Do your summer vacation plans involve a trip to a theme park or attraction? If so, you’re not alone.  Attendance is predicted to increase this year at family-friendly destinations including Disney Land, LegoLand, and the San Diego Zoo.

If your kids are like most, they inevitably are tempted by all of the eye-catching toys and trinkets that these places aggressively sell. But, when ticket prices often exceed $50.00 per person and then you add on food, travel and lodging expenses, spending more on frivolous souvenirs may not be what you want to do!

What’s the solution?

Give your children jobs to do around the house so that they can earn enough to buy with their own money the trinkets then want. Sam and I always told our children that we would buy then one souvenir, but they had to pay for whatever else they wanted. This didn’t include food or drinks, but when the children said, “I want,” we’d ask, “Ok, are you buying it, or are we?” It definitely made them stop and think.

Sam and I would inevitably buy them a special trinket – usually one that went on the shelf as a memento. But, the kids would buy smaller items with their own money.  They always returned home with money left over. I wish Sam and I could say the same! But, we helped teach our children the value of a dollar at an early age.

How do you handle souvenirs on your family trips? Please share your ideas with us on Facebook!

{ May 16th, 2012 | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments }