How much are you prepared to pay for your children`s activities?

[OrmIrian]

Do you limit them? If they are already doing several quite expensive activities, do you call a halt when they ask to do more. On the principle that I don't let them have everything they want in material terms eg "I need a new skateboard because this one is worn out", tends to get the response, "well save up for it then". I am a bit stuck on this atm. Both my eldest DCs have decided they want to start going to a Saturday Sailing Club on the reservoir. Which is quite pricey but good value (£11 for 4 hours). DD is already going riding every other weekend (ouch!) and goes to climbing club (not so ouch). It isn't that we definitely can't afford it, it would just make things a little tighter rather than impossible. And then of course DS#2 is going to want to start doing things in the next year or so. Should I let them both go, or tell DD that she has to choose?

Extracurricular activities. Extracurricular to what?

AND WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING KERRY?

I didn't realise but it soon mounts up, DD has 4 activities per week, 3 of them are £3.00 per week, swimming lessons are a little more expensive.

Ah. I see

My children don't do any paid-for after school activities and never have. I taught them to swim myself. We taught them to sail on family sailing holidays. We are family members at a good tennis club where they play a lot of tennis. They also do a huge amount of sport at (free) school clubs and play matches every Saturday.

As a general rule of thumb I would pay for anything outdoorsy provided it could be afforded. Sailing and riding are such brilliant things to do - how could you possibly say no?

I pay, for 8 year old DD,

Swimming - £30.00 for 10 week courses
Dancing - £17.00 per term
Brownies - £12.00 [per term

I've told her no more. Think its fair enough

Well that's what I think brassica. I was such a shy little stay-at-home child and I love the fact that my DD will do anything and everything! DS#1 is a bit more reticent and has recently given up karate and cricket - so we went along mainly to see if this was something he would enjoy. Might have known DD would like it too

I'm happy to pay for things I can't do myself - I can swim but with no style as mum couldn't swim and I taught myself, so DD2 who's now 5 goes to a class so she doesn't learn bad habits. Might be different if I was a good swimmer. Don't think it's worth the extra for the younger classes as they are just about water confidence so can do that myself - I just take the DD's to my local pool.

Just beware to consider future costs - DD1 started ballet at 4, £5 a week. She's now 15 and we pay best part of £300 a term for ballet, pointe, moderm, tap. Gym club might have been cheaper!

at £30 a term for swimming - round here, average is around £60 for 11 weeks. Most activities are £4 - £7 a session.

I am very aware of future costs housemum. DS got to brown belt in karate and something that started out with £2 once a week and a second hand kit from a neighbour, ended up costing a small fortune in licenses and grading fees and club fees. And his new karate kit cost me nearly £50!

I am also aware of the irony that there is now way we would ever be able to afford our own horse or boat

I pay for swimming lessons for ds1 and ds2 which is a total of £95 for the term for both.

I would love for ds1 to do gymnastics but he isnt interested atm so I havent pushed him.

I think he would enjoy Stagecoach but at £13 per week (!) I am not pushing that either!!!

I will not be letting them horseride either as the costs just mount (!) up as well.

at your sailing prices - ours are way more than that round here!

I think they need to have some awareness of costs. Having said that there will probably (soon) come a time when they don't want to do this sort of thing, and it is great to take advantage of the opportunities whilst they are around.

One possibility might be for them to have a course of some kind as one of their birthday presents?

Yes. I did think of that roisin. But they've both had their b'days already this year. And it's a long term thing not just a course. My parents gave DD some money for her to have extra riding lessons - she went every week for a while not every other week.

I thought it was good value too. A bit if they both went every week but we've sort of decided that they each go seperately every other week (DS gets a bit fed up with DD always 'muscling in' on every thing he does ).

I would probably let them do all of them as long as they can keep it all up with enthusiasm. e.g. my dds have recorder lessons at £55 a term each (for a 20 minute shared lesson) and I don't mind paying as long as they do recorder practice in between lessons. Which they don't, so we're stopping those lessons. But if they can show some commitment (putting their birthday money into it, or doing the requisite practice) then I'm much happier to pay for things.

Boats don't have to be that expensive, actually, though all the bits and pieces that come with them can add up. A small secondhand dinghy doesn't cost much.

at the cost of activities (mine are too young so we haven't got to that stage yet).

Riding and ballet are supposed to be the two most expensive activities, there was a survey on that a while ago.

We are trying to ignore the fact we live in the middle of many horses and riding stables and plugging the watersports as DP is a windsurf instructor and also can teach sailing and kayaking so we already have all the equipment. Any nascent horsey impulses from the dds are being channelled into watersports activities. No latitude for individual preferences there.

I know scatty. When they first express an interest in going to Rainbows or dancing and you think 'that won't hurt, how expensive can it be?'....just beware!!!

Now I know why my mum discouraged me from riding and ballet LOL.

Orm I have actually been trying to interest DS (4) in a wee football club (£1/week), mainly as i get bored after school (he doesn't). I think I'll start discouraging it!

Sailing was a huge success! Came home soaked, happy and full of enthusiasm. DS#1 loved every minute of it and wants to go back every week (he can't, sadly). DD also keen but not quite so blown away by it all. Both of them got quite a few little boxes ticked on their 'list of things they need to learn' form.

All in all a good day

My dc's do sailing ,kayaking, climbing etc in summer holidays which cost about £13 for a day at our local sailing base. On a saturday they go for about £3.45
DD has just started riding, we have paid for private riding lessons to get her to cantering, but from now on she will go to group, but not every week.

They have had swimming lessons since babies and go to scouts and guides.

I have had to say no for music lessons for a while. They both learnt piano at primary but DS is now at secondary and there have been so many new expenses £140 a term is too much.

Getting children to do summer holiday courses is a great compromise - they get to do something different like sailing or drama for a week and you get your holiday childcare sorted out.

Works out cheaper than paying for weekly lessons and then forking out again for a daily playclub/childminder to cover child care over school hols.

We have a really good holiday club at the YMCA. Climbing, canoeing/kayaking, caving, cycling. 9-5.30 for £15. None of the other holiday clubs can hold a candle to it - but it's so undersubscribed. Thank goodness

OrmIrian - have you checked to see if you've got Sea Scouts anywhere near you? My dd sails, canoes and generally has a fab time with Scouts once a week for 3 hours for £2.50!