Making your children pay for their part of a vacation?

[Mouse House Mama]

I saw that episode before and thought it was insane. I'm responsible for taking care of my child and that includes vacations. I do have her save money for souveniers and I purchase her one snack a day. If she wants more, then she has to use her money.

No way would I make my child pay for her share of the vacation. She is my responsibility till the age of 18. If they didn't pay, it's not like you could take them to court...

I'm surprised the mother didn't make them pay part of the household utilites. Guess I shouldn't suggest it.

I am totally with you! I was so annoyed at these people!!! They are kids for crying out loud! They were way too obsessed with money. I think it's great to save and have a budget and plan for the future, but their life revolved around it. I do not think a 4 year old and a 9 year old should have to pay their way. If they earned money that they wanted to spend on souveniers that's one thing- but making them pay for their vacation is just insane.

 

[ceecee]

I don't agree with that at all. I will pay for DD to vacation with us until she is through with college (as long as she wants to go!). She does save her $ for Disney and things she wants to buy. She really wants an American Girl doll right now so she is now saving part for Disney and part for that. We will pay for everything else including her snacks at Disney. She is getting pretty good at deciding if she should spend her $ on junk or wait on something she really wants is worth it.

 

[Danemom]

I see the idea behind this - I'm all for teaching kids that it costs money to do things, like vacation. But as usual, the people on those shows go to the extreme.
No, a child should not have to pay for vacation. Yes, it's acceptable that they buy their own souveniers.
DH and I disagree on a lot of things in this area. Once DD asked to go out to lunch and I said no, that we didn't have the extra money in the budget for that week. She said she'd pay so I took her and let her pay. DH thought that was wrong because she was 10. I thought it was a cheap lesson for her.

ETA: DH and I will definitely be the parents who pay for their children and grandchildren to vacation at Disney with us!

 

[azgal81]

I saw that episode as well and thought it was insane. Maybe they pay the kids really good money for the chores they do which is why they expect something in return for the vacation. What really got me was seeing the mom run from room to room shutting off lights when they make 200,000 a year!

 

[summerrluvv]

I saw that episode as well and thought it was insane. Maybe they pay the kids really good money for the chores they do which is why they expect something in return for the vacation. What really got me was seeing the mom run from room to room shutting off lights when they make 200,000 a year!

Seriously...I mean, I'm all for being frugal and responsible with money, however, I think they were a little too extreme.

 

[DawnM]

I am pretty darn thrifty and we are trying to get out of debt so I am sure some of her ideas would have helped. I did not see the show. But I would NOT make them pay for their own vacation, nor would I make them pay for any part of it.

I have taken them to the Disney outlet store for Disney stuff.....the light saver that says 2000 Disneyland on it still works great! They don't need a new one. They don't even want a new one. We don't buy things in the park much. To me, that is teaching them thriftiness.

Anyway, I agree....I would not charge for a vacation. Now, that said.....if my child were 16 and wanting to go on a trip with a school group, boy scout group, etc....I might tell them that if they really want to go I expect them to contribute something toward the trip.

Dawn

 

[babiesX2]

In 1982 my parents took my sister and I to WDW. They paid for admission, but we had to sell our bicycles to come up with money for food or anything we wanted to buy to bring home. I was 13. I can remember trying sharing a personal pizza with my sister because that's all the money we had left.

That is AND .

In 2007 we're taking my parents to WDW. We're paying for everything for them.. including food.

You're a good daughter. I'd give them the same food budget that you had as a kid, but I've been told before that I'm mean.

 

[hollyb]

No way! Dh and I are the parents and we pay for everything. Any money the kids get for gifts is theirs and no one elses. They have a nice savings account. We do give them an allowence a dollar for every year they are old. If they want to bring some to spend they can. But they do not have too. They are 8 1/2 and 6.

DH and I said even when they are married and have kids of their own. If we invite them on vacation with us. We pay. No if ands or butts.

 

[Hedy]

Wifeswap=land of the weird parents.

