Kids to bring a friend or not...

[fr8trainhays]

We are going to WDW in Jan 07, another family was suppose to join us, but backed out and the last minute. Now wondering if we should invite a friend for my 13yr old? But they would have to miss 4 days of school and buy plane ticket and park tickets... would u let your child go?

 

[OhMari]

I don't know if you are going to get many replies on the Trip Reports board, so I'll send you to the Family Board.

In my opinion, I know 13 yr olds can be a tad grumpy, but why not take this opportunity to just spend with your family. Do you have other kids.

It's hard taking someone else's child on vacation, unless you are really close friends with your childs friend. I had a neighborhood boy that is now 19 and still spends a ton of time at my house, and my son went to college this past fall. The neighborhood boy is going to a local commuter college.

 

[flying_babyb]

I would say dont take anyone. If they were older mabey. I went on my first trip with my best freind when I was 16. It was pretty nice. I had known the freind for 6 years at the time.

 

[kmjmom]

Judging from a recent experience with a family vacation nearly ruined by a close friend of my thirteen year old I would respond with a resounding NO! We allowed each of our three children to choose a friend to take to the beach for our annual summer vacation. Two out of three worked out fine, but my daughter's 13 year old best friend who we have known since kindergarten morphed into a totally different person once we arrived at our destination. She definitely altered the moods of all those around her. Despite an unwillingness to share the bathroom or at least reduce her twice daily 20 minute closed door rituals while others were waiting, she made no reduction in her menu selections/number of courses each time she ate out at our expense. (Although she repeatedly reminded my daughter of the large amount of money she had brought to spend on herself, it did not involve any food!) So, you can clearly see that the child you think you know can in ablink turn into the creature you do not want to know. I can't decide if age has something to do with it!

 

[Tinkim]

Tough call. I have done it and would do it again. I have three kids of my own though. Last year we took DS13 friend. He is at our house all the time and my boys have a third bed in their room for him. Everyone calls him my stepson. It worked out fine for us but we do know him VERY well after spending so much time with him at our house since they were 6 years old. He is one of five children so he knows how to get along with a crowd and knows all my kids very well. I knew he probably would not get to WDW with his family after talking with his mom and we really wanted him to come with us. He was actually the only child I didn't want to strangle at one time or another during that week and he was nicer to my DD than her own brothers (which isn't too hard, I know). So for me it worked out fine but I know other people have had the opposite experience. I would probably let one of my kid's go with another family depending on the circumstances.

 

[disneymomof6]

I would say no... unless you are VERY VERY close with the family and know their circumstances.... I wouldnt want to be a parent that my child comes home and says "im invited to go to disney but I need plane ticket money, theme park ticket money and so on".... first off that isnt cheap and either a parent will have to disappoint a kid because they cant afford it and at 13 thats a rough age to have to feel like you cant compete with your friends monetarily or the friend may have siblings and then the parents have to explain why one child is going and not the rest.... its a touchy situation. I wouldnt personally cause a potential problem for another family that way.... I have a sister that went through that same thing (her daughter was invited to go with another family) although at first she thought it was $$ she had to figure out and when it got finalized and she was about to say NO... the friends called and said they would be glad to pay for her child to go so she didnt turn that down. We are going as a family in feb 07 for about the 6th time and its such a wonderful family bonding experience I wouldnt dream of bringing anyone else with. JMO