Making your children pay for their part of a vacation?

[ksloane]

Wow!? I can't imagine telling my 5 year old she had to contribute to the vacation! Seems extremely crazy to me. As far as vacation goes, we're doing two "monetary lessons"

1) I'm telling her she has to buy all of her own souvenirs/snacks unless I buy it for her voluntarily as a gift (and she gets the 1 snack/day with the dining plan). She probably has more than $100 saved though (at least). My family tends to give her a few dollars here or there when they see her and she has graduation money that she received. I've never made her save any of it. I recommended that she did and she just does. She saves all paper money for Disney.

2) We have been buying less, going out for less fast-food, etc for the past few months so that we can save for the trip (this would be her way of contributing to the overall vacation I guess). She's great about this and will remind me when we are getting ready to go out that we should eat before we go or she'll comment on my purchases at the store sometimes to the point that it's really things we need.

 

[babiesX2]

Let's face it, kids are big money holes.

 

[mousebit]

I am a grammy who has begun the tradition of taking my DGD11 to WDW every year IF she makes honor roll each quarter. (This is a HUGE accomplishment for a kid who must overcome ADD and dylexia to make those good grades!) This year, we decided to add a Christmas trip as well. Now, I am not a wealthy woman, but I could afford to take care of everything. But, I don't think that would be in her best interest. So, yes, she is helping to pay for the trip. And she knows that she needs to make sacrifices in order to go to WDW in Dec. So, instead of going to the movies or McDonald's, she may choose to save the $$ and put it in the Disney bank. It's all about decision-making and choices. She also earns extra money by doing extra chores for me and at home for her mom. Usually she puts at least half of that money into the Disney bank. (Her mom also makes her put portion into her regular savings.) She knows the total cost of our package and the amount she is responsible for saving. (I told her up front that I would take care of airfare.) She knows how much on top of that amount she wants to save for souvies and extras. She even knows that if she can come up with extra money, we can do things we've never done before--La Nouba, TL, DQ, etc., what the cost would be and about how many extra chores she would have to do over the next few months to do these things. I think she'll reach her goal. Call me old-fashioned, but, to me this process, just adds to the magic of the trip.

 

[TENIA66]

We make a family decision on two small vacations, and large birthday parties with friends or disney..............the kids have always chosen disney...........they still have birthday parties just family instead of a big crowd of friends

My children work alot around the home and I believe that the reward of a large amount of time together as a family on a disney vacation, 14 hour drive one way and all, motivates them to get things done...............

 

[jordansmomma]

My kids have been saving some of their allowance since January, i am paying for the trip, so while we are their they need to pay for their own extras. We are eating breakfast in the room and going back for lunch and to rest. IF they decide when we get back they want a snack or something else they can pay for that themselves. I think that it will teach them some responsibility with money, and help them realize that money doesnt grow on trees. Hopefullly be a little more greatful for the items they are purchasing. They always seem to have the case of the wants.

 

[Charleyann]

NO, he did not pay for the hotel , tickets or meals! Nor will he pay for treats. I asked him to save part of his money this year for that extra special something, just like alot of other poster have said they did with their children. He is my only child and really doesn't want for much. To teach him responsiblility , I have him save his own money for souveniors. Most of the change in his bank is from me, it is however his to do as he wishes.

Again I see no problems in parents asking this of their children.

 

[traviesojmt]

Although I agree that this family was extreme, they didn't have to give their children an allowance at all. They were giving their children money. They were trying to teach their children how to manage that money. This was not money that their children had earned down at their job. A 3 year old does not earn money. It is given to him. These parents chose to give money to the children. It seems to me that they can set the paramenters of what the children do with that money. Our son gets an allowance. 10% goes to church for his tithe and the rest has to be divided equally between his savings and spending banks. I really feel that if I am giving him money, I can set the guidelines. Do I make him pay for vacation? No, that would require a much larger pay jump in allowance and I am not willing to go there.

 

[Debbie]

The family tax thing was absurd too.

I didn't see this part, but when my oldest three were small, we had a "family tax jar". The allowances were divvied up: Short term (I can spend it NOW), Long term (for their savings accounts-i.e, college, bike, personal Disney souvenirs, etc), Charity and Taxes.

The Taxes jar was a pig that sang "It's a Small World" every time a coin went in. That money was spent on family outings: a drive-in in the summer, a pizza (we live in a small town and never order in), a movie rental, and, yep, DISNEY treats.

