Should My 13Yr Old Son Help Pay for a Class Trip?

I think kids should always have to do this for the obvious reasons. My grandsons collect pop bottles and cans with their soccer teams to pay for uniforms, bags etc. You'd be surprised how much money you can get this way, especially if you tip off relatives, friends & neighbors ahead of time. Also, chores in the n'hood or even in your home & yard. Leaf-raking is good this time of year. good for you for wanting to instill responsibility & a work ethic in your kids - rare these days.

L. -

I think it's okay to have your 13y/o help pay for the trip, especially if he doesn't know what it's like to work for what he wants/doesn't know the value of a dollar. I wouldn't have him doing back-breaking labor or anything like that, but I'd make an agreement with him like he needs to come up with $50 of the $450 to help pay for the trip, then offer him some ways to make the money. Does he get an allowance? Maybe he could learn to set aside some of his allowance money for the trip.

I personally think that the earlier a child learns about handling money responsibly, the better. Your child sounds like he's already on the right track by being a good kid and taking his studies seriously. He's getting older and I think it's perfectly okay to introduce him to more responsibility.

yes, i would think a 13 year old could help pay for trip as well, like what ever he puts in you will match it ? or you will double it ? one time our 13 year old or younger i cant reemmber how old he was, but he used an instrument from the school and would bring it home, he usually did well and took care of it, well, one day his room was messy and a hole got put in his bass fiddle, well of course we have to pay for it to be fixed, but we felt he needed to also pay for it , so we decided to help him make the money to cover the cost, for it, he too wanted to help pay for it, we went to like sams club and bought large quantities of candy bars and he sold them for a dollar each, he went door to door in our neighborhood, and into businesses, and sold enough to cover the payment of the fix which was only about a 100 dollars, the school said they would cover the other hundred, but he was proud of doing it, and the school loved that he took the effort himself to help fix it, but for a fun field trip, i would say sure its ok to have him pay for some of it, it does help them, to see how to pay for stuff, and do appreciate the hard work they may of put in , but in order for it to work, you need to let him do it, like if you want to go, this is the way it is, in our situation we never bought any candy bars from him, he did it all himself, we were very proud of him for this, and it raises self esteem too, just have fun with it, and i would say if you want to go , your father and i will match whatever you make, just enjoy life, nad have a good day D. s

Ok......You say "he has a chance to go on a very educational 3 day trip, he is a great student, regularly on the honor roll and you can afford this trip". Why would you want him to take time away from his studying to earn money for this trip? If the trip will benefit him, making him earn money to help pay could turn him off from wanting to go, he is ONLY 13. I am all for children earning money for "things" they want to buy, but when it comes to their education and if you can afford it, then give it to them. He will learn about earning money when he gets closer to college.

At his age I think it's entirely reasonable to help earn his way. If, e.g., he went down a dirt road collecting cans or bottles, he'd be also doing the environment a favor. Or maybe a church group could support him with bottles and cans. If he belongs to one that is. Helping around the house is definitely reasonable.

It looks like I am the dissenter here. I say that he doesn't necessarily have to pay for it. If it is educational related then I pay for it, but he has to provide his own extras (like snack money or fun money). Any thing that is damaged from neglet is his responsibility comepletely. That's what we do. Fun stuff he has to buy himself. A new bike, skateboard, trip with friends, haunted houses, etc (unless it is a family event), video games, itunes, etc are all his money, even cell phone, he goes over the minutes or texts, he has to pay for it, or service to make sure that he can't go over, he has to pay for it.

I have a 13YO. One thing I might suggest is Christmas is coming and maybe he could mention that instead of a physcial gift how about $$ for his trip either from Grandma and Grandpa or from you. I do this now with my kids cuz they don't need stuff. If you push them they are very resourceful and it also encourages them to save their money for something important.

I also come up with jobs that are worth $$ like I needed my porch painted over the summer so that was worth $15 to make that happen. If you had a housekeeper you would pay them......so $5 for a bathroom and $5 for a floor. I also have time limits....cuz I hate that lack of motivation to get things done....so if it is not done by Friday you get less money until so many days ellapse and you get nothing but you may still have to do the same job.

L.,

I agree that he should pay for at least a part of the trip as well as his own snack and spending money. Does your son get an allowance? He should start saving at least part of his allowance for the trip, as well as work around the neighborhood and at home for extra cash.

Try talking to your parents and in-laws and see if they have any projects that could use his help and ask them to present a "job offer" to him. Then he can decide if he wants to work for the money and which projects he actually wants to do.

Lastly, you might want to sit down with him and brain storm ideas together. He might surprise you with a few of his own that are really workable. You and your husband should have the final say about fund-raising ideas, but your son will need your help to get started, so the collaboration should be a family discussion.

Good luck!

-C..

it would be a good experience for him to help pay for the trip and it would teach him the value of a dollar. you and your husband work ard and shouldn't be making the money just to give to him you two should save for your retirement and helphim save for his college tuition.

Maybe he could babysit neighborhood kids?

L.,

I have a different suggestion for you. If you and your husband are in a position financially to pay for his trip, then by all means you should do so. You can use the fact that this is something your son really wants to put some conditions on the deal that you will foot the bill.

Require him to do some community servce, or volunteer to help out someone who needs something. Do you have any elderly neighbors who may need their walks shoveled this winter, or their leaves raked this fall? He could do that for them to "earn" the priviledge of going on his trip. Do you have any friends that are single parents, thay may need a little complimentary babysitting, for a night out? What about any projects at your local church-like thanksgiving dinners, or Christmas gift giving projects? I'm sure they could use a strong young man with lots of energy to help serve, or hand out packages?

This way he earns his trip, but also learns a valuable lesson in volunteerism. I bet he would feel really great about it afterward too.

If you can't afford to send him, then don't put that pressure on him. If YOU want him to get the benefit, then send him. He's not 33 years old with a college degree, and a career. Going on that kind of trip at that age, is a lot of peer pressure, y do want to add to it, when he is working, he is doing well in school. Continue to support that.

I think it is a good idea to have kids pay for half of the things that aren't necessary, helps them appreciate the value of a dollar and how hard we work to earn the money they want to vaccume out of us, he could print flyers and pass them out in the neighborhood for things such as dog walking, pet or house sitting (at that age he would just take the mail in or feed the animal and let it out a couple times a day), window washing, gutter cleaning (if you don't mind him getting on a roof), maybe he could make Christmas ornaments or (not sure what you do with the stuff he has out grown) maybe he could clean out all the toys and clothes he doesn't want anymore and take them to a resale shop, also if he excells in a subject maybe he could tutor younger kids.....hope you get an idea or two out of this....good luck

I would make him pay for sure. Our kids are 9 and 8 and they both worked hard to buy new bikes. They are very aware of money and saving.You can give your son a certain amount he has to earn. (our kids had to earn 25.00 each but they are young).
The jobs he can do are limited because of his age,although he may have to work harder it will start a good work ethic,
which will help in the future. Rake away or do fall clean up, try dog walking, or you can pay him for more difficult jobs at home like clean out the garage, cleaning all your windows, washing the carpet, or cleanig closets out. good luck.