 

[babiesX2]

At home, we buy healthy snacks. DD13 has to buy her own junk food. The other day at Sam's Club, she wanted a case of Hershey bars. She bought them with her own money. It is the same when we go on vacation. If she wants junk food she has to buy it. We buy one snack per day. The rest she buys with her own money. We did this because she was throwing fits for junk food and when she got it she'd take 2 bites and throw it in a garbage can then expect more. We don't have that problem anymore!

 

[englishteacha]

I can't imagine having your own child pay for their vacation. I'm totally on board for having them pay for their own souvenirs and junk food, and even helping the family save along the way, but asking them to pay their "share" of vacation seems wrong to me. It reminds me of something I read in the paper a year or so ago, in an advice column. A guy wrote in and said his girlfriend's kids were given money for their birthday by a relative. The kids needed new beds, so their mother and boyfriend wanted them to buy their own beds! I think that a bed is something a parent should pay for, but maybe that's just me.

 

[disneysnowflake]

You're a good daughter. I'd give them the same food budget that you had as a kid, but I've been told before that I'm mean.

My parents are getting the dining plan. My mom and dad are great people, but they were so frugal. They saved a lot of their money, so now they are retired and have a good amount to live from.

It wasn't all bad. I did have money to get a Mr. Eggplant keychain.

ETA: We drove from PA to Orlando in a new Dodge Colt hatchback. There were only 2 seats, an AM radio and no air conditioning. My parents rolled their windows down. We couldn't breathe in the back from the wind pressure. We probably ate enough bugs that flew through the window to keep us full for a few days. There wasn't much room in that backseat. Our legs could barely move when we would stop every 10 hours or so on the way down and back. That sucker got like 50 miles per gallon though. LMBO. Ah, the memories.

 

[Lizzy2]

My DD is 4 and is saving money for our trip in Oct.
We have talked about how we are not buying lots of extra treats this summer because we are saving our money for WDW(she loves to remind me of this when I'm grocery shopping) and she diligently puts her pennies in her bank-I let her earn money for helping around the house-
She is learning a lot and I am happy for the opportunity to teach her but she did not choose to go on this trip nor could she stay at home if she didn't want to pay her part of the trip-
as usual there are knuckleheads who go to the extreme in every situation.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Having kids save allowances to buy souvenirs is a good thing because it teaches them to manage money, but for parents to decide on a vacation and then tell the *FOUR* year old to pony up some money for hotel/food/park admission/airfare/gas is INSANE. It's not like the four year old can say "Nahh, Mom. I'm thinking of saving up for a tricycle, I'll just hang by the pool today." He/she is forced to go. I don't think that's right at all. If a parent can't afford to feed, transport and shelter her own minor child on vacation, then they can't afford a vacation.

You know, when I first opened this thread I was figuring college age "children" not like preschool age children!

And yes, these people get on Wifeswap for a reason.

 

[summerrluvv]

My parents are getting the dining plan. My mom and dad are great people, but they were so frugal. They saved a lot of their money, so now they are retired and have a good amount to live from.

It wasn't all bad. I did have money to get a Mr. Eggplant keychain.

ETA: We drove from PA to Orlando in a new Dodge Colt hatchback. There were only 2 seats, an AM radio and no air conditioning. My parents rolled their windows down. We couldn't breathe in the back from the wind pressure. We probably ate enough bugs that flew through the window to keep us full for a few days. There wasn't much room in that backseat. Our legs could barely move when we would stop every 10 hours or so on the way down and back. That sucker got like 50 miles per gallon though. LMBO. Ah, the memories.

That's funny because our first trip to WDW back in the very early 80's was from MI to FL in the back of a pontiac sunbird hatchback. Seats folded down and us 3 girls piled in the back!!

 

[jeankeri]

My boys each get an allowance with which they save to buy any toy, book, vacation souvineer, piece of clothing, etc that they want. We still buy them clothes, or grab a book at Walmart that I think they'll like, but now the answer to "Can I get ____(insert useless, unnecessary, overpriced object here)?", the answer is "Of course, you can buy what you want with your money".

