My Eldest Son. And Kenya

Ok here I go asking for ADVISE. 

My eldest son is hell bent on becoming a Lawyer, why well who knows but he didn't want to go into the medical field like his old man. 

Now We paid for next years trip for him to go to Germany. Yep. He is going finally after this whole Covid thing. But he has just and I mean JUST sent me a text asking if he can go to Kenya in the summer of 2024. 

WHAT!!!!

Ok so the text then follows that he needs to earn the money himself. Ok so no bank of dad to help.   . But it is £4500! How the heck can a 15 year old who has been working for 2 years as a paper boy earn that type of money by himself?

Well I thought of my little business AceBullion. Perhaps I can get him working in the workshop and taking a commission on pieces? That would give me a push to do more and more often. But I am sure there is something else I can do, I have not yet figured it out, but please give me some suggestions. 

Thank you all and Yes I have the funds but he has to technically earn it.... So where can I start to make him earning this amount? It is nearly £200 per month. His paper boy money is £15 per week. That is not going to cut it. And yes he has a bank account and savings, but those are for college and or University. And hopefully a deposit on his own home instead of paying rent. 

Hmmmm Tough thoughts. 

Thank you all for reading my rant 

Sponsored activities and cake sales (the latter only if he can bake)

WTF? Is that his school saying he can only pay for it himself and how long is it for that kind of money, a month (if it's a fortnight it must be all the pricey stuff like limited number safaris etc)? :O

I admire a paper round as I did it myself, but the 'pay' is very low. I moved on to a chippy Friday nights when I was 13 and got a lot more. Do Saturday jobs not exist anymore? That was my next move.

But £4500 is crazy.

Is this for Duke of Edinburgh? Sounds like an epic challenge. Some ideas:
- do you have local car boot sales? Get him to look for items going cheap to resell on eBay or Facebook such as LEGO and Warhammer.
- get sponsorship on Just Giving for a challenge such as a bicycle ride, race etc
- mow lawns and wash cars in your neighbourhood
- caddie at a local golf course
- make something to sell on Etsy, such as hats for cats, silver cuff links (with your help), hedgehog boxes for the garden, bird feeders etc
- a combination of all of the above

He is in a well off school.

Yes I can pay it, But the school insists that He comes up with the money by means of working for it. They push hard there.. And sometimes not hard enough in my opinion. 

He has 2 years to come up with the money. He has committed and regardless will go. I will ensure he does. But yes £4500 and it is for a Summer!!! Not just a week. He will essentially then WORK or Help over there. 

The reason for putting the money together himself is to encourage the students for a work ethos. And get in a mindset that they will not just be in Kenya for a Holiday, but for a working experience. Yes there are Safari's on the list, and Wildlife conservation etc. 

More details are and will come out, but he is excited. And I remember that exact feeling. I didn't have to pay for myself though. And was not there for a Safari either. 

Anyway he is doing his work experience in 3 weeks time. Guess where? as we couldn't find a dang solicitors office to take in anyone for work experience. He will be working at the same place he does his paper rounds... They also own a café in our little town.  And as he has never missed a day and he has been a great employee, they are more than happy to have him.

The reason to charge kids so much (that is still not possible without the bank of Mum and Dad, no matter how hard they work)...is so they can pay to go to Kenya and...work???

Anyone want to buy some freshly gathered unicorn poop?!!



They tried to get my niece on the same thing, there seems to be something about Kenya. She couldn't have gone anyway in the end due to the nasty cold that shut the world down for two years, that was a shame. My Grandfather is buried in Nairobi, I won't rest until myself or someone I trust has visited his resting place (hopefully me). He passed away a few years before I was born.

It was £2000 for my niece two years ago for the same program, so someone's doing well out of 'inflation'!

Well to my delight, and finally seeing the paperwork. 

My wife, son and I were all reading through the information... Yes they want him to earn the money.. Thankfully though my wife found the HIDDEN information... which my son quickly said heck NO over. 

They wanted to have him stay for 6th form there... He already has plans to relocate to do his 6th form elsewhere. So that was a immediate deal breaker for him and us thankfully. 

BOOM!!!!


That is really positive to hear that he doesn't have to find his own money. But I do think its a great challenge still for kids to do that. Although for £4500 you would need the bank of mum and dad for this to be honest.

That is a good result @Admin , although he must be a tad disappointed about not going to Kenya. Tell you what, for half the price of summer in Kenya he can come here and live in the summerhouse for a few weeks. The summerhouse has power and light, and there's a water butt attached for washing, (or he can use the stream at the bottom of the garden), so he'll be quite comfortable. I'll find him lots of hard labour to do, and he can do his social welfare bit by trying to teach TCF and I how to use a smartphone. I'll look up the sort of cuisine he might have expected and make a real effort not to poison him. We probably count as foreign parts being in Lancashire. Does that sound a plan?

Eh???

How the heck can the fact they want him to do sixth form there be hidden in the small print?

The Cat's Mother wrote:That is a good result  @Admin , although he must be a tad disappointed about not going to Kenya. Tell you what, for half the price of summer in Kenya he can come here and live in the summerhouse for a few weeks. The summerhouse has power and light, and there's a water butt attached for washing, (or he can use the stream at the bottom of the garden), so he'll be quite comfortable. I'll find him lots of hard labour to do, and he can do his social welfare bit by trying to teach TCF and I how to use a smartphone. I'll look up the sort of cuisine he might have expected and make a real effort not to poison him. We probably count as foreign parts being in Lancashire. Does that sound a plan?

LMAO!

Well he is a bit disappointed, but I told him he has a passport and can travel with friends for less. And perhaps that might be a mum and dad Graduation gift if he REALLY wants it.... after university .. Heck I am paying for his Scuba diving and his PPL. Yes Private Pilots licence.   Like his dad. 

But  @The Cat's Mother I shall mention he can visit that strange land you are in... perhaps he might just take you up on it 


@kimchi  The small print actually does not mention the 6th form. However it is worded in such that you are there during that school year. And as they are doing it for Year 10s you would have to be in 6th form in 2024 to qualify. If your not in that school you are not going to be part of the Kenya trip.... It is a very tricky way to get you to stay at the school and choose it as your 6th form.... When he already has plans to go elsewhere. 
My wife ( a head teacher ) confirmed the tactics used..    and was not happy.