Tough Decision.....Opinions Welcomed

[Springfield]

I have an 18 year old son and a 20 year old daughter. I took them both to Karate lessons for years, and both were pretty good and usually came in first or second at the competitions. Yes, it was expensive and I had to give up buying and doing other things, but it was worth it, as now both can say they earned their Black Belts(my daughter earned a Second degree belt as she stayed with it longer). I also went on most of my son's Boy Scout camp-outs, at least the ones that involved hiking, and also become an Assistant Scoutmaster to help out. I just drove a 3 hour each way trip with my son so he could take a 2 day steam boiler class at the large Heritage Steam train railroad up north. He loves steam trains and is actually doing something about it. I had to kill time for 2 days as I wasn't in the class with him. Both my kids compete is cowboy shooting matches with me most of the matches for the last 10 years. Soon they will finish school and get jobs and interests of their own, and I am dreading it. So my advice is to go for it.
And to get the ball rolling I am going to auction off my Italian 1858 cap and ball revolver, with all proceeds going to help pay for your trip. Not a PIF, more of a pay it back to all the people who have helped me when things were difficult, and they were usually not family, but shooting friends. I will place the Auction later today, have to get to work now.

[akajun]

In highpower / cmp our state associations sometimes help with expenses, idk if they have that for shotguns .
What about carpooling with another local shooter?

[farmbif]

not exactly how to go about it all but I'd be willing to kick in some brass or bullets to be auctioned off to help y'all out. young people are only young once.

[MrWolf]

Go and do not look back. Some of my best memories with my son were trap shooting and going to competitions. He took the Junior Hanicapp at the State match. His face and smile will always be with me in addition to the other experiences. Money cannot buy those, especially as we get older and they get busy with life. GO GO GO!

Ps and Congratulations

Ron

[Char-Gar]

Go. Period.
Pick up cans, sell your junk, get another job or have him get a part time job - do whatever you can to make that happen.
Your son has excelled at something that he apparently has a knack for and enjoys. You will NEVER get this opportunity back. Seize it!!!
Money slips through the hands like water, the experiences that you have with your children are tattooed on your very soul. Show your kids that sacrifice is worth it.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

This is the correct answer/opinion!

[Gator 45/70]

I know 3 youg men whom scored college scholarships shooting skeet.
I'd spend the coin now to save later.

[beezapilot]

They may not appreciate it now as much as they will later. I shot smallbore competition when I was a kid in high school, 40 some years later I still have a nice plaque hanging in my shop. I'm not sure who was prouder of that award, me or my dad. I vote go if will not create lasting hardship.

[Fishman]

Go. Life is short and your time with your kids as kids is even shorter. Sell a gun you don't use, drive a cheap rental, stay in a crap motel, heck eat bologna sandwiches on the way. Some of my son's best stories are about when I did the best I could, things didn't go according to plan, but we still had fun.

[Scrounge]

Are you kidding? Of coarse you go! Take it from someone, who raised 2 sons, and didn’t go, missed opportunities. Maybe not the exact same scenario but it doesn’t really matter what it was for, the specific details were different but the pros and cons were the same. The funds were low, seems more important to work than it was to spend the time and money to take my son someplace. If my post seems a little vague it’s on purpose. I have a hard time thinking about it let alone discussing the details on the forum. The point is even if it doesn’t seam bother you son, maybe he knows and understands the situation. YOU will never forgive yourself!!!! He is only going to be the age he is now, once in his life! To quote an old saying”beg, borrow, steal!” What ever it takes.
Sincerely , Good luck in your Decision

Agree! I deleted my post instead of posting it, too much bitterness towards my dad, and myself. Best if they go, even if they eat ramen noodles for weeks to finance it.

Bill

[hawkenhunter50]

Guys thanks for all the ideas, lots of good ones suggested. I kinda figured what the responses would be but it's an overwhelming vote for go. I am short on time right now to reply to everyone who offered support but I will. I just wanted to say quick please don't start any auctions on my behalf. I really didn't start this looking for any financial help. It is awesome of all that offered that but I really couldn't accept money. All the good ideas for saving money and the comments about regretting not going are what I was after. I will get back to those who offered and say thank you a little later today. Plus to the fella that mentioned auctioning a 1858 Remington...........that might do more harm than good........I might end up paying for a new revolver and a trip to MI.....hahaha. I cannot say thank you enough guys. I also don't want to get ahead of myself. I still have to see if one or both even get invited. I'm just guessing based off of last year how my oldest shot and comparing his grades at the time, we will see.

