtney1188]

The only real money management thing we have the kids do at Disney is tell them at the beginning of the trip how much money they have for souvenirs, and it’s up to them how they want to spend it. The eight year old immediately blows it all on day one and regrets it later, and the seven year old waits until close to the end of the trip to make sure he is very sure about his purchases. So I would say a lot of when they’re ready depends on personality, haha! But I do not have them carry their own cash at Disney - I know it would ruin their day if they lost it, and that’s too big of a risk for me since we only go once a year.

 

[JoyfulHeart]

What we did.

Both of my girls had roughly 6 month to save before disney. I gave them both moeny to "top them off" as they call it. Once at Disney their money stayed locked up in the hotel room. If they chose to buy a souvenir they paid me back when we got to the room that night. I did not want them to loose their money/ wallet, but still they were responsible for their spending... it was their money. ODD (9 at the time) spent it all in two days. YDD (7) spent a little each day and ended with $60 left. I will add that grandparent also donated toward their souvenir fund. As for snack DH & I paid for all food as it was a family trip.

For a bag. both DD had small cross body bags with a little candy, hand sanitizer, notebook and pen and an old phone to play on that had no internet/plan. This kept them busy in line and they liked having their own "stuff". it was super light and I offered to take it later in the day if they were dragging, but both kept them the whole time.

 

[MainMom]

I kept all of my kids stuff at WDW for the simple fact that I don’t want to have one more thing to think or worry about on vacation.

 

[caitlinlikesgames]

Just a thought - my then 8-year old carried her own cross-body bag really well on our last trip BUT there was a huge consequence to our day when she once forgot it on a ride (Dinosaur).

Taking a bag off at each attraction and remembering to grab it from wherever it's stored as you are being hurried off the attraction is sometimes hard for ME, let alone for a kid. She realized she left her bag on the ride pretty quickly, but by the time we talked to a CM at the ride, we were told any bag would already be making its way over to guest services, so we'd have to go there. My husband then spent over an hour at guest services waiting to speak to someone and recover the bag. In the meantime, my daughter was so upset and feeling so guilty! And we were all worried the bag would somehow not make it back to us. Not how any of us wanted to be spending our park day!

Thankfully we did get the bag back, but even if it had only contained things we didn't mind losing, we wouldn't have wanted to either abandon it or waste that time in the park getting it back. So for me personally, I'd rather just carry my kids' stuff!

 

[Pookasaurus]

At 5 and 8 my kids carried some of their own stuff but not a full back pack or anything high dollar. At 12 and 15 this trip I’m done being the pack mule and got them their own bags though lol. I went on amazon and bought little wallets marketed for kayaking and such that attach to their laynards (we do pin trading) to carry their gift cards and money as less a chance it could fall out of a pocket or bag. My 15yo has a phone and is really responsible about it - but I do worry about it falling out of a pocket on a ride or otherwise - so I bought a little leash thing for it from Amazon as well. Stuff happens! Thinking about it I should probably get one for myself too ha.

 

[JLTraveling]

I don't have kids, but I grew up going to day camp every summer starting when I was 5. We were responsible for our own money, and our own stuff (bags, etc.) for all activities--skating rink, bowling alley, movies, etc., as well as theme park days. At 7, we were allowed to roam the parks on our own all day, just meeting up with the counselors by the buses at the end of the day. So some of the ages people are suggesting for simply carrying their own stuff while accompanied by parents kind of blow my mind. That said, all of my experiences were day trips. So I'm not advocating giving a 5 year old all their spending money for the week or anything. But I think if you divide up the total amount of money by the number of days, and give each kid one day's worth in the morning, it's not a huge risk. And if they lose it? Valuable lesson. I'd also let them carry low-dollar personal items like sweatshirts, water bottles, rain ponchos. Yes, carrying a bag, storing it on a ride, and retrieving it afterwards is hard. But it's a skill to learn like any other, and you can help out for the first few rides...gentle reminders of where to put stuff and when to get it back out.