Would you bring other kids (friends of your children) on vacation?

[Tigger&Belle]

There are a couple of threads about kids going on vacations with other families, who pays for what, etc.

I'm wondering how many people have brought their children's friends on vacation. I've never done it, maybe because I have several kids (4, ages 6-18) and space is at a premium, both in our van and in hotels. Also, they have each other to hang with (ie, fight with ).

My youngest is 6yo and his next oldest sibling is 12yo, so I anticipate bringing friends along for him when he's a teenager since he'll be basically an only child on vacations when his siblings are grown.

So how many of you have brought friends or allowed your kids to go on vacations with friends? A week or 2 vacation is a long time to be responsible for an extra child and I can't say for sure I'll want to do it even when my youngest is a teen.

 

[Michie]

No.no.no.

 

[Maleficent13]

My parents allowed me to bring a friend with us when I was 14. I also had a brother, 11 at the time.

 

[tommygirl79]

My girls are only 4 and 2 so we obviously haven't done it yet. However, for my HS graduation, my family went and allowed me and my brother (he was almost 15 at the time) to each bring a friend to WDW and then a few days at Cocoa Beach. We had been to WDW as a family several times and our friends were both from families that didn't go on vacations together or anything very much so it was new to them. We all HAD A BLAST!!! We stayed in Old Key West (Disney Institute then) so we all had plenty of space and it was sooo fun to see WDW through the eyes of my best friend who had never been there. I'm sure when my girls get older we will do the same thing - my parents even still talk about how much fun that trip was.

 

[Christine]

I did it last year when we went to Disney. We took DD's (14) friend. The friend was great--it was DD who got on my nerves. She was so busy being "cool" while her friend was around. There was lots of eye-rolling and she was very disdainful of her younger brother. I will never do it again.

Now, my mom ALWAYS brought my cousin along on our trips. I am an only child and some of those trips (like beach trips) would have been very boring for me without a playmate there. But if went on "busy" trips (like Disney or massive sightseeing) she didn't bring another person.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I've done it several times. We often go camping in the Sierras, and I like to invite friends who never have that opportunity. We've gone for two weeks, and we've gone for one week at a time. The last two was kind of funny because the parents were so sure the kids would be homesick & those kids had a blast with us. One mom had her son call every couple of days, and I would have to drive 8 miles to a pay phone up in the mountains so he could call her - but that was okay - gave her peace of mind, and he still had a great time.

When we go on our cruise, however, it'll just be the kids and me for some family time.

 

[Planogirl]

I would. I'd even bring friends of my own if the situation is right. I don't see the big deal.

 

[Sandy V.]

We haven't done it either.

Vacation time is so precious to us and our kids are growing so rapidly (ages 18 and 15) that we want to create as many immediate-family memories as we can before they leave the nest. Our kids have enough of a social life with friends when we're home that they can spare the time to be alone with Mom and Dad and give us their undivided attention (and we give them the same) when we go away!!

 

[CEDmom]

I did once or twice as a kid. I'm the only girl in my family so it was nice to have a friend along. Usually we were going to the beach for a week. I could see letting DD bring a friend along when she's older so that she'll have someone to hang out with. At 6 though she's able to easily make friends with someone long enough to play at the pool or something like that.

 

[Bob Slydell]

My oldest is 5, so that hasn't been an issue yet. I did go on vacation once or twice as a kid with a friend of mine, and I know when my little brother (who's the youngest by 6 years) was a kid, he was allowed to bring friends once my sister and I were out of the house. I'd consider it, depending on the trip and the friend.

 

[Jennifer S]

I wouldn't because if one of my kids wanted a friend than so would the other. Plus it's family time. Now if I only had one child I probably would- on occassion.I was an only child until I was 8 so my parents let me bring a friend - esp because my sister was too little for me to play with.

 

[aprincessmom]

DD just turned 10. We have been doing day trips with her friends since they were 5 (traveling to zoos, beaches, museums and amusement parks in state and out of state). We've done a few overnights with friends and that started when they were about 8. DD's been friends with some of these kids since infancy at day care so I know the families very well and they feel comfortable with me.

DD is an only and sometimes misses having a ready playmate/companion on vacation so I knew that I'd be doing vacation invites at some point. I won't be doing every vacation with an invitation but we will most likely do at least one a year with a friend.

In a few weeks we will do our first long trip (5 days and nights) with a friend of hers to go skiing. Our guest has never been skiing before and is really looking forward to it. She is also looking forward to just having two kids (she comes from a family of 5 ranging in age from 10 to 8 months) around. DD is looking forward to having someone to go to ski camp with in the morning so she doesn't have to go in solo. I'm looking forward to it because they are both excited! DD and I have known her friend for years and they get along great -- they fight like sisters sometimes but for the most part they have a grand time together and I think this is going to be lots of fun for everyone.