Oh, and I used to buy chips and pop by the case in the summer. Since these were another "never have it treat", as the kids got older and went to the 7-2-11 to buy the junk, I'd open my store. They'd buy it from me, get their treats, and that money was added to the Taxes jar.

When we went to Disney, we paid for the trip, including food. HOWEVER, I paid for (say) a medium drink. I had a teen who HAD to have the large...he paid the difference. I paid for Mickey Bars, but if they wanted something at a time when it wasn't for the whole family...they paid their own. Souvenirs, I bought a couple....extras they paid for themselves.

I see this as teaching the child to think for him/herself. Now, the children are young adults, and have strayed somewhat from their early teaching, but just yesterday, the oldest indicated that some of what he learned as a child is coming back to him. Hooray!

 

[mommiepoppins]

my kids do pay for there spending money. I give each 25$ and if they want more well they better earn it or save it
example 14 yr old dd baby sits and has had to save for her spending money for her youth group trip 75$, ( I paid 290) also for her trip with her cousin 50$ and Disney she has 20 saved from birth day. Mind you she gets allowence also
dd 9 has saved 52$ from tooth fairy and allowence
dd5 has been collecting pennys she has about 10$ also 4 dollars in tooth fairy
dd3 saves pennys also and has 2 $

 

[KinderTchr]

Our upcoming trip is a Christmas surprise, so we will be giving the kids Disney Dollars or Gift Card as their Stocking Gift and they may purchase whatever they want. I have found that they don't "need" nearly as much or spend nearly as much when spending their own money.

In the past we have made decisions as a family such as cutting down on movies, ording dinner in, eating out etc and putting that money in our Vacay fund. Until they have a job, I would never consider them actually paying for the vacation. (current "at home kids" are 11 and 13)

However, when my second daughter was 16 I went to NYC with her and she paid a very small portion from her part time job.

 

[AspiringCindy]

Boy!...my 5 year old would have to sell alot of cups of lemonade!

 

[mom2my3kids]

Every parenting style are different. I personally would not but I don't see a problem with it. My older kids are saving every cent they make for extra things they want on our vacation to disney this fall.

 

[alicenwonder99]

I haven't read all of the responses yet.

I would never make the children pay for their share of the vacation...and I don't care how old they are! I also buy the kids one stuffed animal on the first day of our trip, but any other souvenoirs they have to pay for.

I saw that episode of Wife Swap, too. I thought the woman was nuts! I can see having the children pay for extra things they want, but to have to pay for a family vacation is just crazy.

Mary

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

If I required my 14yr old dd to pay for her portion of a family trip to WDW or DL, we would never go again because she doesn't care to go. She can learn budgeting lessons elsewhere, like how we pay for the vacations without credit cards. We give each kid extra "vacation" spending money and how they choose to spend it while on vacation is totally up to them. They can spend it all on souveniers or save it - we don't care.

I also do not believe in requiring my kids to pay for their own food - including snacks. If they are hungry, I provide food - including at Disney parks.

Ditto

 

[bartleby1]

I don't make the kids pay for their vacation, but I did get them involved in saving for our next trip. My kids are 6, 4, and 1. I sat down with the kids and we brainstormed ways that they could help save money around the house. Then, whatever they saved us, we put in our disney pig (my ceramic pig bank with the mr. potato head mickey ears in the slot, lol!). For example, my 4 yr old still wears a pull-up at night. The nights that he stays dry, we re-use the pull-up for an additional night so it saves us 30 cents (the approx cost of a pull-up), so he gets to put 30 cents in the disney pig. When the kids choose to drink water with their meal instead of juice, they put 15 cents in (the cost of a cup of juice). When they remember to turn off the tv or a light when they leave the room they can put a penny in. Even my 1 yr old began turning the tv off to put a penny in! We did drop our electric bill since we started this! The kids really got into this and enjoyed trying to save money for our trip. We just counted and rolled our savings and we have $127 to use as extra spending money!

 

[Goobergal99]

Well I was a spoiled only child so I never paid for anything when I was a kid and I wanted for nothing . I do not believe that leads to a lazy adult either (I work the overtime to prove it ) and I always shared with my friends who weren't as fortunate as me.

