I know this is not a real problem <<twinset prepares for a good kicking as I have not had one on here for at least a week>> but it is hard when you have a child who wants to do everything and you have to say no as money is tight.

[twinsetandpearls]

I know saying no is not a bad thing and that she needs to learn money is not unlimited.

She already does horseriding and music lessons at school, but she used to do dance and drama before we moved as well as swimming and we have had to stop them.

I know I am sounding like a spoilt madam but it is so sad when they really want to do something and you know they are good at it and you have to say no.

Have bought a chess set in a local charity shop this afternoon. DD and dp are currently engrossed and | am not to disturb them.

Litchick's post reminds me of how we used to be allowed to do Sunday dinner: plan a whole meal from cookery books, cook it and serve it. Magic!

It is a real issue, I think funding all their hobbies can get really expensive, and it can be tough paying for it all. I know I spend over £125 a month on hobbies for my DDs (5 and 2), but they love them, so it is hard to say no. (Even my 2 year old wakes up on a thursday asking if she has got gymnastics that day).

We limit the number of hobbies that they can do (2 each), but within that they can choose. At the mo, they both do Gymnastics and Dancing - if they want to do something else, they have to drop one. We do swimming lessons during the school holidays so that isn't a continuing cost. That way, they get to choose the hobbies that are most important to them, but it keeps it more or less financially viable.

I'm feeling very lucky at the moment.

With ds we did everything, paid for pre-school sessions as soon as he was 2.5, tumbletots, monkey music,swimming lessons. Since dd came along we were broke so neither did anything.

I've felt very very guilty and now am scrimping so they can start again. DD now does ballet (a very reasonable £3.50 per session which is very cheap compared to other local groups.) DS does football (free until he is 6!!!!!!!!!!!) and they both do swimming lessons (£140 a term.) However, I feel really strongly about their swimming as they love it, and I can't swim.

DD isn't starting pre-school until she's nearly funded, as I can't afford it on top. Ds now wants to do martial arts at school, dd wants to do trampolining. Not going to happen, sadly.

Twinset, I know it's not everyones cup of tea but what about brownies? It's very cheap compared to other activities.

That is a good point especially as there is a brownie hut at the end of the road!

I feel guilty because she does nothing but dance all day and sometimes it is bloody irritating. When we walk into town she dances all the way there and all the way back, jumping on and off walls, practising her jumps. Whenever we pause in front of a window she practices her latest step where she can see herself. She dances all over my house sending things flying, jumps on and off the couch. This evening she was playing chess and every now and again she would dance in between moves.

I posted about this on mumsnet and said how hard it was that dd was never still. I was rounded on by lots of people whe told me I should be grateful for my wonderful child and that I should stop whinging and enrol her in a dance class. Well if only I could.

Have you tried EVERY local dance class and compared prices? Ours is £2 cheaper than others locally.

Yes have looked at lots, I have lots of girls in my tutor group that dance or help in dance schools and they have also helped. It is not so much the fees but things like exam entrance or costumes for shows. If I say yes to the dancing I can just see that the expenses are going to escalate.

Those things do make a difference.

My dd's dance school is one of the most expensive in our area for actual classes but unlike the other schools they do not have to shell out for show rehearsals, it is all done in class and costumes are kept simple and based around their usual uniform.

Ticket prices are low and exams are optional. Also they have very high standards. (dh used to work with one of their teachers)

DDs previous dance lessons were in a dance college so they did exams but no shows. That made it affordable and she got her time on stage with an am dram group.

I think I need to look again.

i haven't read all of this, but my dd goes to a little dance class in a little town and it's £1.50 per week!!!!

and they put on a show each year.

it's not the west end's standard, but keeps her out of mischief.

DD used to do exactly that twoluvlykids until she started formal lessons and from memory she carried on doing both.

We have a show, but it's only every other year and costume prices are kept down, basically you pay for the price of material and cobble it together yourself. Ribbons and things don't cost that much.