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Original poster

£15 per child for an hour, absolute rip off

246 replies

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 14:23

Where we live the only attractions within walking distance are several restaurants, 2 garden centres and a trampoline park. No play areas or anything like that. No woods or places to walk unless you want to walk round the business park. Dh is away most of half term (eldest uni interviews and then working) and I can't face staying at home all week with the younger dc. Dh will have the car and ds2 can't cope with public transport due to SEN. In laws would sometimes help but they have their other gc all week.

So our only option for going out is the trampoline park which costs £15 per child per hour. Plus extra for ice creams, drinks etc which we will not be having. If I had the car we could go out for the day for less than that. The trampoline park is always heaving with people when we go so people pay the money but I can't see it costing that much to run the place. We will go once because there is no other choice really. My dc are too old to want to go round the garden centre now.

OP posts:
ButIToldYouSoooo · 18/02/2025 10:04

It is an absolute rip off, OP.

I'm sorry.

TheOnlyWayisGerard · 18/02/2025 10:20

Blondeshavemorefun · 18/02/2025 09:47

Wish people would least read ops reply’s

she can drive

they are a one car family.

dh has car this week

Dh usually wfh so she has the car

Maybe you should practice what you preach. OP has confirmed she doesn't drive...

Blondeshavemorefun · 18/02/2025 10:45

TheOnlyWayisGerard · 18/02/2025 10:20

Maybe you should practice what you preach. OP has confirmed she doesn't drive...

Show quote history

in @elliejjtinyfirst post she wrote

If I had the car we could go out for the day for less than that.

yes I read that as if she could drive

I can’t imagine op doesn’t drive living in the middle of nowhere

but yes be good for @elliejjtinyto confirm if she can drive or that they all go out with dh driving

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
TheOnlyWayisGerard · 18/02/2025 10:48

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 16:45

Thank you.

I tend to bend the truth on posts when it comes to irrelevant details to keep myself relatively anonymous. I thought most people did that these days. I like to be able to moan about my in-laws occasionally without them seeing it and recognising me. So no, I can't drive but I thought it wouldn't be relevant if dh had the car anyway, I forgot about hire cars.

Taxi quoted £40 each way to get to town with library, free museum, softplay etc. Nearest park is closer so would be cheaper, still probably not much cheaper than trampoline park and at least trampoline park would be warm!

Dc2 problem with buses is he can't cope with waiting for them, can't cope if the bus is late, can't cope when he sees someone he knows on the bus, can't cope if a wheelchair user isn't allowed on the bus because there is already a buggy on the bus. Also most of the bus drivers won't let him on the bus if he is having a meltdown which is understandable but makes the meltdown worse. We have tried and tried with him but realistically about 2/3 of the time I have to phone dh to come and get us because ds can't cope. Ds2 is 16 and weighs about 11 stone so I can't manage him in a meltdown on my own anymore. He is ok with noise and crowds, as long as everyone follows the rules.

Dc are 2 older teens, 1 younger teen and 2 nearly teens.

We have NT membership but nearest NT property is 30 minutes drive away. We also have another different local membership each year that costs about £50 for the family.

Can't remember if there were any other questions.

We do just dance and similar on youtube and I have a few exercise/dance dvd's as well. Big climbing frame in the garden which the dc use most days.

Can't move house unfortunately as it's tied in with dh job.

Dh is normally working from home with flexible hours so we can go out as a family most days, this is an unfortunate one off situation. In laws usually look after their other gc a couple of days but not all week. Eldest has applied for 3 universities and had interviews at each one. Dh and eldest have to stay overnight in a hotel which would cost more for all of us. If it was just the day we would probably all go and do some sightseeing, we often do that if dh had to go away for a day with work.

@Blondeshavemorefun

jgjgjgjgjg · 18/02/2025 10:49

Blondeshavemorefun · 18/02/2025 09:47

Wish people would least read ops reply’s

she can drive

they are a one car family.

dh has car this week

Dh usually wfh so she has the car

She cannot drive. See her post from yesterday at 11.45

Blondeshavemorefun · 18/02/2025 10:50

TheOnlyWayisGerard · 18/02/2025 10:48

@Blondeshavemorefun

Show quote history

Whoops @TheOnlyWayisGerard

i bow down To your knowledge

apologises

I was wrong. Op can’t drive

Lyannaa · 18/02/2025 10:51

Everything is crazy expensive now and yes it's annoying. A cinema trip cost me £70 a few months ago.

StrivingForSleep · 18/02/2025 13:17

It won’t help this holiday, but have you looked if you are eligible for any grants for days out for disabled DC? Then you could spend some of the money saved on entry to places on taxis.

