Panorama Programme About Cost of Entertainments

Caleo The majority of children dohave space and resources to play. It is only comfortably off parents who can afford to entertai their children all the time.

The problem if children from impoverished homes living in impoverished (in every sense of the word) neighbourhoods, is a uite separate and serious problem.

MartavTaurus

I agree with Monica, I've never come across anyone boasting about how much they spend on eating out or on holidays.
Until I came on GN I never realised that some people get uppity about others even talking about their holidays. There used to be a delighful poster who talked about her trips to places like New Zealand or The Galapogus Islands, but she was wrongly accused of showing off by a few jealous posters. Well I can only assume that envy was the reason, or why would it bother anyone?

I remember that poster, she certainly wasn't boasting, it was the trip of a lifetime.
She is missed but unfortunately, no longer able to post.

Maybe - but the freedom to explore is really the best!

M0nica

^A lot of would be middle class families like to boast to their friends about how much they have spent on a family meal outing.^

Seriously? I keep reading things about people competing to be top dog, boasting about holidays etc, but I have never come across anyone doing it. never came across it when DC were small, nor have I seen and heard it while DGc have been, still are, growing up.

Why do parents have to keep children entertained anyway? You just leave them to entertain themselves. They will soon get the hang of it.

Yes, but children need to be given the wherewithal to play creatively.

Children need to be given at least adequate places to play, and they need to be given materials to play with e.g. found things such as bits of wood, wire netting, tools, leaves, mud, water, small buildings like sheds or summer houses, art materials, books, musical instruments.

Weren't the optional school trips always expensive?
I don't mean the trip to the local museum or to the swimming pool.

I know my school used to have a special funding pot to quietly help out those who wanted to go but couldn't afford to.

There were sometimes long distance trips that only a few could afford.
I now wonder why a holiday skiing for example was offered...

Rocketstop2

I didn't see the programme but I am shocked by the price of the GC's school trips these days.

I agree.
That's a whole discussion in itself.

I agree with Monica, I've never come across anyone boasting about how much they spend on eating out or on holidays.
Until I came on GN I never realised that some people get uppity about others even talking about their holidays. There used to be a delighful poster who talked about her trips to places like New Zealand or The Galapogus Islands, but she was wrongly accused of showing off by a few jealous posters. Well I can only assume that envy was the reason, or why would it bother anyone?

I didn't see the programme but I am shocked by the price of the GC's school trips these days.

I’ve never come across people boasting about how much they’ve spent on a meal out. Although if somewhere is really good and a reasonable price, people will tell you!

I have a teen who ate out very regularly when little and being cared for by grandparents. She played out a lot - as do the young children where we live. She was hoping to go on a picnic with friends this past week but both parents were working so unable to get her to the location (no public transport). But she and friends are taking the train to go to a nearby town next week. As a family we went to the cinema last weekend. £50 for three tickets and £16 for two drinks and a popcorn. We could have gone to a cheaper cinema but that would have meant either car park to pay for, or train tickets.

Whilst it’s the Easter break we’re going into a city by train to visit a museum and she has expressed an interest in another museum there with an entrance fee of £45 for the two of us. She said that if it was too expensive we didn’t need to go, but it’ll be a nice experience for us. She also wants to go on a family walk up a big hill! She doesn’t need entertaining, she’s always been good at doing that herself. This isn’t unusual amongst her friends though. I don’t hear of them being entertained. Our hobby is going to the theatre, which can be costly although we try to get cheaper tickets and also like to support local amateur groups too.

A lot of would be middle class families like to boast to their friends about how much they have spent on a family meal outing.

Seriously? I keep reading things about people competing to be top dog, boasting about holidays etc, but I have never come across anyone doing it. never came across it when DC were small, nor have I seen and heard it while DGc have been, still are, growing up.

Why do parents have to keep children entertained anyway? You just leave them to entertain themselves. They will soon get the hang of it.

Fish and chips last week - two cod, one chips, one larger mushy peas for two of us £24.
It was not as good as it used to be from our nearest fish and chip shop, the staff keep changing.

A local restaurant does better fish and chips for £17 each.

Witzend two standard burgers, one cheeseburger, all with pickles, one small cheeseburger without, one hot dog with onions (me), one large fries to share, one ‘soda’ each for the kids. Bill was just over £70.

Over £70 is shocking! It's no wonder people eat at home.

I have a very nice picnic basket and this topic makes me think a good picnic and a day out in the countryside or to the coast is an excellent idea with children, keeping expensive outings to a minimum and no arguing.

Some parent(s) may not have the wherewithal to be able to get out into the countryside or seaside with children and a picnic basket too.
Public transport is variable, never at the times you need and they may not have a car.
Then there are ice creams ..... the cost mounts up.

Magenta8

^I wonder if boys and girls at school are given a few lessons on nutrition^

I can't generalise about all schools in all areas Caleo but all my GCs, at their various primary and secondary schools, have had cookery lessons which included teaching about nutrition. The subject is also covered in the biology syllabus.

What depresses me though is the fact that the school meals provided appear not to pay too much attention to the concept of healthy eating. It is a thousand pities that Jamie Oliver's campaign to improve school meals never got off the ground.

