Spending money on kids

[TOGIE]

my FIL was talking recently about how your kids will develop many different passions as they grow up. he said to nurture each one. most of them will be fleeting he said and you won't know which one is gonna stick, so nurture all of them. some of those passions may require a chunk of change, some of them might not.


regardless, i'm gonna drag my kid and my future ones along for my passions, hoping they find they the joy in them that i do. some of those passions require money, many don't require much. it does often seem that the cheapest ones can be the most memorable, like packing into the wilderness with hand me down gear and sleeping under the stars eating pan fried brookies.

here is my 10 month old shoving elk meat in his mouth faster than we can cut it up and put it on his plate. i sure hope it's a sign.

 

[LuketheDog]

Like said above, the quality of the time together is more important than the cost and making sure the kids get to enjoy their passions is more important than anything. Skiing is expensive and a real pain with little kids, but dang if they don't absolutely love it every time we go. Memberships to the zoo and the museum aren't exactly cheap but they soften the blow, and I enjoy seeing the things there as much as my kids do and maybe they'll learn a thing or two. Fishing is entertaining, although it seems like one of them always manages to fall in. Throwing rocks in the river is fun, and fireworks are always a winner. We did a fun park like Ben Long mentioned, but the GoCarts were the biggest hit, not the video games. You have to enjoy the few short years you get before they're out of the house.

The only "fail" I'd we've had so far this summer is going to a Rockies Game. The kids had fun and ate junk food, but in my opinion it's getting too expensive and the traffic/parking situation in Denver has become a nightmare, diminishing returns there for sure.

 

[2rocky]

The only "fail" I'd we've had so far this summer is going to a Rockies Game. The kids had fun and ate junk food, but in my opinion it's getting too expensive and the traffic/parking situation in Denver has become a nightmare, diminishing returns there for sure.

I concur on Pro Sports. If we go to a game it is for the sport not the memorabilia/food. My girls when they started CYO Basketball got as much going to the Div 2 Women's basketball game as going to some NBA game an hour and a half from home. I took the whole 3rd grade team for less than just my family would have cost at an NBA game.

As they got older, the local High school games where they KNEW the players became the hit.

 

[wolfpup]

The only "fail" I'd we've had so far this summer is going to a Rockies Game. The kids had fun and ate junk food, but in my opinion it's getting too expensive and the traffic/parking situation in Denver has become a nightmare, diminishing returns there for sure.

We looked at the same thing, after looking at ticket prices we opted to go to the Vibes game which is the Colorado Springs team formerly known as the Sky Sox. Sat 2 rows up and had junk food, beer, game tickets and fireworks after the show for the cost of 1 1/2 Rockies tickets. The kids didn't care about the pro's, it was an hour closer to home for us, and the cost was great. If you like baseball, your going to have fun.

 

[WildWill]

Like said above, the quality of the time together is more important than the cost and making sure the kids get to enjoy their passions is more important than anything. Skiing is expensive and a real pain with little kids, but dang if they don't absolutely love it every time we go. Memberships to the zoo and the museum aren't exactly cheap but they soften the blow, and I enjoy seeing the things there as much as my kids do and maybe they'll learn a thing or two. Fishing is entertaining, although it seems like one of them always manages to fall in. Throwing rocks in the river is fun, and fireworks are always a winner. We did a fun park like Ben Long mentioned, but the GoCarts were the biggest hit, not the video games. You have to enjoy the few short years you get before they're out of the house.

The only "fail" I'd we've had so far this summer is going to a Rockies Game. The kids had fun and ate junk food, but in my opinion it's getting too expensive and the traffic/parking situation in Denver has become a nightmare, diminishing returns there for sure.

I've been pleasantly surprised by my two with how much they enjoy museums. I enjoy them and usually admission is cheap. At least cheaper then the gift shop stop .

 

[howl]

If you want them to be your kind of people, take them along to do the kind of things you do rather than the things other people advertise for them to do.

I have a daughter who is the type to be immersed in consumer culture right down to movie theaters and Hot Topic at the mall. She's the artistic type with real talent and a bookworm. If I did want she wanted, she would enjoy hunting, fishing and camping like she does. I think she even occasionally enjoys working in the garden.

 

[TheTone]

I spent $800 on a lifetime hunting/fishing license for my kid. Will be 8 years before he needs the hunting part and 12 years for fishing. I might make him pay me back with interest if he doesn’t want to hunt and fish when he’s an adult

 

[MITCHMO]

Gas $18.00
Fish fry ingredients $6.00
Good times and good teamwork….obviously priceless

The 6 year old can’t hold the rod up so big bro stepped in to help.

 

[blackbeard]

Another few hundred bucks on softball bats, it can get expensive at times. I do love watching her commit to something and go for it. Just wish she'd tell me I don't have to coach anymore. Pistols, archery and softball.

 

[220yotekiller]

A couple of weeks ago I grabbed my three boys and the dog and went to the mountains to look for a bear bait sight. The first animal we seen was a bear about 300 yds off the road, add that to the bull moose, the fish we caught and the turkeys we saw and they had a ton to tell their mom (270.Rose) about.
They still talk about the time that my wife and I "left them behind" when we had a sitter watch them when we went on a afternoon mule deer hunt.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Return home tomorrow from 17d FL vacation w/ the fam. Mostly just lazy pool and beach days.

 

[D_Walt]

Speaking of spending $$$ on kids…has anyone shopped cars lately? I just bought my 16 year old a vehicle that cost more than every vehicle I owned combined until I was in my late 30’s…

 

[redhaze]

It's refreshing to see your own blood doing things related to their introduction to the outdoors when they were little.

 

[dgc1963]

My father has been gone 28 yrs now some of the best memories my brother and sister talk about was fishing and hitting golf balls down at the driving range, or going to the mini putt didnt cost very much but those memories are priceless