Eldermilleniallyogii · 18/02/2025 15:00

SheilaFentiman · 18/02/2025 09:27

But you do believe it’s in people’s best interests to be told off for moaning and being negative? You would say that to a friend of yours in a similar situation?

Sure, Jan. 🤔

Show quote history

And what are you doing exactly?

Telling me off?

Your opinion isn't more valid than me. You do you.

SheilaFentiman · 18/02/2025 15:12

Eldermilleniallyogii · 18/02/2025 15:00

And what are you doing exactly?

Telling me off?

Your opinion isn't more valid than me. You do you.

Show quote history

Fabulous, I will. And now you know my opinion of posters who are dismissive to those having a hard time and reaching out for a bit of support.

Oh, and if that is what you would say to a friend, I’m glad I don’t know you, and - to save you saying it - I’m sure that feeling is mutual.

Eldermilleniallyogii · 18/02/2025 15:33

SheilaFentiman · 18/02/2025 15:12

Fabulous, I will. And now you know my opinion of posters who are dismissive to those having a hard time and reaching out for a bit of support.

Oh, and if that is what you would say to a friend, I’m glad I don’t know you, and - to save you saying it - I’m sure that feeling is mutual.

Show quote history

Get a life.

SheilaFentiman · 18/02/2025 15:38

Eldermilleniallyogii · 18/02/2025 15:33

Get a life.

Show quote history

Thanks, I have one.

Would be weird for a disembodied spirit to be posting on MN, after all 👻

<sorry, OP, I will leave it there now - best of luck to you>

TiredMummma · 18/02/2025 18:12

I don't understand this post. You don't drive but chose to live in the middle of nowhere (why don't you or haven't you learned?). Trampoline park is literally a one off. Just forget about the money, it's not like you are visiting every day!

You could just pay for a taxi, again one off as your DH normally drives.

I really don't see what the problem is?

Rhaenys · 18/02/2025 22:10

I honestly don’t think £15 for an hour is that bad.
I view anything less than the cost of minimum wage to be a bargain, and £15 isn’t much more than that.

inappropriateraspberry · 18/02/2025 22:38

Check Treasure Trails. They are great walking trails around different towns and areas, themed around detective type stories. It's a really cheap way to see your local area in a different way and can be adapted to suit your day.

justasmalltownmum · 18/02/2025 22:52

I actually read somewhere once that trampoline parks are loss making majority of the year.

usernamealreadytaken · 20/02/2025 13:21

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 20:01

There is no allotments, forest, green spaces or anything like that. Youngest is only 10, if I sent him out on the bus on his own or even with his older brothers I expect someone would call social services. It's just a small housing estate next to a business park, half way between 2 towns.

It might help if you gave an idea of the area, as people might have some suggestions :-)

ODFOx · 20/02/2025 23:36

elliejjtiny · 17/02/2025 15:00

I'm wondering whether it would be more cost effective to have a membership to the trampoline park.

Unlikely. But it would be more cost effective to have a trampoline in the garden. Dig a hole and have the bouncing surface at ground level. Much safer!

Daftypants · 21/02/2025 08:30

Ok , so your husband and eldest really need the car or otherwise it’s very expensive and awkward to get to the university open day / visit ?
Could you ask a friend a favour , do any of your friends have a larger vehicle and for a bit of petrol money you could have an afternoon out with them ?
I appreciate that might not be the case here but when mine were younger the oldest was happy to walk to her friends house to spend time with her so I then only had the younger 2 ( youngest is SEN )
One friend within walking distance had a 7 seater and we all fitted in for an afternoon out ☺️ I got us ice creams / coffees to say thanks ( it wasn’t a long journey )
I did have the use of a car usually it was just a temporary thing when I’d sold my car and was waiting for a new one .
Another option is using Uber to get somewhere with free or cheap activities

DazedAndConfused321 · 24/02/2025 21:55

SheilaFentiman · 17/02/2025 22:20

Oh, if only OP had posted something like this in her second post…

. I don't really blame them for costing that much I just wish there was a park or something like that we could walk to.

Oh wait! She did!

Hope THAT helps.

Show quote history

Sorry, I didn't realise I'm not allowed to state something that the OP happened to vaguely say something slightly similar to?

SheilaFentiman · 24/02/2025 22:28

Where did I say you “weren’t allowed”?

I didn’t. Merely mentioned that she had acknowledged early on that she didn’t “blame them for costing that much” which is really very similar (and not just “vaguely similar”) to noting that she didn’t think they were a “rip-off” after all.

Hope that clears things up for you!

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