Do you buy your kids...

[tami82]

I will be making up goodie bags for my 2 kids before we go. I will have minnie ears, some kind of costume they could wear in the parks or character meals, lanyard which is also a drink holder, and a bunch of other things which i havent bought yet since i do have time. I will also probably buy a few pins before i leave. My daughter will have a little bit of money from b-day, etc... which she will bring with her. I may buy a thing or two in the gift shop but im hoping with the goodie bag they will have everything they need. Dollar Tree is a great place to get little goodies also.

 

[jcc0621]

We usually go for 10 days and spend 6, maybe 7 days in the parks. Last year we told DS (4) that he could have one thing, within reason, from each park that we went to but that he could not pick something out until we were ready to leave for the night. He really enjoyed looking at different things, but was very carefull about his one purchase.

 

[juliana_sd]

I have a rough amount ($100) in mind that he can spend. My plan is to tell him he can get one thing each day but he can only get it when we're leaving the park for our break that day... hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone there If I keep each day's thing around $10-15, then on our last day he should have enough left for something bigger. We'll see how it goes!

 

[design_mom]

My plan is to tell him he can get one thing each day but he can only get it when we're leaving the park for our break that day...

If you're hoping that he'll take a nap during your break, you might want to rethink your plan. That new toy will be oh-so-much-more-interesting than sleep. Can you tell I've BTDT?!

 

[mommascrapbooker]

I have a piece of paper up on the fridge right now. When they earn money, birthday's so forth that money is put up on the board. They know it is for their disney trip. They earn it and then I let them spend it any way the want.

My son was 2 1/2 and my daughter was 4 1/2 last year. The understood what they were saving up for and then when they were able to spend it. The appreciated the stuff more and they both actually put thought into their purchases. My son came home with some money. My daughter I think had 3.00 left. but they were very pleased.

When we started planning for our September trip I put the new piece of paper up. They are excited to see what the amount the are aquiring.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Yep! Over-indulgent mom here. My daughter usually gets everything she wants (but she usually doesn't ask for much so that helps) and then some. I'm the shopaholic so I always want to buy more and she actually tells me that I'm out of control! She also brings her own money which she saves and spends. Each trip I usually buy her a gold charm for her charm bracelet. Last trip she wanted to buy a doll dress in one of the specialty stores in Epcot and it was approx. $90. I explained to her exactly how much money she would have left and told her to really think whether she'd want to spend that kind of money on one dress for her doll. After about 1/2 a second she said "Absolutely not". I then pointed out to her that for that much money, she could buy 3 dressed in the MK stores for her dolls. She still didn't want to spend that much (I was so proud). Anyway, when we went back to MK she bought two and I bought the third. It's sad, but she's much better with money than I am. She'll also treat me to ice cream or popcorn and a soda while we're on vacation, and always buys me a "thank you" gift. As long as she stays thoughtful, I don't mind. She learned early on that if she demands anything or throws a tantrum she gets NOTHING. I firmly believe there is a big difference between being a spoiled brat and being spoiled. As long as she stays on the right side of that line, it's all good!

 

[ty&brenmom]

Yep! Over-indulgent mom here. My daughter usually gets everything she wants (but she usually doesn't ask for much so that helps) and then some. She learned early on that if she demands anything or throws a tantrum she gets NOTHING. I firmly believe there is a big difference between being a spoiled brat and being spoiled. As long as she stays on the right side of that line, it's all good!

You are in good company, I am also an over indulgent mom. I think this is in part to being on such a strict budget at home, I go a little crazy on vacation. My son's had $150 each for spending money and they did great. I of course bought them extras, all the while telling them how much money they had left to spend. My youngest decided he wanted Cinderella's castle in the gift shop at the hotel and was so good and didn't ask for a whole lot of things that at the end of the trip he still had money left over and now the castle is sitting in his room (the power rangers have taken it over). My oldest collected pins and got a few hats, that he still looks at all the time.

 

[mjantz]

We're season pass holders for a local ren faire that runs from April through May & the kids are each getting $20 to spend however they want. I'm also going to give them a bit more in May (probably another $10) as a surprise. Also, I'm going to sell some of their clothes & toys & give them the money from that as spending money.

In general I'm trying to get my kids to understand that while we are not poor by any means, we do have to make choices. They know now if they start the 'I Wants' while we're out & about they get 'The Talk'. 'The Talk' is:

'While we have enough money we have to make choices. If we want to do fun things like our Disney Cruise or our trip to NYC or going to the Ren Faires, we can't buy a toy every time we go to the store. So, would you rather buy a toy every time we go to the store or go on our vacations?'

Now I don't even have to give the whole 'Talk'. I just say 'What happens if we buy something every time?' & they can finish it for me!!

 

[juliana_sd]

If you're hoping that he'll take a nap during your break, you might want to rethink your plan. That new toy will be oh-so-much-more-interesting than sleep. Can you tell I've BTDT?!

Oh dear, didn't think of that!! Hmmm thank you for the advice!!!

 

[LillersMom]

We also do the gift card thing. Each DD gets a prepaid VISA card . Spending limit is diferent depending on the length of our trip. They have learned to choose wisely and keep recipts so they can keep track of what they are spending. They buy far less this way. When the money is gone it is gone. We have even gotten smart and use our Rewards credit card points to order the cards so there is no actual $ out of pocket!

