Asking son to contribute to school trip. Ideas?

[MealDealDreamz]

My DS has been chosen to go on a school trip and it's going to cost about 1300. It's an amazing opportunity and I'm so pleased he's been shortlisted. Payments are about 150 a month and between me and my husband we can manage it. However I feel like my son should contribute in some way towards it. He's done a paper round but stopped it as he was constantly tired (I encouraged him to stop) and he's going into his GCSE year come Sept so I don't really want him working lots of hours. I thought maybe a job in a pub collecting glasses or similar. Do you think I am mean wanting him to contribute? What have others done in this situation please? I'm thinking about 200 towards would be good? Any advice v welcome

Could he have a clear out of clothes/old toys and you sell some of it on eBay/vinted for him? Or even do a car boot or garage sale?
Or are there any elderly/disabled/ very busy people down your street who'd appreciate some gardening doing fairly cheaply? If any friends/relatives are doing fairly major DIY over the summer, might they appreciate a labourer?

However I feel like my son should contribute in some way towards it.

What’s the reason you think this? If it’s mainly an educational trip and you can afford it, I think you should pay.

If it’s mainly a fun social trip I think it’s reasonable for him to contribute but I’d be asking him to put Christmas / birthday money towards it rather than make him work in Year 11.

Teaching responsibility at that age will do him good in the long run, it's an expensive trip and he's certainly old enough to contribute.

My mother refused to pay for anything for me, I started working at 13 and worked all through 3 sets of exams (4th, 5th and 6th year) and my grades didn't suffer because I worked. I paid for all my school trips myself and my younger sister's as she wouldn't have been able to go otherwise. At 15 she worked in a hotel to pay for her very expensive trip that the school helped contribute towards for exceptional circumstances. Not encouraging children to take some responsibility as teenagers for their own money is a disservice to them. Obviously I don't support doing what my mother did if you want your children to speak to you as adults.

@PricklyPearNoThornsPlease it just seems a lot of money to pay for a trip without asking him to contribute towards it in any way. I feel he is very lucky and I want him to appreciate this by contributing, however little. I think if he can raise money through doing odd jobs that could work. I also think asking him to put Christmas money towards it would be fair.

Fantastic idea! What a lucky boy to have parents to support and encourage him like that. If he’s under 16 it may be a struggle to find paid work, maybe he could volunteer somewhere instead (if you don’t actually need the cash, just want to instil some appreciation) xx

If he knew he was going to be contributing before signing up to it, then I think it’s a great idea. However if you are springing it on him after the fact, I think that’s more dubious, and in those circumstances I’d be asking him to save up for his spending money instead.

I am not sure why you would do this, unless it's a financial struggle for you to pay for it.
The time to insist on a contribution was before his place was accepted.
I can see getting him to do household chores for his spending money.

Yes I think household chores for spending money is a good idea

My dd same age is doing a european trip next term with school. I have said we will pay for the trip - but she needs to raise her own spending money.

She does a monthly magazine round, she gets birthday and Christmas money, she gets money for doing jobs at home (over expected chores).

Shortlisted for the privilege of being able to spend £1300 on a trip? Wow, so lucky.

I am all for teaching kids the value of money and not to be entitled but there is no way I'd want my child to be working in year 11. They need to focus on their exams and what little downtime they have should be spent relaxing/socialising snd exercising.

@Singersong oversubscribed trip

@INeedToClingToSomething I agree.

What kind of school trip is it? If it’s one of the building wells in Africa type ones I would look into it a bit more.

My DS has worked all the way through Y11, as did my dh and I when we were in Y11. It’s done him no harm whatsoever and he’s set to get a very good set of GCSEs. I can’t understand this new approach to parenting where we think our kids aren’t capable of doing something everyone did in the 80s 😄.

Honestly, not at his age if you can afford it and you don’t think he’s taking the piss.

I disagree. I think the exams they do now are harder and there’s much more pressure on them than when I was at school.

My son is away with his school football team it was 1200 pound, he has a job one night a week and he's saved up his own spending money he's In s5 he's 16 he's just sat his nat 5s

Entirely depends on what the trip is ...

there is no way I'd want my child to be working in year 11.

He has all summer to work before going into yr11. Good time to pick up seasonal work - cafes etc.

Disagree completely. I think we just treat them with kid gloves and it does them no favours. DS has thrived at work and it’s taught him so many transferable skills.

I have a child same age and wouldn’t expect them to get a job. Do ask to do chores around the house though.

I think getting him to raise his own spends is fine but not paying towards the trip personally.