Extra child cost

[1DayIll]

It does get to the point where people will stop declaring all of their kids as it is becoming cost prohibitive. this is not right, but I am sure it happens all the time. Parks already increase the costs in peak time to over the extra demand times, and then the kids charge is far too high.
The problem is we do not have a real option if we want to take our kids on holidays. Now there's a thought, leave them at home!!!

 

[Dobbie]

Another GOF observation...

It seems to me that caravan parks will move towards catering either for a family market....with all the requirements of families...or the old bugga market...without any bells and whistles...mainly powered sites, washing machines and dump points with nothing much else.

I sympathise with you lot who have time and distance restrictions and must use school holidays for much needed family holidays. Big 4 certainly get their money from that market. Been there, done that so I'm not just a GOF. I like kids, but expect better behaviour than we've experienced recently.

We've just arrived home and spent the last few nights on another property. It was very cold for Qld but we wanted a powered site ....had to have to reception for a certain football game. The hosts provided a communal fire pit and sufficient wood for a good burn. All good for the first night and all who met around the fire enjoyed it. Then a camper trailer full of kids and idiotic parents arrived....set up their own (illegal) fire and the kids pinched all the communal wood and refused to return it when they were told it it was for the communal pit. The rest of us froze.

My point? The kids were appalling and the parents worse as they encouraged that behaviour. We've had several instances over the last school holidays where kids dominated everything...noise, mess, showers etc. so much so that it spoiled our enjoyment of the places we visited. If others have to tolerate that then kids should be paid for. If they don't impinge on others, then I'd definately support the " charge less for kids" brigade.

I'm perfectly aware that those on this forum have higher expectations than the grubs we encountered. I know kids will be kids and that's part of the experience but I'll now deliberately avoid any park which specifically caters for kids.

Cost for kids with decent parents whose behaviour and demands don't affect others.....$0 per night
Cost for kids who just get excited sometimes and don't expect the world to totally revolve around them....$5 per night
Cost for those who wilfully dominate, can't stop shrieking, use facilities unfairly.....$25 night

All other ferals .....banned!

 

[Bluey]

Dont right all the kids off @Dobbie there are meny great kids out there unfortunately older kids let go ferral by ferral parents are a problem for us all and often end in a punch on with anyone dareing to challenge there behavior 90 % of parents do the right thing when it comes to there kids but that 10% will allways be out of control and we carnt stop them its luck of the draw realy on who your camped near ..........
Have a little fath baby from a great movie which one ??????

 

[Waratah]

Kellys Heroes.......great movie!

 

[bigcol]

not again @Bluey

"have a little faith and Love Moriarty"

 

[Dean Anderson]

Yes we should pay extra for kids... I only have two so am sort of lucky...Complain as we all do, how many have looked at the price of staying in a motel with kids? The van is proportionally lots cheaper. Stay in a motel with 4 kids? Jeeze what a cost.

Unfortunately it's all dependant on what you can afford. Hopefully everyone looked at the cost of children before investing in them (emotionally) or having them (the condom broke LOL). If you want lots of holidays of high cost don't have lots of kids, it stretches your budget.

If you are a parent that is concerned with your childs/childrens education you are going to pay more to have holidays so they don't miss out on school., that's just the way it happens.

If you don't have kids with you and go on holidays during school holidays.............Well.......You're a bloody idiot....

 

[Dobbie]

So....I'm a bloody idiot, am I?

I object very strongly. What law, moral judgment, community standard dictates that school holidays are reserved for kids and families....??

If more parents taught their kids manners, and then backed it up with examples from their own behaviour, there wouldn't be an issue.

We all have the right to and expectation of reasonable behaviour from fellow campers, be they families or older folk, regardless of the time of year .....and to be treated with tolerance.

Also, to treat others with tolerance.

Just let me know where you're intending to camp and this bloody idiot will avoid it.

