Kids from well off families beats my lot hands down.

aliasojo

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Not usually. Most people who are "rich" are so because they work long hours and hardly ever see their children. Like most things in life, people are usually time rich or money rich, rarely both.

Point taken. I think perhaps I had a stereotypical idea of working Father/stay at home Mum. I have several relatives that are much better off than us and this is the set up they have so I think I must have been subconsciously making the same association maybe, when I started thinking about all this?

I really can't see that the opportunity to do things like climbing is going to make much of a difference in a child's life. You say that your child might become a world champion rockclimber if she had the chance, but she might also be a world renowned cellist, ballerina, footballer,swimmer, showjumper etc., etc. She can't try them all!

I agree with you but I think perhaps you are all taking me too literally. As I've already said...the climbing and horse riding were used as examples of the DIFFERENT types of activities I was talking about. My point is...she only tries the cheaper options at the moment. Most other activities that are outwith her ordinary options, do cost more.

I'm sure that if their child seems musical, most good parents would make sacrifices for music lessons, for a child who's always dancing, ballet lessons, for a keen footballer, extra coaching. You have to follow the interests of the child, not thrust "experiences" on them willy nilly in the hope that this will give them some kind of advantage in life. It doesn't work like that.

I know.

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aliasojo

mrcow wrote: »

Then I have to ask, who are these mysterious "rich" people we are talking about that beat your kids hands down?

See answer in post above.

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aliasojo

windra wrote: »

I totally disagree with the OP...not a single person in my fammily has been to univercity(until me...............................................I am ao glad that i was not spoilt with everything i wanted as i am very careful with my money now, unlike alot of my friends at univercity...i havnt spent my entire overdraft on alchohol and going out!

I can't help but feel people are comparing apples and pears a wee bit here.

I don't see that experiencing new things equates to being spoilt.

Spoilt is a whole different topic entirely.

Skintmama

As your daughter gets older then she may find opportunities through secondary school trips to travel more. Also, my son has been invited on holidays with other families, we pay for him of course but it is cheaper than us all going.
We use Clubcard vouchers to go out to restaurants to give them meals out experiences. I appreciate this is no good unless you have participating restaurants nearby.
A friend used to go travelling with just herself and her daughter as her husband and son did not mind staying at home......wouldn't work in my house though!

aliasojo

Skintmama wrote: »

We use Clubcard vouchers to go out to restaurants to give them meals out experiences. I appreciate this is no good unless you have participating restaurants nearby.

I save my vouchers to use for extras too but there is very little round our way where can use them. I've got everyone I know to badger Tesco by email to see if they can extend the places the vouchers can be used up here.

A friend used to go travelling with just herself and her daughter as her husband and son did not mind staying at home......wouldn't work in my house though!

Mine neither, but I quite fancy that idea, lol.

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aliasojo

SandC wrote: »

I suppose the more well off will take their kids away for weekends - whereabouts are you in the Highlands?

Sorry, but I'd prefer not to say. Lord knows there's enough of my personal info on this site as it is. It's a small place though and we have to travel to get to Inverness.

SandC

Okay, fair enough. Just wondering if it would spring up any ideas. I don't suppose there is a drama group or anything like that nearby?

Spendless

To answer what my own kids do
DD aged 5
gym club (has just packed it in) and cheerleading (thru school cost £2 a week each activity)


DS aged 8 has done in the past

Beavers
gym club/art club/tae kwon do (all thru his school )
swiming
he has also down various 'kids clubs' during school holidays

currently he is learning to play violin (free thru school),belongs to a junior football team, and last week started cubs. Already at cubs he is going to an (indoor) camp this w/end and they are taking him to a 'sea-life' type centre and a ramble in some woods, as well as various indoor activities. Next month they are doing another to the coast which has a Christmas theme.

Does your daughter's Brownie's pack not do various different activities with them?

What about 'junior woodland rangers'- anything like that near you?

julbags

aliasojo wrote: »

We thought this might be something else to get her interested in so her Dad took her on a day out to somewhere that has climbing walls. She loved it and got quite far up considering she was still scared. Problem was that it was £25 a session plus the hire cost of the special shoes/helmet etc.

My first thought was where on earth are you climbing that it costs £25 an hour, that's outrageous! As you in the Highlands I guessed it may be the Ice Factor as its new and probably pricey but they only do £25 an hour on private sessions. Its a lot cheaper to go to the open climbing sessions where you can climb until your arms fall off.

There will be an element of paying to learn safety aspects etc initially and I understand that but it shouldn't take too long to get to the standard to be able to be a safe member of the wall and go when you want, epecially as they have lots of top ropes.

Out local wall has a kids club and they pass climbing shoes etc around the kids as they outgrow them quickly, climbing shoes are ok to buy second hand, I wouldn't buy things like harnesses or ropes etc second hand though. The club supplies harnesses as part of the climbing fee, they may have a kids club too though if you have to travel it may not be convenient.

Miss_Cinnabon

we live in a small village also and can see where you are coming from, we are between inverness and aberdeen and there is hardly anything to do here unless you travel far, there are loads of distilleries but kids arent in to that:rolleyes:

that said, there is nothing more better than spending time with family, going out walks etc its what you make it and how you raise your kids, not how much money you spend on them

when i was younger my parents put us outside every day and we used our imaginations, running around, climbing the odd tree, playing with the other kids

but i have started worrying more about activities, what with school and what other kids are doing, so have got my boys into the cubs, pricey a bit but worth it for the experience, also good for my son as he has diabetes, and it shows him he is able to do anything he can set his mind to.

I wouldnt worry too much about what rich people have and what you have, just do what you can and enjoy life with your kids, look for free days out, vouchers etc