How do you stop feeling bad?

kate1976

My son brought home a letter from school yesterday about a skiing trip in 2008, cost £659 but being on a tight budget, even with the school's payment plan I've had to say no and now I'm feeling bad!! Son isn't that bothered, he understands that money is tight, bless him, but I still have that bad, guilty feeling that I've let him down as I know deep down he really wants to go!

He's off this weekend on a trip that cost £65 so at least he'll have that experience, I'm just feeling terrible at the moment at not being able to afford his big trip, this is one of the joys of parenthood I suppose?!

jellycat40

My children have never been on a school trip of this kind. They did the year 5 trip to an outward bound, but never anything like this.

It is sooo expensive. We can all go away for the cost of one going on a school trip. Also with the skiing trips you have the dry slope practice sessions to pay for before they go as well.

To be honest I don't know why it is so expensive they do not stay in 5* accommodation and they usually travel cheaply.

Louise

ailuro2

If he isn't that bothered, then consoloe yourself with him being a lovely,well brought up young chap who is obviously very sensible.

Our local high school's trip cost over a grand- to Florida to play basketball. Hmmph, why not organise for them to attend a UK tournament instead- much cheaper.

Perhaps you could save up and treat the whole family to a day out at a dry ski slope instead,if you really want to share the experience?

Penny_Watcher

ailuro2 wrote:

Our local high school's trip cost over a grand- to Florida to play basketball. Hmmph, why not organise for them to attend a UK tournament instead- much cheaper.

[STRIKE]Two[/STRIKE] Three words

Teachers

Free trip :rolleyes:

*puts on anti-flame coat and hides:D *

ASG_2

My kids have never been on these school trips. However, they do go on loads of Air Cadet camps which cost about £40 for a week. DS is off to Cyprus next Easter for 2 weeks £307.00. I'd recommend Air Cadets to any teenager. AND the staff have to pay for themselves.
Don't feel guilty, your son sounds wonderful. Being a good parent doesn't necessarily mean spending loads of money.

jockettuk

Penny_Watcher wrote:

[strike]Two[/strike] Three words

Teachers

Free trip :rolleyes:

*puts on anti-flame coat and hides:D *

yes and not forgetting all the insurance that goes with school trips.. as soon as its mentioned its a school trip up goes the insurance from the bus to the airport to the plane to the hotel to the whatever they doing .. ive been on a committe who had to organise these things and the insurance went up almost 50% to cover everything.. also the insurance insists on a ratio of adults per children and yes why shouldnt they get it for free.. they dont get paid any extra for being there and the teachers/helpers on our trips come back exahausted because they dont get any sleep chasing round kids sneeking out rooms etc.. kids will be kids but the adults on these trips earn every penny of the freebie as most people think.. the kids come back full of it and rave how much of a good time they had or hadnt lol..

These arnt holidays for the adults but the kids have a great time, but yes i think the prices are stupid and i for one couldnt pay them.

going2die_rich

I wouldn't worry about it, I never went on any away trips more than the day with school and neither did many other children and not all were about the money involved. (Been on loads now with my own money.). School holidays are rubbish because of the teachers not letting you do anything, so whats the point.

It isn't really a big thing, it's a one week fad, which when the kids get back will talk about for a day or two then move on to the next thing.

Your son hasn't missed out on anything he wont be able to do in the future himself when he's grown up. Far better for him to be in a home that isn't throwing money away making it less financially stable than risking being in debt just to send him on a trip where the teachers will probably lose him and he'll spend hours wondering on his own.

kate1976

Thanks all, after a little cry and a cup of tea I'm feeling a bit better, he's a good kid and having to miss out on things like this doesn't bother him although as I said before deep down I know he wants to go!

I've told him that we'll have a 'big' holiday in a few years after I've been able to save enough, something to look forward to!

I consider myself very lucky to have him be so understanding as my friend phoned last night and told me that her son had 'kicked off big style' when she told him he couldn't go on this trip!! :rolleyes:

Thanks again for all your replies, really appreciate it!

Penny_Watcher

jockettuk wrote:

the insurance insists on a ratio of adults per children and yes why shouldnt they get it for free.. they dont get paid any extra for being there and the teachers/helpers on our trips come back exahausted because they dont get any sleep chasing round kids sneeking out rooms etc.. kids will be kids but the adults on these trips earn every penny of the freebie as most people think

I absolutely agree. Thank goodness the teachers and helpers are prepared to help or the kids would miss out. Good on them, because I couldn't think of anything worse than supervising hoards of excited and exhausted kids. I remember trips abroad when I was at high school. We ran the teachers ragged.:eek:

My comment was a little cheeky - I was thinking given the choice of a working trip to Slough (sorry Slough:o ) or Orlando, first instinct for most of us would be "Oooh goodie - Orlando". But then commom sense would set in and we'd all be off to lovely Slough.

newlywed

going2die_rich wrote:

I wouldn't worry about it, I never went on any away trips more than the day with school and neither did many other children and not all were about the money involved. (Been on loads now with my own money.). School holidays are rubbish because of the teachers not letting you do anything, so whats the point.

It isn't really a big thing, it's a one week fad, which when the kids get back will talk about for a day or two then move on to the next thing.

Your son hasn't missed out on anything he wont be able to do in the future himself when he's grown up. Far better for him to be in a home that isn't throwing money away making it less financially stable than risking being in debt just to send him on a trip where the teachers will probably lose him and he'll spend hours wondering on his own.

I agree. We never went on school trips if it was more than a day trip. All of us kids were treated the same. Never really missed out and yes for two days before and two days after everyone is talking about it and you feel a little put out then, but after that, no-one is bothered. Most of them ended up missing their family anyway!!!

pippamannequin

kate1976 wrote:

My son brought home a letter from school yesterday about a skiing trip in 2008, cost £659 but being on a tight budget, even with the school's payment plan I've had to say no and now I'm feeling bad!! Son isn't that bothered, he understands that money is tight, bless him, but I still have that bad, guilty feeling that I've let him down as I know deep down he really wants to go!

He's off this weekend on a trip that cost £65 so at least he'll have that experience, I'm just feeling terrible at the moment at not being able to afford his big trip, this is one of the joys of parenthood I suppose?!

Coincidence!..Went to pick my 13 year old boy up from school last night, he said ''school are doing a ski trip to austria, it costs about £600, how expensive is that! anyway i didnt bring home the letter, we could all go away for that!! ''Bless. Wonder if its the same trip lol
Anyway, me too also felt guilty but just means i always know when he does actually ask for something he must really really want it and i will always do my best to get it for him...he never does tho!