And it doesn't bother me to be responsible for an extra body. The more the merrier!

 

[CathrynRose]

If I had the means (i.e. money!) to do it, I totally would.

My oldest has a few friends whom dont have much and would never get to do Disney the way we do, and I completely would.

 

[skiwee1]

We do it every year on our ski trips and ocean trips. They are one week for skiing and 2-3 weeks at the ocean. We have 3 kids ranging from 6 to 22. The two older ones always had a friend go with us so we got extra room to accomadate and yes we pay for everything.

 

[luvflorida]

I'm in the situation now that you'll be faced with in a few years. We have a six year age difference between youngest daughter and oldest daughter and a ten year age difference between youngest daughter and oldest son.

When all three were younger we never brought friends along on trips and vacations because they had each other to do things with. Now, however, youngest daughter is the only child still living at home. We have allowed her to invite a friend on two trips we've taken.

The first time was on a road trip to Memphis and daughter and friend were thirteen. It was also a 'girls only' trip, daughter, friend, me, and my cousin. We had a blast! When I asked the friend's mother about the trip, I explained that I would cover the cost of everything and the only money the girl needed to bring would be for any shopping she wanted to do.

The second trip was a road trip to Washington D.C. Daughter and friend, (not the same girl we took to Memphis), husband and I went. Again, we covered all the expenses except shopping money. The girl's mother insisted we take money to cover her daughter's meals, but we ended up giving it back to her. This trip was successful. also.

We've also taken several vacations in the past two years that have included our two oldest kids, and on those trips, no friends were invited, well, except oldest daughter's fiance! Daughter was just thrilled to be spending time with her older brother and sister!

We have found it to be a good experience for all involved when taking along a friend. Daughter has a lot more fun having a friend to talk with and listen to music with and be seen with, rather than just mom and dad!

Having said that, there are friends of daughter's that I would not invite simply because I know there would be problems with them adhering to our level of supervision. Whenever we've taken someone else with us, it is understood that daughter and friend will stay with us, not wander off on their own, not be left alone in the hotel room, etc., etc.

So far it's worked out well!

 

[stinkerbelle]

We vacationed once to Maine (we were from Mass) and my brother brought a friend.

The friend got VERY homesick and made the trip miserable..his mom finally had to drive up to Maine and get him.

So - know the kid you're bringing!

 

[MamaLema]

I wouldn't bring my kid's friends on vacation. It's stressful enough sometimes with my own kids.

I would take their friends on day trips, though like an amusement park or zoo for the day

 

[noseybuddy]

When my kids were younger I wouldn't take their friends with us, but we did vacation with another family with kids the same age. Now that they are teens, DS17 DD14 i would let them bring a friend. It gives them someone to talk to and hang with that is their own age. This doesn't mean i am going to send them off by themselves, the kids are just happier having a friend along, and I see nothing wrong with it.

 

[barkley]

i would be very reluctant to do so. i would be very concerned about the liability of supervising another person's child. i had a co-worker who went on a group vacation (several families all with the same destination, individual arrangements). one of the families brought along a buddy for their son (around 14/15) and took great measures to cover every possibility (what to do if the guest wanted/needed to get home, medical treatment permission, and asked explicit questions about the boys experience/ability to participate in the planned activites-they were going to an area where they would be riding motorized vehicals like quads.). the boy's parents assured the vacationing parents that their son was experienced in all of the activities, the vacationing parents went to great ends to review all of the safety and operational procedures with the kid (who demonstrated knowledge and experince with the activities). well...the kid decided to steal the keys to a vehical owned by vacationing parents and ran it into a truck, damaging the truck and injuring himself. long story short-the vacationing parents were sued by the parents of the kid for not properly supervising (the kid snuck out dead of night and stole the keys from a purse), sued in a separate suit by the other parents of the kids (mom and dad divorced equal custody) for not getting THIER permission to access medical services, sued by the owner of the truck...and will face a separate suit by the kid when he turns 18 and can attest to the impact the scars and injuries he incurred have had on him

these folks KNEW and were CLOSE to this kid and the parents, but when it came to a monetary issue everything changed. they came close to losing their home, their buisness-the family was torn apart.

its a RARE circumstance-but i simply would not take on the chance that someone elses child would do some bonehead move that could jepordize my family.

also, the BEST relationship between kids can sour so quickly, i would'nt want to be put in a situation wherein my family vacation was ruined due to a squabble between my kid and someone elses.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We do it every year on our ski trips and ocean trips. They are one week for skiing and 2-3 weeks at the ocean. We have 3 kids ranging from 6 to 22. The two older ones always had a friend go with us so we got extra room to accomadate and yes we pay for everything.

I know I've probably told you this before, but I want my kids to become friends with your kids. Those are nice vacations!!! I know, I have an idea! May I come? Please. I'll be really good and can be your friend!