Anyone else's kids got extremely expensive hobbies?

Obviously, if you literally can't afford it, and don't have the means to figure out how to afford it, fair enough.

But ......parents trying to make sure their kids are making the most of their lives certainly aren't pathetic. Especially because many are mentioning that their child has ND or MH needs and they are figuring out how to afford something that is massively improving their quality of life.

To be blunt, I personally find it pretty strange to hear how actually proud you seem to be of the fact your child missed out on opportunities like, as you say, representing their country around the world. (I wonder if maybe you missed out on opportunities yourself when younger?) Again, if you can't afford every activity your kid wants to do, I don't think that makes you a bad person or parent, but there is no reason to sound happy and proud your kid missed out! 😅

I think paying off the mortgage is the biggie by the sounds of it. You might not be high earners, but with having paid off your mortgage, you have got much more disposable income than most families, which is how you can afford it.

Some very expensive hobbies do pay back though. DC1 cost us a lot in music lessons and instruments but then got scholarships to music college and 6 years of a virtually free ride on conservatoire fees. (It would have been £64k just on conservatoire tuition if not.)

We're not high earners at all. We just don't spend money on cars, holidays, take aways, clothes and have paid off our mortgage. That's easily £20k a year of income for a lot of people. Indeed, I rarely even buy M&S Jaffa Cakes as they are £3 a pack. It's not to say we couldn't have a much nicer lifestyle if we didn't spend our money on our kids hobbies.

Your definition of 'not a high earner' must be different from most people's.

For the majority of families, no amount of belt tightening or going without holidays is going to major up and extra nearly 20k a year (£1200 a month plus £100 a week).

It's beyond the possibility of most families.

Weirdly enough, there is an international jousting circuit.

Can't edit above post, we spend at least £100 week on the child who lives at home for the hobby.

They could both go professional if they carry on their trajectory but i doubt they will. They will no doubt continue to pursue their hobby throughout their lives.

Yes. Both my children have what should be a cheap hobby, started £10 a week at the local leisure centre. One of my children has just started at an academy living away from home whilst at school. That's over £1200 on training and accommodation per month plus living expenses. Plus there's tournments and travel on top of that at least once a month. Plus my other child does it at home and we spend at least £100 on them.

But it's changed their lives. They have both represented their country at national and international level. The child at the academy has really high academic and career aspirations that didn't exist prior to the hobby. Might be a coincidence 🤷

We aren't high earners but we are not in debt and lead an otherwise quite frugal life.

As a parent of a ND child, I can see how you would end up spending a fortune if the hobby changes their life socially, emotional regulation etc.

My eldest DD doesn't have any hobbies now, she's not far off adulthood. But she did various things similar to DD2 across the years but they were all just fun classes once a week.

My DD(8y) (w/ ASD) does quite a few hobbies but they're all recreational and pretty cheap, we don't do any competitions/exams or whatever the equivalent is for that sport. They're really beneficial to her but not because she will ever manage them professionally, she still has some gross motor delays. But there's so many benefits socially, emotionally, physically etc.

Swimming costs the most as she needs individual lessons, 8 kids in a group in a loud pool at the leisure centre is just too much for her. So I pay £25 for these but not every week, so about £50 a month.
She does 2 dance classes a week (term time) which cost about £50 a month. She has dance shoes and a branded leotard but I got these very cheaply second hand.
Her gymnastics is about £30 a month for 1 class a week (all year round) and they can wear whatever they want so no extra cost there either.
She does another sport twice a month but it's totally free with a local charity.

Horse riding for me and 2 kids, which will be three kids next year. But that's it... For now!

Some insane sums of money being cited here. Just waiting for someone to pitch in with jousting or albino chimpanzee collecting.

Superb career path for your son! My brother was into similar stuff when young and have been earning a fortune in IT security (I have no idea what he actually does) working in banks and tech giants. He was on six figures basically straight out of uni.

He's 15, I forgot to say.

My sons hobby is collecting and curating (his words not mine!) The Smiths and Morrissey memorabilia and vinyls etc.
We must attend every gig possible.
He also programmes computers to make his own games, and is ferried around various cyber security competitions where he competes against his peers in solving online security issues. This all obviously costs money, but regarding the computer lark he really has been consistent and conscientious.
This has resulted in him having a far better idea of the career he will hopefully have.

Yes, all complete bollocks, which anyone with half a brain and the ability to google, saw right through.

Thing is, the mum is semi-well known. If I said her name, I reckon perhaps 10% of you would go, "Oh yeah... I've heard of her..."

This minor fame has opened a couple of doors for her DD that wouldn't have opened for other girls her age. The problem is, at some point DD will need ACTUAL talent, which she simply doesn't have. Mummy Dearest's clout will only get you so far.

Music lessons for two instruments for eldest. Musical Theatre classes and 11+ tuition for the youngest (the latter is not a hobby, I know, but it adds to the monthly costs).

Ooof - very spendy!

Latin and ballroom dancing! She has low self esteem, she is 4-5 years behind at school but She can dance, she has great timing and picks up choreography really quickly!

MMA / boxing and Brazilian juijitsu which costs me £400 a month - yet also saved my nd child

Sailing! Still probably cheaper than a horse though.

We don’t own any ponies or horses by my daughter attends a riding school. Well. Did. We are kicking for another. Several reasons but for me one of them is the other mums. Totally becoming nasty. Some are cliquey and their kids become cliquey and others feel bullied. And the owner. Well, she treads this having one group lesson a week at £40 very differently to this having several group and private lessons a week spending upwards of £200 per week. A couple are lovely. Struggling to find another school that fits in with her other hobbies.

Horse mums are like dance mums on speed!
I thought the dance/ musical theatre lot were bad enough at festivals and auditions, however after dd's first showjumping comp I was stunned!
Some parents are adorable and helpful- others have forgotten its a kids hobby and supposed to be fun.
Sadly I suppose when you throw 50/80k ponies in the mix and adult ambition it stops becoming a child's hobby.

From what I see, any activity gets expensive (and incredibly time-consuming for the family) once the child gets deep enough into it!

Lots of things start cheap - a weekly ballet class in the local village hall, wildcats football, learn to swim - and suddenly they really get into it (perhaps they are told they have talent) and they are there nearly every day, and you are travelling all over the place at weekends and planning holidays around them!

What activities are expensive from the get-go?

Concerts, gigs and musicals!!!

Little girls and PONIES!😍