 

[Drover]

Way back in the anologue days, we didn't use van parks, couldn't afford fuel and park fee's so the Tribe would be taken on holidays out bush, camping by rivers, creeks and places devoid of screaming hordes of obnoxious kids and parents, to be at one with nature........being one of the few with a FWD a sthe family hack helped............we lived at Jervis Bay, NSW so holidays was the time to leave town as it filled with holiday makers and was just too much to endure...........We actually went camping all along the NSW Sth Coast at least one weekend a month and van parks were not even considered really.........................Nowadays I'm just amazed that people will pay that much.

 

[bigcol]

totally agree @Drover

we live in Perth - where the beaches are lovely and the people are ugly

school holidays and long weekends were either Dwellingup forest or Manjimup forest
always free camping

but I'm old and lazy now, so Van parks probably 80% of the time now (in laws and rellies for the other 20%)
thankfully at the moment, the Parks dont gouge over here like the east coast

 

[Dean Anderson]

@Dobbie .....Mmmmmmmm, avoid school holidays... Because I'm trying to teach my kids that they need an education (as I said previously if you bothered reading the post).

Whether you're an idiot or not I don't think this is the correct forum for that discussion...I don't know you well enough...

The issue was the cost of camping with kids, not whether you get upset due to noisy ill-mannered kids.

And please read your post and self reflect on your own level of tolerance before judging others with whatever you call your opinion.

Where for instance did I say that poor behaviour by any individual whether they be child or adult was acceptable?

I must admit but...I did make a mistake...I assumed a little common sense which is unfortunately not too common..

Please Dobbie...go on all of your holidays during school holidays and complain about the number of families and kids around....You will receive all the sympathy you deserve for putting up with kids and families during the school holidays...

My parents once retired did not take the van out during school holidays due to the additional cost and amount of kids around. Dad was able to see a problem and avoid it, he understood the facts instead of complaining about them to no avail.

And just for your information.....last week the grey nomads next door complimented me on the behaviour of my children and gave them a little present the next day....

Evidently you expect kids to be totally silent.....good luck....you're never going to be happy.

 

[Dobbie]

:hurt-41:

 

[Dobbie]

This is not the place for personal attacks. ....if you feel the need to preach to others please do it elsewhere.

 

[bigcol]

C A L M down both of you please.............................

while you both have a few valid points, you both missed the mark in enunciating them clearly

You @Dean Anderson desire to take your kids away and teach them about life - while not infringing on their school work / time

good stuff

you @Dobbie like to be able to travel and camp without ferrel's disturbing your peace

totally understand


you want to complain about extra costs when camping -

my Daughter is intellectually challenged
so, apart from paying for an extra ADULT - who uses NONE of the amenities or facilities of a camp ground

sound fare to you.............................................

C A L M down both of you please.............................

 

[pauljygrant]

C A L M down both of you please.............................

while you both have a few valid points, you both missed the mark in enunciating them clearly

You @Dean Anderson desire to take your kids away and teach them about life - while not infringing on their school work / time

good stuff

you @Dobbie like to be able to travel and camp without ferrel's disturbing your peace

totally understand


you want to complain about extra costs when camping -

my Daughter is intellectually challenged
so, apart from paying for an extra ADULT - who uses NONE of the amenities or facilities of a camp ground

sound fare to you.............................................

C A L M down both of you please.............................

Totally agree - our daughter is Special Needs and doesn't use much of the camps facilities. Don't mind a nominal extra fee but sometimes I do consider whether I should 'declare' one or two children when booking!

 

[bigcol]

and then when you have to pay extra again for the "Disabled Toilet key"
sometimes just a $20 bond (returnable when you give back the key) (have been to a few that let us have it for nix now)
sometimes its just an extra $5 per night tacked onto your daily bill

one place charged us for the key, then we found out the door lock was broken, and everyone was using it to wash their kids
so I asked for my money back, as it wasn't able to be used when we wanted it, geeze Louise what a shirtfight that turned out to be, seems it was the rellies of the park owner who had broken the lock, so they could use it for their "little darlings"

for a few years @pauljygrant we used to just say 2 kids and not say anything about the Eldest

by the time she hit her 20's, then we had to start paying adult extra & key extra