My family gave me what they could and that just happened to be alot because there was only one of me. As far as DD goes, she too is very spoiled, doesn't want for anything and is still a pleasant kid who shares everything.

My DH had nothing growing up (came from a big family) never went to Disney until he met me and literally saved his lunch money for school all week to buy me gifts back when we were in Highschool (which I put a stop to once our friends told me about it)

So..... NO IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR A PARENT TO EXPECT THEIR CHILD TO PAY FOR A VACATION AT THAT AGE!

I completely understand why some ppl can't give their kids everything but honestly if you can afford a $700,000 home then you can afford to pay for your kids vacations.

And as far as spending money goes, DD has a princess bank that we put all of our loose change in and it it is getting mighty hefty!

I do not give her an allowance, I take her out and give her whatever my budget allows, we eat out often and I would never ask her to pay for that either besides, we eat out because I don't cook and don't ever want to and at this time of the year when DH is working alot he doesn't want to cook either.

Some may think it is wrong to spoil your child but I say the same thing to them as I said to my MIL when she told me just to let DD cry it out when she was an infant "She is not your child and I will do as i please with her"

 

[Brooknwdw]

We were watching Wifeswap on Monday and they had this one mother who obsessed about her finances. She cut her bills and spending so well that her and her husband have already paid off their $700,000 home. Everyone is only allowed to take showers for the length of two songs, but the songs she was playing were only about 2-3 minutes long collectively. I know that her credit rating is through the roof excellent but she only finances for big things like her house and car, so she doesn't bother with credit cards. Everything was so good, I wish I had the discipline she has. My only issue....

Her children get a weekly allowance that she teaches them how to save with, but when they take family vacations she makes her children pay for their portion of the trip. Her son is 4 and I think her daughter 9. At one point the kids gave up $100 that they saved from allowance so that they could take a ski trip. Obviously, it is the parents choice to take a vacation, so shouldn't they pay for the whole thing? Especially for their own children? Is this harsh or do other parents do the same thing?

I have not read any of the posts yet, but NO way would I make my kids pay for their vacation unless they were in the mid twentys or something & still living at home, then they may have to pay for all or part depending on the situation.

I think that is part of raising kids..one of the responsibilities of a parent..if you can't afford to take the kids on vacation, don't.

There are plenty of other ways to teach kids money management such as saving part of allowances.

AGE has alot to do with it.

What I do on vacations is give the kids one set amount (which is $50 each) to spend how they choose. This is set into my vacation budget. Then any $$ beyond that they want, they save for themselves by choice.
They have been saving $1 per week of their allowance for quite a while now. I just looked in their disney money envelopes, and they each have saved $20 or so to add to their $50.

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

I don't think kids should pay for their portion of the vacation. They're kids!!!
I do think kids should earn some souvenir money. One of the jobs my 7 yr old grandson has been doing for the past few years to earn Disney pin money is to pick up the apples that have fallen off the apple tree in my yard. Sure, it's not enough for his pin-a-day habit, but I don't want him to think money grows on trees. Apples do.

Tink

 

[Katieplus4]

I don't make my kids(8,7,6 and 4) pay for the vacation, but we have started this year having them save their allowance for Disney spending money. At the beginning of the year they were told we were going to Disney in December and that the only spending money they would have is what they saved thru the year (including allowances and Birthdays). They can spend it if they want , but if they don't have money in Dec.-NOT MY ISSUE!

I also told them that i would match them dollar for dollar. My 4 year old has $42 saved up so far- so it's like $84. They don't get much allowance a week
the older 3 get $4 and the 4year old gets $3. However allowance depends on behavior...so if you lie, hurt someone, don't follow directions we take a quarter (from the jar on the counter) and what is left is what you get. You can earn quarters back, for helping-without being asked, and improving behavior. Some weeks they get $4 and some weeks they get $2.25 and some weeks they get $0.

It has really helped with behavior and also with them understanding money.
When they ask for something i say" do you want to pay for it?" surprizingly
they don't.

They may each have way too much money to spend at Disney, but they will have earned it. And i will so not care about buying the $50 giant minnie since they will really understand what it cost.

 

[Goobergal99]

reading these posts reminded me of something.

When I was a kid math was not my strong point, so my pop and Uncle Butch used to help me learn to count with money. After awhile I started to get good at it except I couldn't count change very well. My Uncle used to always say that was because I was never given any coins, I only knew what paper money looked like