Ds, part time work and world challenge.

[zippyandbungle]

I'm quite prepared to be told I am and right now I feel like the worst mum on the planet.

Ds committed to world challenge trip to Nepal, for full disclosure I wasn't hugely impressed but thought that the whole fundraising, working for an end would be a good experience.

A year on and he has made very little effort to fund raise and only managed a small amount with a real effort on my part.

So he has been invited to an interview for a part time job via a friend of mine and he's refusing to go.

I'm so mad and have gave him the ultimatum of going to the interview or we are cancelling the WC trip. He shrugged.

I know he's really looking forward to it and I do think it would be good for him plus we have been paying monthly do would lose over 1k if we cancel.

So am I being unreasonable to cancel?

I wouldn't pay it. Where is the effort and commitment on his part? Why does he get a free cool holiday out of you, what has he done to deserve it? He is making little effort because he knows you will just stump up anyway.

Stop paying into the fund. If you lose your £1k, then he needs to replace it.

My DS did World Challenge at 16 and to be honest his fundraising was a bit half-hearted compared to some of his friends, but I was already prepared to contribute substantially. He didn't have the chance of a part-time job so I can totally understand your frustration.

I personally wouldn't cancel because the experience was incredible and has made him a much better person. He was exposed to poverty and to manual labour and learned to work as part of a team. He had the time of his life and it has enhanced his CV. Worth every penny in my book.

I seems to have that dilemma a lot Lynette. Admittedly on a much smaller scale. Do I pay for Ds to go out with his mates, which he'd like. But if I don't he'll be happy to stay home and play computer games. I'd prefer he was out and about....

For the last hour he's printed off cvs and said he's applied for a few jobs on line ( I can look if I don't believe him ) he's suggested a car boot sale next weekend if we have a clear out. So, hopefully he may be starting to see he needs to pull his finger out. He didn't want to work in the area that my friend was offering, but time will tell, as it's one of the areas that students do find work in.

Yay! This trip will be the making off him! .

( bet you only make £30 at the car boot sake, but that's not the point !)

He was exposed to poverty and to manual labour and learned to work as part of a team

Why do they have to go on a vastly expensive trip to find this? It's right under their noses here in the UK

I also hear about the fantastic things the kids get out of these trips, inasmuch as it's a self, self, self account when they return and it will look good on a cv or uni application, but I've never heard about the difference they make to the Nepalese or whoever's long-term future. Do the Nepalese or whoever really need - or even want - kids from this country to go and dig them a well or put a roof on their outbuildings or whatever 'worthy' thing the kids do when they get there?

blanklook - you make a very good point. A parent did ask a similar question at the meeting I went to. She wanted to know how many groups might visit a particular school to provide free labour. The answer was somewhat woolly.

I have spent a fair bit of time in villages which have hosted world challengers and the people I have spoken to appreciate it alot. I have met some cynics but even they admit some good is being done.

A lot more good would be done in these communities if the kids simply gave them the cash equivalent of their air fare.....