Questions about traveling with grandkids
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-19-2016 11:27 AM
Our kids have lots memories of camping with us when they were young, and they talk to their kids (our grandkids)about how much fun it was. Back then (we)as young parents, we camped because it was cheap. Our thoughts back then and probably like most parents today were to get our kids somewhere they could have fun and not cost much money. Load up kids, dogs, tent and ice chest in 1963 station wagon and go. We didn't worry about much. If we broke down, lucky for you...you'll get a chance to meet other people on the Greyhound bus going back home. As far as buying stuff, Didn't have the problems that kids have today. We usually got them post cards and ice cream cone. And they were happy, or atleast pretend your happy or walk.:)
OK now 45 years later, US (grandparents) planning a 3 week trip with grandkids ages 8-15.
---What age should kids have and carry ID if any? (we do have medical info).
---As far as buying stuff...when we take them on shorter trips closer to their home, it seems like they blast thru money like our back pocket is overloaded and never going to run dry. And that's OUR money and that's going to stop. But don't want to be a jerk about it. Here is what I have in mind.
Giving each one of them some money and getting a gift card. Minors can use plastic right? Half cash and half on plastic. When they blast through what they know they had, then that's it. They are out of money. OK, welcome to the real world, time to learn about budgets and make your buying decisions more thoughtfully.
What do you do?
Please tell me what you think. Too harsh? Just right?
Thanks
As a side note...older grandkids still talk about our "pioneer" trip. We did a one week trip. Grandkids picked black berries for pies and jam. Had to fry up their own fish they caught. Bought fruit from roadside fruit stands and canned corn and tomatoes along the way. Good thing our RV has two propane tanks, canning takes a lot of propane. Also I cooked few meals with Dutch oven with no charcoal, only twigs and small sticks. Lot harder to control heat, so I learned something also.
P.S. Not leaving country just states.
2013 Arctic Fox 25W... Wife "doll house" for longer snowbird trips
2001 "The Mighty Dodge"... tow vehicle for "doll house"
- Labels:
-
RV Lifestyle
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Aug-15-2016 04:41 AM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Aug-04-2016 09:00 AM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-28-2016 01:51 PM
We got bacck a live but barely.
Kids think the wurld revolves around them because Grand Pa and Grand Ma, let the littel darlings do and have whatever they want. They're spoilt.
So, en route, be sure to stop often, in large areas and let them run tile they drop. Don't eveer feed them sugar in any form.
Keep them busie or rather let them keep you busy. Parks zoos, fishing swimming away from al stores, and no tv , nor computers, and put them to bed by ten o clock and up @ seven.
It's a choir but they will be better for it and you may lose a few pounds.
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-23-2016 06:23 AM
2012 NuWa Discover America 355CK
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-21-2016 03:00 PM
path1 wrote:
Grandparents looking for advice in todays world about grandkids. And I understand everybody is different.
Our kids have lots memories of camping with us when they were young, and they talk to their kids (our grandkids)about how much fun it was. Back then (we)as young parents, we camped because it was cheap. Our thoughts back then and probably like most parents today were to get our kids somewhere they could have fun and not cost much money. Load up kids, dogs, tent and ice chest in 1963 station wagon and go. We didn't worry about much. If we broke down, lucky for you...you'll get a chance to meet other people on the Greyhound bus going back home. As far as buying stuff, Didn't have the problems that kids have today. We usually got them post cards and ice cream cone. And they were happy, or atleast pretend your happy or walk.:)
OK now 45 years later, US (grandparents) planning a 3 week trip with grandkids ages 8-15.
---What age should kids have and carry ID if any? (we do have medical info).
---As far as buying stuff...when we take them on shorter trips closer to their home, it seems like they blast thru money like our back pocket is overloaded and never going to run dry. And that's OUR money and that's going to stop. But don't want to be a jerk about it. Here is what I have in mind.
Giving each one of them some money and getting a gift card. Minors can use plastic right? Half cash and half on plastic. When they blast through what they know they had, then that's it. They are out of money. OK, welcome to the real world, time to learn about budgets and make your buying decisions more thoughtfully.
What do you do?
Please tell me what you think. Too harsh? Just right?
Thanks
As a side note...older grandkids still talk about our "pioneer" trip. We did a one week trip. Grandkids picked black berries for pies and jam. Had to fry up their own fish they caught. Bought fruit from roadside fruit stands and canned corn and tomatoes along the way. Good thing our RV has two propane tanks, canning takes a lot of propane. Also I cooked few meals with Dutch oven with no charcoal, only twigs and small sticks. Lot harder to control heat, so I learned something also.
P.S. Not leaving country just states.
Been taking up to 3 younger family members camping and traveling for the last 10 years now; mostly for 2 - 3 week trips. Granddaughter who lives with us now will be 11 soon; a niece who just turned 16 and a grand nephew who is 8 y/o.
Interesting how different branches of my family teach money habits and usage to their young ones. The granddaughter saved $181.73 throughout the year so I added enough to make it an even $225.00 for her this vacation. Gave $50.00 to my niece in cash and a gift card just before this year's trip began her birthday was celebrated 2 weeks before the trip started) and she brought about $30.00 independently; grand nephew brought no money.
"Despite" the fact that we tent camped we visited 3 museums and one aquarium (I highly recommend the New Haven, CT, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History as a fun learning experience for people of all ages. Found their local fauna and flora display relevant and the entrance price great on Thursday afternoons even though we visited on a Thurs morning); picked blueberries at a local PYO farm, spent 3 hours at a zip line adventure park, visited a local amusement park for a day and ate out a total of 9 times. How do I know how many times we ate out? Cuz we were talking in the car on the way back home and discussed what we like best and least about camping. DGD stated that she wished we'd eaten "take out" more frequently soooooo we counted how many times we did this trip and then figured out the average cost per person per meal and then discussed what else we could have done with that money. As my traveling kiddies know there are few questions that don't allow me to to use their school years' math and reading skills;).