 

[kerry34]

I would never make my kids pay for their vacation. When they are grown up and employed then that would be a different story. When I was nineteen I went to Disney with my mom and my aunt and I paid my own way after saving my money for a year. That is different than making your school aged children pay for trips. My kids pay for their souveniers with their saved up allowances. What they save is what they have to spend. This works out because they are very money conscious because it is their own and they are carefull not to spend it foolishly. They are all good about saving their money for vacations, even my six year olds. Every time the tooth fairy pays a visit they insist on putting their money in our disney savings jar. If they find any money on the floor they get all excited and put it in the bucket for our trip. Maybe it is just me but I feel that is a pretty effective teaching tool to show your kids how to save money without making them pay for their lodging, traveling expenses, etc. That to me is a bit harsh. JMHO.

 

[hsmamato2]

My boys each get an allowance with which they save to buy any toy, book, vacation souvineer, piece of clothing, etc that they want. We still buy them clothes, or grab a book at Walmart that I think they'll like, but now the answer to "Can I get ____(insert useless, unnecessary, overpriced object here)?", the answer is "Of course, you can buy what you want with your money".

Same here, my ds was 12 last year, and got an allowance of 2.50 per week,(you wouldn't believe the huge amount of chores he does for that allowance...) and saved $100 to go to Disney and spend it however he wanted, I was so proud of him! And he came home with $60 in his pocket...smart boy...my 6 year old is on the same plan, he saves money,and spends it on his souvies...the rest, we buy, we're the parents! Adn quite frankly,my kids are far from spoiled (note the 2.50 allowance ) but I do enjoy providing wonderful treats for them, like memorable trips!

 

[disykat]

I am a single parent taking my son to disney. I have had him save most of his money for our November trip. He got around $120 Canadian for his birthday....half of which went into his saving for disney. He has also been saving change (my change) in his disney bank. He has collected cans thoughout the year. He will probably have a couple of hundred dollars for disney. I will get him travellers cheques.....I see nothing wrong in having your children help save for vacation, especially for that extra something they may wish to purchase. It teaches him the value of money. I hope he will purchase wisely. Last year we went, he spend it on junky items. When we came home, he realized that he wasted his money and vowed to spend wisely the next time. It is working too. He recently went into an ice cream store. They were asking 2.50 for a SMALL cone of ice cream. He came out of the store with nothing and stated " the ice cream was way too much money". He didn't want to waste!

I personally see nothing wrong with this. He is given all that I can give. He also needs to be taught responsibility!

Charleyann

Did you make him give you his money to pay the hotel bill? It sounds like he saved his own spending money, not pitched in on the vacation bill. Very different things.

 

[blanq]

Okay, I have to admit that I did not see this particular episode of Wife Swap, but know from seeing previous episodes that most families they feature seem to be one french fry short of a Happy Meal.

I personally would not have my child pay for a portion of a family vacation. But, I can see that a parent could use this as a part of teaching money management. I think that too many parents give allowance with no teaching associated with it, and then push their kids out of the nest and expect them to fly when it comes to managing their money.

I do not think it is unreasonable for parents to expect that kids designate their money for specific things. In our family, our DS gets to keep a portion of his money to do what he wishes with, but also has to designate a portion for giving and long term savings. I have heard about parents who increase the amount of money they give to their children significantly as they age, requiring them to eventually assume all responsibility for budgeting for and purchasing their clothing, school supplies, personal hygiene items, etc. Our DS is almost 13, and we are slowly moving in this direction with him.

Let's face it, kids are big money holes. Most of us don't bat an eye at the money we dump into raising our kids, but we "control" the spending. I think it is good to turn more money over to our kids as they grow to handle directly while they are under our roof and we can pick them up and dust them off when they make mistakes...that we can teach them about what things cost, how you need to think about how far your money needs to go, to think about the future and not just the moment when it comes to money. If part of a parent's values concerning money involves regular vacations, then I could see how having kids pay for a portion could be a useful lesson if not done in an over-the-top-wife-swap way.