I am glad to learn that Magenta.

I agree about school meals and Jamie Oliver.

I wonder if boys and girls at school are given a few lessons on nutrition

I can't generalise about all schools in all areas Caleo but all my GCs, at their various primary and secondary schools, have had cookery lessons which included teaching about nutrition. The subject is also covered in the biology syllabus.

What depresses me though is the fact that the school meals provided appear not to pay too much attention to the concept of healthy eating. It is a thousand pities that Jamie Oliver's campaign to improve school meals never got off the ground.

I have a very nice picnic basket and this topic makes me think a good picnic and a day out in the countryside or to the coast is an excellent idea with children, keeping expensive outings to a minimum and no arguing. There are lots of activities that are not expensive if you use your imagination.

But then I grew up being ignored most of the time, only Saturday cinema and a bottle of council pop and jam butties for time in the local park. Boredom, as mentioned, can be a good motivator too. Bertrand Russell was an ignored only child and said it it how he became so learned, he spent all of his time reading.

I’m going to order stick on soles Luckygirl13, they sound a good idea!😁👍

Caleo

I need to be informed as to whether or not the cost of meals out and other outings is a lot higher in proportion to average income than it previously was.

Did the Panorama programme answer that question?

It will be on BBC iPlayer if you want to check.

The key point, I think, is that it’s not just that meals out and entertainment have gone up in price — it’s that they’ve risen much faster than wages.

For a long time (especially in the 2000s), eating out became relatively affordable for many people. But since the financial crisis and particularly after the pandemic, prices have increased sharply while incomes haven’t kept pace.

(Chat GPT)

I need to be informed as to whether or not the cost of meals out and other outings is a lot higher in proportion to average income than it previously was.

Did the Panorama programme answer that question?

WithNobsOnIt

I think that spending a lot of money on a family meal at a chain food outlet is down to several things.

Yes, and l.know it is a break for usually the mother's not to have to shop and cook.

A lot of would be middle class families like to boast to their friends about how much they have spent on a family meal outing.

Yes we spent around £100 on a family meal with our two children at Burger King on Saturday. We take them out every week.

They are keeping up with Joneses and this is a status thing for them.

Pester power. Children are now very well drilled and brainwashed by the media and their friends on fast food. Outlets and take aways. Total spoiled brats

They play on their parents guilt many of whom may work full time.
To pay for massively over priced junk food delivered at every turn.

I think it is sad the way Children can really call the tune on their slave like parents. How did we get into this situation?

Also l.recckon you could knock. up a better than Burger King family meal with top of the range ingredients from ALDI and an air fryer.

For about half the price.

Our GC have so called fast food several times a year. (The two I am currently out with have opted for the independent tea shop over McDonald’s)

They go to all sorts of restaurants, with a variety of cuisines.

Definitely not spoilt brats just fortunate that their parents have well paying jobs…

The younger ones are just as happy in the garden in the summer, swimming and playing.

Just remembered.
Me and my sister ate out properly every Saturday. After Saturday morning pictures we were given the money to have Pie and Mash at Manzies.
We knew how to live 😂

I suppose that if a bag of crisps and a picked egg outside the pub could be classed as eating out then yes, me and my sister often ate out but our parents weren’t with us, they were in the pub 😂

Must say I was a mite 😱 at the cost of a basic lunch out with the 3 Gdcs on Sunday. We’d taken them to the early showing of The Magic Faraway Tree, and then for lunch at Five Guys, conveniently in the same building, because (before anyone wonders why we didn’t take them home for something cheap and healthy) we then had to take them the 60 miles home straight afterwards.

Anyway, two standard burgers, one cheeseburger, all with pickles, one small cheeseburger without, one hot dog with onions (me), one large fries to share, one ‘soda’ each for the kids.
Bill was just over £70.

I'm sorry that the children you know are like that, withnobsonit. It must put you right off the younger generation.

I haven't found that at all. In my very different experience parents enjoy being with their children (most of the time, at least ), and feel that taking them out to eat is teaching them how to behave in public. A family meal out is also a bonding experience, and can often round off a trip to the cinema, bowling alley or whatever.

The choice of venue may come down to children's tastes (few adults would choose to go to Burger King, I suspect) but there is no point in taking them somewhere they won't enjoy, or where there is likely to be arguments over food. To equate that to 'brats' playing on their parents' guilt is a huge leap. Again, if you are talking about children in your life, you will know if it's true for them, but as I say, the families I know do it because it's something they all like, and they enjoy one another's company, so it's definitely not a universal thing.

Of course people can pare things back when money is tight, and most of us do from time to time, but that doesn't mean that people should never treat themselves, does it? We used to eat home cooked food most nights, but now and again we'd go to a restaurant for a change. It was a treat all round, not based on guilt (I never felt guilty about providing for my children), and everyone enjoyed it.

I don't know anyone who buys massively overpriced junk food at every turn, so our experiences vary there, too. I know people who buy it now and again, and others who would rather buy massively overpriced organic food - their money, their choice in both cases, and nobody shows off about it.

I think we have at least 15 years worth of children who don't know how to play