Taking teens friends on holiday

[HeadFairy]

These holidays are barely over and we're thinking about the next one! The kids are getting to an age where they'd like to bring a friend along. Frankly if it stops them telling me they're bored every 10 minutes I'm all for it. Kids will be 13 and 15 next summer. How does it work? We normally drive down to somewhere in France to camp or stay self catering, but obvs we can't get 2 more people in our car. Has anyone done anything like this before and if so, how? Did you all fly and then hire a 7 seater (getting expensive!) Did you drive but some fly and then hire a little extra car to allow trips out (also quite expensive!)? Also, how do you calculate how much extra the friend pays? Or does basically no one do this cos it's so complicated

We have taken our children's friends before but only on city breaks and only when we paid for everything and they were invited to join, not on the main family holiday.

When my older children were about 12 and 14 I let them take a friend each to stay in our caravan on a Haven site. Lots to do on site, right on beach it all went well. They had to share their rooms instead of having it to themselves.

I have also taken my niece on holiday with my foster son as same age. Room in car for her. She had her own room as did foster son but they did a lot of bike riding, swimming in sea, surfing lessons, kayaking and seemed to have fun. Going again in half term and will be inviting her again. Easier to keep 2 entertained than 1.

When I invited a guest we paid all costs.

Also, how do you calculate how much extra the friend pays?

you don’t, you invite, you pay. I would suggest ‘spends’ are brought, but beyond that you can’t ask them to pay.

I have taken friends along but they fitted in our car.

When we flew the offer was they pay for the flight ticket, but they fitted in our hire car, and both times we were self catering and had space.

Would it facilitate your everyday life to get a 7 seater?

Your only complication is that your car can’t accommodate more 🤔

how do you calculate how much extra the friend pays

They are a guest, we do not expect them to pay. We might expect them to have spending money and discuss how much so that our DC has roughly similar amount. We don't make any arrangements which require them to pay for anything.

We are delighted if they are instructed to treat us all to ice cremes at some point. One child invited us for a meal out and even made the reservation themselves.

We are taking DS pal abroad on package holiday in October.They are paying for his place thankfully , but we'll pay for food and excursions when we are there.
If it was self catering or drive yourself then we'd pay for it. When we've taken a friend before in the UK the DM transferred £100 for 4 days food and activities which was very kind. Put together everything cost more than that, but it's a very grey area and we had expected to pay for him anyway.