How do you stop feeling bad?

needmoney

Just my personal opinion but I don't see why schools have to do any trips, families can do that and make their own personal choices.

Alikay

My kids have never been on the school ski trips -they're just too expensive. They've each been on a foreign language trip, but those ones, although still expensive are half the price of skiing. Don't feel bad: If they want to ski there will be plenty of time for them to go with frinds when they're grown up and earning!
At our childrens school, there are only about 20 kids that go on the ski trips each year anyway, so it's not like they're the only ones missing out.
We also made them pay a bit towards the foreign language trips themselves...not a lot...just about £25 or so from saved pocket money: It showed us that they really did want to go, and was good to teach them that if they want a treat they will have to cut back elsewhere.

kate1976

k60sav wrote:

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

Now you have me wondering too!! I'm in Manchester if that narrows it down!

Sounds like you have a son like mine, good head on his shoulders!! My boy keeps saying he'll look after me when he's a millionaire game designer so just a few more years of financial hell and then I'll be a lady of leisure!!:D

After reading the letter again just now there are only 42 places anyway so he'll definitely not be the odd one out!

Thanks again for all your replies and making me feel better!:T

bulchy

k60sav wrote:

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!

This sounds like my son, bless him
Sue

pippamannequin

Nope many miles away from manchester lol over 200 i think!

Well, sounds like we're all very lucky, we've obviously done something right, maybe we're just teaching our kids to be martin lewis's of the future.

pickle

That's an awful position to be in. I think the schools should either fundraise the money themselves or not arrange such trips. It really isn't fair to put parents under such a financial strain and thereby the guilt when they have to say no. I used to miss out on the trips at school because my parents were unable to afford them and I can tell you now that the children who get everything usually end up having difficulty looking after themselves financially and can't understand why things just don't get given to them later in life. I've seen many instances of it. Sometimes it's money, sometimes it's having to work at a relationship, hold down a job etc. It'll do him a favour in the long run even if you can't see that now.

nearlyrich

ASG wrote:

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.
quote]

I completely agree, my DD went on the International Air Cadet Exchange to Canada last year, she had a great time and just needed some spending money, the air fare was paid for and they stayed at the expense of the Canadian Air Force in very nice accommodation. The year before she hosted the UK end of the exchange and had a very nice tour of the UK including some experiences that money can't buy.

Other than the trips they have both had flying experience, my ds has a glider pilot qualification, they both have Duke of Edinburgh Awards, it's a superb organisation well worth investigating.

To the OP, my mum used to feel bad about us not going on school trips but it hasn't done me any harm, he seems to understand that he can't have everything, not a bad lesson to learn.;)

hilstep2000

My kids never even used to bring home the letters. They knew that I couldn't afford it, so they just threw the letters away! Nither of them seem to have suffered. My parents couldn't afford to send me either, but I didn't mind. Don't feel guilty about it!

dumpy

I never went on one of these trips and didn't feel like I missed out at all. I can remember the letters but I can't remember who actually went, so it obviously didn't make me feel left out!

Don't feel guilty and be proud of your son.

elona

With four daughters it could have cost a fortune on trips but they never fancied the ski trips anyway so it was not an issue.

They realised that all six of us could have gone somewhere for that amount!

We did manage to send them on at least one language trip and the sixth form trip if they really wanted to go.

Your son sounds a credit to you - a "Martin junior " in the making - lol;)