The 2 older children have traveled with me in the past so I know they have passports. No idea about grand nephew who has only camped w/ me twice. When I have traveled out of country with the 2 older children I had full written authority to maintain their physical health.
As for your idea of giving children gift cards so they can budget their funds I see no problem with the idea and think it will help their growth.
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-20-2016 04:53 AM
SolidAxleDurango wrote:
Buy 'em a T-shirt and a hat and call it good.... Who says memories are made by buying stuff? Go do cool stuff and take pics. Come home and make things with your pics... Calendars, coffee mugs, scrap books.
I lean towards this.
What kind of trip are you planning? If mostly campgrounds, why so much concern about money?
My response to my kids when they want something that I don't want to buy for them is "I don't have money for that", or "Let's wait and come back to buy it if you still want it later - we don't want to carry it around all day". Amazing how often kids later on decide something really isn't all that critical to own.
At resort campgrounds we will usually gave our kids $5 or $10 a day to spend on snacks and/or games. Depended on what the campground had and how much things cost.
At more rustic campgrounds that didn't have an extensive camp store or recreation hall, there was nothing to spend money on! We just made campfires, hiked in the woods, played frisbie / soccer / wiffle ball, and swam in the river / lake. And if we were with other families, we ate until our bellys burst.
If you are planning on camping near tourist destinations (amusement parks, seashore boardwalks, exploring cities, etc), then Yes, have some sort of a budget figured out, but.... plan on "overspending" on your grandkids.
Kind of takes away from a vacation if you are constantly worried about money... either plan something less expensive, or just bring the credit cards.
Have fun camping!
2021 F150 2.7
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-20-2016 04:17 AM
I would just give them some money and say that is it. It really is simple. You just have to say NO. NO is easy to say really 🙂
sounds like you guys have a fab trip happening. Enjoy!!! Great memories to be made!!
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-19-2016 08:10 PM
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-19-2016 05:53 PM
We also had insurance info & stmt from parents about treatment if need arose. Also got a noterized statement from them that we their permission to have her in our custody, stating she was our granddaughter including all our names. Had her passport for her id.
Wonderful trip!
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-19-2016 04:08 PM
5er = 12 Keystone Avalanche 330RE
Toys = 08 Kawasaki Brutie Force 650i 4x4 ( x2 🙂 ) 14 Arctic Cat Wildcat 1000
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-19-2016 03:47 PM
As to activities you have a 7 year difference in their age so make sure they bring some things to entertain themselves while traveling and on rainy days.
Mrs. Camper
Fuzzy Kids = Tipper(RIP), PoLar(RIP), Ginger, Pasha
2013 Open Range Light; 274ORLS
2004 Dodge Ram Turbo Diesel
Retired and love spending the kid's inheritance
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-19-2016 01:56 PM
Giving them some spending money is fine but I wouldn't give them a gift card because they probably wouldn't be near particular stores to spend it. They're more likely to poke around in the camp stores.
Have plenty for them to do enroute. Nothing is worse than having grouchy kids asking "are we almost there"? Also, don't plan trip that are too far and involve a lot of driving. It's boring for kids. Even midway if you have a cheap little gift wrapped to give each it will break up the boredom - perhaps a little pinball game or for the younger - new crayons and a book.
Set rules beforehand regarding helping you out at times with preparing meals, folding their bedding, etc.
Their parents need to give you a hand also before the trip even begins.
Take lots of pictures.
Good luck! It CAN be an awesome experience for all involved.
.... Back in S&B Again
Traveled 8 yr in a 40' 2004 Newmar Dutch Star Motorhome
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-19-2016 01:22 PM
Years ago when the grandkids were 7 & 11 we set them each up with their own bank account that was joint with me. I did it through what was then ING Direct now Capital 360. I automatically deposited $4 & $5 per week (7 year/ 11 year old) into these accounts.
We sat them down and explained to them that this was money for them to spend anyway they wanted to spend it (barring a safety issue or objection from their parents). We told them that this is your way to learn how fast money goes away if you spend it on everything you see instead of saving for those things that are really important to you.
When they were shopping with their Mom if they wanted something, she would just ask them if they wanted it enough to use THEIR money for it. Worked great for her. If they said yes, Mom bought it and we took the money out of their account and did a Person to Person payment to their Mom's account.
The 7 year old is now 14 and he is a master at checking his account online and know exactly when he has enough money to buy something else that he wants. He also taught his Mom how to make an electronic photo deposit of a check. The 18 year old never spent a dime except for big ticket items twice. Both of them know also have Teen Money account complete with a Debit card of their own. The younger grandson regularly moves funds from his savings to his Money account along with making deposits with his camera.
read more here.
2007 Monaco Knight 40PDQ towing 2018 Ford F-150 & 2017 Harley Trike
Fulltime 2007 to 2016, now halftimers
Before you give someone a piece of your mind, make sure you can get by with what will be left.
Our Blog
National Parks Visited
- Mark as New
- Bookmark
- Subscribe
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Inappropriate Content
Jul-19-2016 12:46 PM
Kids between 8 and 15 should already know about budgets. If they don't, it is time to talk to the parents.
While on vacation we tend to splurge on the kids and that is our choice. Of course our level of splurge is pretty darn small.
Being a jerk is relative. You know you have been one when they no longer wish to vacation with you.
'12 Honda Ridgeline pulling '07 Rockwood pop-up