 

[Along4theRide]

My kids (7 & 4) save there own money from doing chores and birthday money to take with them. We buy them a shirt each, but that's it. They have there own money to spend however they like. My daughter is very careful with her money where as our son usually blows his money on the first thing he finds!! They are so much more appreciative of what they have when they buy it themselves!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

When we go, they will have their own spending money. They'll earn money in the months leading up to the trip. and they'll get disney dollars for bdays, and holidays. that will be there spending money. My dh, now, he's the one that i'm sure will give in and buy them a few more little items.

 

[DevilDuckie]

everything they ask for when you are on vacation in WDW? I fear my 4 year olds wanting something in every store at Disney!! We normally dont buy our boys something everytime we are out shopping on a normal day, but on vacation, they seem to always want everything.

What do you all do about it?

We have a "no buying on the first day" rule. Our son has learned the value of looking around a while and then choosing what he wants. We are *not* going to just buy him everything and this way he gets the experience of distinguishing "shopping" vs "buying". The "we can come back if that's what you decide you want" aspect prevents the "must buy now" syndrome.

 

[vellamint]

I think I have always had mine pick out "functional" souveniers.....like t-shirts....the rest they pay for themselves. Maybe a trinket here or there. My girls (lucky for them) have their birthday in August right before we go and my boys dont seem to ask for much anyway!

Thank goodness they are older now, it is much easier to say no also.

 

[The TRUE Princess :)]

DD7 will have about $50 Disney Dollars and then she has a clown piggy bank that is full of change that we will be turning in right before her trip so she'll have that money. She wanted to do BBB and I told her that I would pay for half, so she'll have approximately $30 or so for actual spending money. I may break down and just pay for BBB and let her have the rest of her spending money. Other than that I probably will not spend a ton on souven"ears" since she doesn't need anything.

 

[CastleCreations]

I let my girls shop at the hotel gift shop, on the day we go home. We live close by and go all the time, so I would be totally broke if I let them shop at the parks too. But they usually choose a new toy, and I get them new Mickey crocs, or a shirt, or something like that.

 

[holly7347]

Goodness no. I will be surprised if we get them anything besides one t-shirt each and even that is a big question mark. My kids simply do not need anything and I am certainly not going to get them a bunch of "stuff" that will just clutter their rooms more. We will rely on our stories and pictures of the trip for memories...not a glitter Mickey head.

If your child has trouble with the word "no" and will still ask/whine/beg for things in the stores that you are not prepared to buy then simply do not bring your child in the stores. Can't be tempted by what you do not see.

Have a great trip.
taitai

That is basically what I'm planning. Both of my DD's are beggers. A simple trip to Target can turn into a nightmare with them begging for every piece of junk they see. We don't have the space for junk that they won't play with when they get back home and with their preschool cost going up next year we really don't have the money for it either.

I plan on avoiding the stores as much as possible. Like someone else mentioned I like the idea of getting them a pin at each place. Then maybe not hit any stores until our last day and we have a better feel for how much money we have left. I would like to get them each a t-shirt or something like that. And we will buy some sort of autograph book before we go.

 

[CampbellScot]

My step kids start earning their "Disney Money" about six months beforehand. It's their money and they are allowed to spend it as they see fit...but when it's gone, it's GONE. They usually earn about $100 a piece.

My husband and I usually buy them ONE thing with "grown up" money...usually a t-shirt they pick out the last day.

At this point they know better than to ask for things every time we go out. We taught them young, starting at 2, that begging and throwing fits in stores means they won't get to go to stores EVER and they won't get anything at all at any time if they beg. It took leaving a cart full of stuff in the store and going home and straight to bed ONCE for them to get that begging and whining will NOT be tolerated. It has never happened again. Who wants to live in fear of stores b/c your kids throw fits? Parents need to say NO and follow through. We got into the habit of reminding the kids before we went into stores that we were NOT buying toys or anything else that was not on our LIST. It makes for a much more pleasant life experience later on. It makes the kids less anxious as well. They know the expectations and it allows them to relax and not worry about if they are going to "get something".

As for Disney buying, both kids know that just BEING AT DISNEY is a gift in and of itself and being grateful to be taken on such trip at all is more important that "What ELSE" they are going to get.

If everyone can relax and enjoy being together as a family, the trip means a lot more than if it was a cry and beg fest. YUCK!

 

[jazzmine]

My son is only three so he doesn't really get the "gimmes" or the "iwants" yet. We practice going to stores in the mall (toy stores, Disney store) and we'll walk around and browse but not get anything. We are at the mall three times a week for our Stroller Strides class and he's really gotten used to NOT getting everything.

We'll get a few special things while we are in Disney but he won't be getting everything in the store. Thankfully, at this age, he won't expect it either!

Also, while at the Disney store (here) I picked up a few things on clearance. I figure that those are special surprises that I can break out on our trip that he'll enjoy! And definitely more affordable than some of the things down there!

 

[GrammyJudy]

oN fRIDAY i GIVE MY GRANDSON (7) ALL THE CHANGE IN MY WALLET TO GO IN HIS dISNEY BANK. wE GO TO wdw EVERY OTHER YEAR AND LAST YEAR HE HAD $130 TO SPEND. wE ROLL THE COIN TOGETHER THE WEEK BEFORE OUR TRIP AND TAKE IT TO THE BANK AND CHANGE TO BILLS. hE HAS A SPECIAL NYLON, VELCRO WALLET FOR THE TRIP WHICH I CARRY...WHOPS JUST NOTICED I HAVE CAPS LOCK ON.tHIS WAY HIS PARENTS DON'T HAVE TO HEAR HIM ASKING FOR THINGS AND WE ALL GO TOGETHER AS A FAMILY TRIP ANYWAY