DS is out to bankrupt me!

Chelmsford mum · Post by **Chelmsford mum** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:42 pm

O.K will look into the railcard.Don't think anyone would want my kids to do their D.I.Y

Snowdrops · Post by **Snowdrops** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:49 pm

Oh yes, you have to get a railcard.

Off the top of my head it cost us Â£25, but it saves you sooooo much and lasts a whole year!!

The deals we've had with ours is no-one's business, even for short journeys the savings are incredible.

You can do it online too

Burneth · Post by **Burneth** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:10 pm

Ed's mum wrote:
My children, Ed in particular, would spend ALL day in his bedroom with the door shut, loud music on and possibly his games console too. He is coming to the end of his 3rd week and that is pretty much all he has done.

...and I thought it was just my 12 year old that was doing that! I get the impression that Year 7 took a bit out of him and he is quite happy to chill for the foreseeable future!

Zibar · Post by **Zibar** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:33 am

Holidays are so expensive. Anything simple is expensive other than walking the dog or walking to the park.

I took the easy option and sent both my younger children to stay with my parents abroad for most of the summer holiday as I have to work. Everyone's happy including my parents who only get to see them twice a year. Mind you DD did mention this evening that she is missing UK TV which she will gladly watch 24/7 and as soon as she returns she is going shopping as she has been browsing the internet whilst on holiday! I told her she needs to find an interest and stop thinking about TV, internet and shopping. I dread to think if this will get worse when she joins Secondary in Sept. I feel I might have to start a thread for advice on the subject.

I find taking them to various activities is difficult as they are in all different directions with different start and finishing times and neither of them do the same activity with a 12yr DD and 10yr DS. I guess the airfare money cost the same if I were to send them to various activities, holiday clubs, do Theme Park days or London trip days.

I really wish the length of holidays were shorter. Not sure what you teachers on here will make of that but for someone like myself who doesn't work in the Education/teaching sector find the holidays very difficult and I always feel guilty for not spending everyday with them doing children activities but hey ho....

Must get to bed now as I have to get older DS to train station for 6:15am...He's in bed catching up on his beauty sleep and I'm still up. Great.

Zibar · Post by **Zibar** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:39 am

Forgot to mention, not much is being spent on other activities whilst with my parents as much of their time is being spent on the beach and visiting family.

katel · Post by **katel** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:52 am

Freya - it would have done him no harm at all to miss a meal. Or to miss the film if he had spent his ticket money.

sp · Post by sp » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:53 am

Re Railcard: there is a special offer through the Daily Mail to get it for Â£13 and I guess there should be a link on their website.
I've found inviting friends round for both DC keeps them happy for hours without the need for my interference! All they need is food at various times so I've bought in plentiful supplies of bread, fillings and squash. The added bonus is I get to do some work undisturbed and keep up with the massive amounts of laundry!!
We are members of the local tennis club so DS meets his friends there for tennis and table tennis. They also go on the local cycle track for hours armed with yet more food and drinks. DS is also into golf and plays with a friend, all I have to do is take them and collect many hours later. We pay Â£130 a year for full membership for him which he is certainly getting his moneys worth out of! We also know they are behaving themselves as they'd be thrown off the course if not! I watched them finish the other day and they even shake hands at the end aaah

Freya · Post by **Freya** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 10:24 am

Katel - that's what DH said when he came home! You are right of course - soft Mum I am!

We are quite well off for activities here. The leisure centre runs a 'junior bash' which costs Â£14 per day or Â£7 half day and for this they get to do swimming, bowling, sports hall games, table tennis etc all supervised. They are even provided lunch from the canteen. Trouble is that DS is one of the older ones now and yesterday just wanted to do swimming and bowling and then be free to walk to cinema afterwards. Price difference shows what an amazing deal junior bash is!! Swimming is free for kids at various set times though.

There is also a Council initiative (5 x 60) aimed at getting more kids into sporting activities which runs at the high school for one week. They put on coached sports including tag rugby, football, basket ball, rounders, king ball etc and this is only Â£30 for the whole week! Pity that this year it coincides with DS going to a 3 day rugby camp costing Â£75

Funny thing is that with the 5 x 60 it is usually all the sporty kids who go to this, never the kids it is supposed to be aimed at!

Various primary schools also run holiday clubs and allow year 7s to attend but DS thinks they are "lame".

Chelmsford mum · Post by **Chelmsford mum** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:32 am

Freya wrote:Katel - that's what DH said when he came home! You are right of course - soft Mum I am!

We are quite well off for activities here. The leisure centre runs a 'junior bash' which costs Â£14 per day or Â£7 half day and for this they get to do swimming, bowling, sports hall games, table tennis etc all supervised. They are even provided lunch from the canteen. Trouble is that DS is one of the older ones now and yesterday just wanted to do swimming and bowling and then be free to walk to cinema afterwards. Price difference shows what an amazing deal junior bash is!! Swimming is free for kids at various set times though.

There is also a Council initiative (5 x 60) aimed at getting more kids into sporting activities which runs at the high school for one week. They put on coached sports including tag rugby, football, basket ball, rounders, king ball etc and this is only Â£30 for the whole week! Pity that this year it coincides with DS going to a 3 day rugby camp costing Â£75 Funny thing is that with the 5 x 60 it is usually all the sporty kids who go to this, never the kids it is supposed to be aimed at!

Various primary schools also run holiday clubs and allow year 7s to attend but DS thinks they are "lame".

Is it just where we live or do others find that all those wonderful activites listed dry up at about age 12! DD1 is 14 next birthday and too old to take part in any of the organised activites .

I will look up the link for the railcard Sp thanks.

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:37 am

CM, the RCM is running free day music classes on Tuesdays in the holidays for 6-9,10-12,13-16 - any level. If you could get cheap fares then this might be worth looking into. DS's went to one on Tuesday and thoroughly enjoyed it and it was free childcare for me!