All the extra costs for school kids!!!!!

[Worfiedoodles]

I would think twice before not buying a college class ring -- that can be as helpful as a suit in opening doors for employment. High school you can definitely skip -- but college, particularly if that is how graduates "recognize" each other, can help in all types of networking. No reason college graduates cannot earn the money to purchase their own rings, though...

Maria

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I would think twice before not buying a college class ring -- that can be as helpful as a suit in opening doors for employment. High school you can definitely skip -- but college, particularly if that is how graduates "recognize" each other, can help in all types of networking. No reason college graduates cannot earn the money to purchase their own rings, though...

Maria

In my entire life I have known 2 people who wore college rings. I can't imagine buying one, and I went to a good college.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

In my entire life I have known 2 people who wore college rings. I can't imagine buying one, and I went to a good college.

It all depends on the local culture (by the way, I went to 2 good colleges and I don't have rings for either degree, it wasn't something anyone used) -- I had really not noticed it when I lived in the Midwest. In Boston, the ring is definitely a symbol I see flashed, and people do recognize each other by them.

The poster may not feel it is important for their child, but since (I am paraphrasing) since they said everyone gets a ring and they wear them, it lead me to believe that it is probably an important networking tool for employment and connections in that community as well.

Maria

 

[Belle5]

In Boston, the ring is definitely a symbol I see flashed, and people do recognize each other by them.

...it lead me to believe that it is probably an important networking tool for employment and connections in that community as well.

Maria

That is exactly the importance of it.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Wow...I don't know ANYONE in Boston who wears a college class ring. Definitely not something me or my peers (and I went to two affluent colleges and know people who went to most of the big name schools in the area) would have spent money on.


This is one of the things I love about reading these boards. It's really like a giant sociological study in how different areas of the country do things so differently. LOVE it!!!

 

[kidshop]

VBS is Vacation Bible School, right? I've never heard of a church charging for that!

Ours has a fee...$10. It's a 3 hour a day program for 1 week. Maybe if it's more like a camp or daycare it has a feel, but that's not a traditional VBS.

 

[Irin997]

For DD8 this year so far:

Fall Soccer: $180
Winter Basketball: $75
Spring Lacrosse: $100
Spring Soccer: $30

I think we'll take the summer off completely. If anything she will do a week-long evening soccer camp or something, which will probably be $150-200 for the week.

Yes it's totally expensive but when I was a kid I never had the chance to play any sports so I love that I can provide that for my daughter, especially as a single mom.

I can't really think of any other crazy expenses I have for DD8. I pack her lunch everyday because I absolutely cannot stomach paying $2.25 for a pretty crappy lunch - that would be $11.25 and I don't think I even pay that much for my lunches that I bring to work.

We also have the occasional school-related costs like a field trip or most recently, $6 for the recorder! I loved playing the recorder in Elem. School. Believe it or not, I'm looking forward to this....that is until she drives me playing all the time. haha

 

[princessmom29]

I have 1 DD who is 6. She did cheer and dance this year. Cheer was $ 150 for a 3 month season plus 1 competition at $20. That included uniform, shoes,poms ect. Dance is $86 a month for 3 hours a week. Comes to $430 for the year. She needed 4 costumes for a total of $250. I have spent about $100 on shoes this year, plus leos and tights. So I gues I've got close to $1000 in her activities this year. I do not think we will do cheer next year b/c the schdule was too demanding. We are at the dance studio 2 nights a week, and cheer was the other 3 plus a Saturday game every week. We never got a break. She may be adding 2 more dance classes in the fall so I just don't think we will manage to do both. I cannot imagine having 2,3 or more that active without limiting activities.

 

[deerhart]

It wouldn't be hard to have them brown bag lunch and snacks. That'd save a good bit of money each week.

It depends on the house. We would never make it brown bagging it. My kids would end up with PB&J and chips each day (and I would still have to put money on their accounts for milk/juice or give them juice packs each day).

Actually having my oldest HAVE to eat lunch at school really expanded what foods he would eat over the years (plus they have the option of a salad bar instead of the hotmeal). It also allows them to get more food if they are still hungry or get an extra drink, versus what I packed for them (or throwing out food they didn't eat from their sack lunch).

I'd rather pay the $2.25 each per day and know they are getting good food. While I could probably feed them for about $1.00 a day for lunch, my time NOT having to is worth the $1.25 each to me!

 

[deerhart]

computer is double posting

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

It REALLY depends on the school and also your profession. I see them ALL the time in my profession (attorney) even here in the Midwest. They are much more common for men then women though.

As I said, I don't wear mine because I couldn't wear it while I was pregnant (and got used to not wearing it) and now my husband has "replaced" it with an anniversary band.

Fair enough. I went to Columbia and was in the Social Sciences. I didn't know anyone who even considered purchasing one. DH says the same about the MBA folks in his life.

Besides most are uglier than dirt.

 

[Irin997]

It depends on the house. We would never make it brown bagging it. My kids would end up with PB&J and chips each day (and I would still have to put money on their accounts for milk/juice or give them juice packs each day).

Actually having my oldest HAVE to eat lunch at school really expanded what foods he would eat over the years (plus they have the option of a salad bar instead of the hotmeal). It also allows them to get more food if they are still hungry or get an extra drink, versus what I packed for them (or throwing out food they didn't eat from their sack lunch).

I'd rather pay the $2.25 each per day and know they are getting good food. While I could probably feed them for about $1.00 a day for lunch, my time NOT having to is worth the $1.25 each to me!

I'm glad it works for your house. I'm sure that when DD8 gets into middle school I may prefer that she buy. But at her Elem. schools she has the option of veggies, fruits, grains, and milk in addition to her entree, BUT the only thing she chooses is the grain and milk....which means I'm paying $2.25 for some chicken nuggets, a roll, and milk. When I make her lunch she can have either a PB&J (which she basically lives on for lunches, lol) or a turkey & cheese sandwich, a juice box (sometimes I splurge and buy the Horizon chocolate milk boxes), some type of fruit that she likes like grapes or apple slices, and another snack.

She did have one of those short wide mouth thermoses but accidentally lost it at summer day camp last year and couldn't find it. I just haven't replaced it yet. But there have been many times that I have heated up chicken nuggets and put them in her lunch too.