[Scrounge]

Let us know when he does get invited. I'd bet a lot of us WILL chip in a few bucks via our favorite money apps.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I'd be willing to contribute a pittance. Even dimes add up, and I could come up with a bit more than a dime. Maybe not much more, but some!

[dverna]

Go. Period.
Pick up cans, sell your junk, get another job or have him get a part time job - do whatever you can to make that happen.
Your son has excelled at something that he apparently has a knack for and enjoys. You will NEVER get this opportunity back. Seize it!!!
Money slips through the hands like water, the experiences that you have with your children are tattooed on your very soul. Show your kids that sacrifice is worth it.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

I did not read any further.

The only thing I would add....how important is it to him? Is he willing to work to pay for part of the trip. I used to shoot trap competitively and it is a very costly sport. I used to give shells to some of the up and coming young shooters (also at Mason BTW).

Most young shooters drop out early. They discover cars and girls and once mom and dad stop footing the bill they cannot afford to shoot. My hope is some of them come back to the sport in their later years.

Good luck!!!

[Plate plinker]

Go it’s a no brainer.

[Plate plinker]

Very good points everyone has made so far. 1 other key point I forgot to mention.....the week before nationals is the state shoot which I am taking them to. It is a 3 hour drive and a nights lodging.

My gut is telling me to go also but they do not do a very good job spacing out the state and national shoots.

Still a go. Time never comes back and the memories are worth it.

[FISH4BUGS]

My daughter went to Kenyon College and was an NCAA National Champion swimmer (sorry to sound like a proud papa). She got a full boat scholarship to Stanford for swimming but turned it down because she did not want to be a professional athlete for 4 years....she wanted a college education of some sort. She wound up going to Kenyon College in Ohio.
Kenyon was the NCAA D3 Champions something like 23 out of 27 years, and made the Nationals every year. Her mother and I (even though we were divorced) went to the Nationals every year to cheer her on.
We scraped and scrimped to make the tuition every year and it was even harder to make the cost of the Nationals.
Her best memories were of her time at college. She developed the discipline to set goals and work towards them.
The experience your son will get by working hard for a goal and making it happen will serve him for the rest of his days.
Do whatever you need to do to make it happen.
Do a GoFundMe page and let us know here where and what it is.
I am sure many of us will kick in a few bucks.

[warren5421]

I have 3 kids and went to everything of theirs it was posible to do. My two girls were swimmers, not very good but they were out there and mom and dad was yelling at the top of our lungs. Just the other day my 52 year old was talking about a swim meet I don't remember but she does. My son, the baby, shot SASS for 10 years with me and still comes and wants the old guy to come out and target shoot. I took several kids over the years shooting went to their games and mets and just about every one has something to say if they see me out and about. They all do with their kids because someone showed them that someone carried enough about them and valued them as a person.

GO and don't look back. The good lord will provide.

[reddog81]

I was looking at a trip to Florida. It would be about 1400 miles or 20 hour drive each way. Girlfriend wanted to take the Sprinter van so we could bring the dogs and have a place to sleep while traveling. I calculated fuel costs at about $900. Taking our car would cost about $350.

You should to knock quite a bit off the costs if you can switch to a more fuel efficient vehicle.

[poppy42]

Agree! I deleted my post instead of posting it, too much bitterness towards my dad, and myself. Best if they go, even if they eat ramen noodles for weeks to finance it.

Bill

Thanks Bill. I kinda know some of what you posted- from your brother.

Take care
Ray

[poppy42]

Cash I don’t have but Someone posted about chipping in for an auction! Count me in if you go that route! I can come up with something be it brass or whatever just send me a PM if you desire to go that route

[Bmi48219]

GO and don't look back. The good lord will provide.

^This^