I have a question, mainly for the parents footing these bills.
I was never on a team that went to these grand, expensive competitions but my last couple of years we did a lot of competitions. I think my last couple of years the average was 14/15 a season. With around half out of state. So maybe my bill per year was ~$4000? Nothing in the range of some of these top level teams.
So my questions is at what point, if there is one, do you tell your child "listen, if you want to continue to do this, you need to help out because we cannot afford this on our own"? Im not really talking about "help out around the house more", I'm talking about making them fundraise, getting a job, helping financially with the payments. And clearly I'm taking about highschool students unless you wanna blur the lines of the child labor laws.
Fortunately, both of the gyms I cheered at had concession stands at the local university sports stadium and minor league baseball stadium that you could work as fundraising. In a way it was basically a job and instead of the paycheck going to you, it goes straight to your account at the gym via the booster club. I started working games when I was 14 (even if the age was 16 and older) because my parents made it clear that I needed to help out. My last two years I worked enough to pay for almost all of the money that went to the gym. Tuition, gym fees, competition fees, uniform, event shirts, make-up, whatever. My parents paid for travel and that's it.
I don't see why the older kids can't help out with these outrageous expenses. I know how busy it gets, I was on two teams, did tumbling classes, stayed on honor roll and payed for my cheer, but it's possible. If it's something the kids want to do, they should help with the expenses as best they can. And if it's something the kids are super invested in, they will find a way to make it all work. Why should the responsibility be placed solely on the parents?
I'm interested in people's opinions, go!