Dear Mrs. McVeigh,
My daughter has been invited to go on a trip with a friend’s family. How much money should we send with her? Do I give the mom money for her meals, or at least offer?
L.E.
Dear L.E.,
There is nothing wrong with asking the parents outright how much money to send with your daughter. I went on a trip as a teenager with a friend of mine, and I was uncomfortable the first few meals because I felt like I needed to offer to pay each time. Finally, my friend’s father told me not to worry about it, and he would let me know if I needed to pay for anything. If your daughter knows the expectation from the start of the trip, she will be comfortable.