How often do your student children take holidays?

[quesshoe]

NB: This money has all been earnt by my DD by her holiday jobs.

I feel she spends too much money on holidays. We completely fund her university costs, bar tuition fees.

This summer, after first year, she went to and Brazil, Israel, Greece.
Now she has just told me she is planning on going to Japan/Indonesia over the summer and South Africa at Easter. She can then get her Cambridge college to fund about a month in Europe!

I would never take this many holidays due to work commitments, but I just feel it's a waste of money. Then, my mum commented that I shouldn't be so mean and that my dd needs to enjoy seeing the world before she gets stuck down with work.

How often do your student dc travel? Is this the norm these days?

[InDubiousBattle]

Two of my sisters dc are at uni and they're always bloody off somewhere. Budapest, Spain, Ireland, Tenerife, Italy, Paris, Portugal......All places they've been between them since starting. Younger one is off to Grenada just before Christmas. They don't take a penny off their parents though so it's all their money they're spending (well their loans at any rate).

[user1499173618]

Travelling is an education. Good on your DD - seeing the world will stand her in good stead.

[ivykaty44]

Why do you find her tuition costs? I though there were student loans, can she not get one?

[BigSandyBalls2015]

I agree with your mum

[oneteen]

Totally agree with your mum....travelling is so educational and your DD is paying for her travelling ...I try and get away whenever I can and love travelling...

[RaininSummer]

I think if she can afford it then she should travel if she wants as once she starts work her time off will be limited.

[Stopyourhavering64]

My dd goes on at least a long haul, 2 short haul /city breaks and averages 3music festivals per year since being at uni....she's been to SE Asia on 4 occasions ( volunteering as well as holidaying) as well as numerous European cities
When she finishes her finals next summer she's planning on traveling round S America for 6 weeks , before settling down to work...she's going to be working for the next 40+ years so I don't begrudge her these holidays at all!
She's had a part time job since 16 and she had a placement year last year so has saved a considerable amount to fund these travels, which I see as important educationally for developing an understanding of the world

[mrwalkensir]

Benefit of Cambridge having such short terms 😊 might as well make the most of it.. She’ll probably never have such flexibility again

[EdWinchester]

I encourage our son to take as many trips/holidays as he can.

And we want him to travel for a year when he graduates, which is what we did.

There won't be the same opportunity once they get stuck into their careers.

[BackforGood]

My dc can't afford to go away like that, as they use their earnings for their living costs.
why do you pay all her living costs?
If she is at Cambridge, I thought they weren't allowed to work during term time ?
If she is away that much, then when is she working to earn the money ?

Don't get me wrong, if you can afford it, the University would be the time to travel as it is the time of your life when you have the time. Once you start work, you just don't get that much leave.

[overnightangel]

How the fk can people afford to travel like that while at university??

[overnightangel]

Basically a one up manship not very stealth boast thread

[overnightangel]

I was at uni 2000-2003, approx 1500 fees each year, 2000 accomm, 40 weeks . Student loan of 2750 towards that, evening and weekend job termtime bar hotel etc £75 a week, summer job full time made up the rest, was able to have odd weekend away to see mates elsewhere in country, summers were spent working constantly.
This world is alien to me

[RaininSummer]

Re the cost, my lass has done some good exotic travelling but it hasn't cast as much as you might think. Hostels and local public transport for instance make for very cheap stays in many countries so flights are the pricey part.

[Parker231]

Travel is the best education you can get. We are supporting DT’s financially through Uni and this includes extensive travel.

[HeddaGarbled]

This is a direct consequence of you completely funding her. Most students use their part time/holiday job earnings to supplement their living costs or to save for the future. They may have holidays too but not to this extent.

If you want her to be more financially responsible, you will need to reduce the subsidy.

[Xenia]

Just depends on the family and their income level and the student's inclinations. My daughters travelled more as students than their younger brother who was more of a stay at home type other than family holidays abroad (which they all were and remain keen on...as I pay I presume rather than my scintillating company).

One of mine worked abroad for 2 or 3 summers and had a gap year working abroad so all those trips were basically zero cost and she was paid (not enough to save but had her food and board provided and enough for entertainment costs). My last two have just booked the university ski trip and both went abroad on separate trips last summer - one inter-railing and the other in a villa with friends. My second daughter had 6 weeks through central America on 24 hour coach journeys where local ladies would plonk very cute babies on her and her friend's knees for hours on the bus.

Your basic issue which I have seen at times and all parents have is when your children have more than you have/ had. I think most generations have to cope with it and you should go with the wisdom of her granny on this. Let her enjoy the holidays. They will soon be over when she's supporting herself. I was looking at my 1990s diary recently and my mother had told my father not to send us birthday presents as we had more than she had had (she was going through a bad phase) and he was explaining it to us and gave us his work address to write to. I am not sure we did have it easier than she had in a lot of ways but it's not a competition as to who has the worse life. Generations and itmes change and each has its own challenges.