When the lady behind the popcorn counter told me the cost of our cinema tickets for Super Mario, it took a lot of effort to maintain a poker face.
Seventy five pounds?
Ok so the kids got a small savoury (hot dog or nachos) each plus a small drink and popcorn (with one for me too) – but seventy five pounds?
I fought off the urge to say ‘at least Dick Turpin wore a mask’, because I didn’t think the cinema staff would see the joke.
Instead I smiled and paid and hoped the entertainment was worth it.
On the plus side, the film was brilliant.
It’s a good one to take warring siblings to. The idea that brothers (in this case Mario and Luigi) would do anything for each other, from fighting monsters to battling evil, is very cool.
And adults will enjoy the classic nods to 80s culture, from the moustaches to pop anthems
But when I mentioned the cost to a pal, she assured me I wasn’t out of touch.
“If you are, I am,” she said.
“I took my two and their cousin to Innoflate yesterday and it cost me more than £40 just to get in.”
After an hour, her group were hot and bounced-out and they still had the whole day ahead of them.
So they went to Camperdown Park, where they made cross bows from fallen branches.
It was fun. It was free. And it took up the whole afternoon.
Kids cost and many Dundee parents need help paying for the basics
I’m not complaining about Dundee’s attractions. Venues such as cinemas and indoor inflatable playgrounds are brilliant and we are lucky to have them.
Businesses have to make money – not least to pay for huge electric bills in open spaces.
But as we muddle through the cost of living crisis, everything suddenly seems so expensive.
And I also know that moaning about the cost of such experiences is a privilege, because it means we have a choice.
Parents like me might balk at the total but paying it doesn’t mean our families will go without food.
That’s not the case for everyone.
There are kids in Dundee – and across the country – whose parents’ hearts are breaking because they can’t give them what they feel they should be able to.
'This stuff is f****** painful': Hollywood star Brian Cox angered by Dundee poverty levels… https://t.co/Ars0e4tAf7 via @thecourieruk
— Bryan Copland (@Bryan_DCT) November 17, 2022
There are parents who can’t afford to send their children on school trips, even though the rest of the class is going, because they don’t have an extra fiver when the week is done.
All children should be equal, and yet their opportunities are not.
Charity is a lifeline for Dundee families
Recently, I joined the board of the Dundee-based charity Help For Kids. And already, I can see the window of chance it offers to children in our city.
For that one pupil who faces being the only one to miss a trip of a lifetime, a teacher, headteacher or social worker can apply for funding so they are given that opportunity. They can even ask for outdoor clothing to ensure the youngster can really feel a part of things on the day.
They might want to apply on behalf of a little girl who loves to dance but can’t afford the ballet shoes. Or a boy with dreams of being Messi whose parents can’t buy him new boots.
Every year, Help for Kids provides support to more than 2,000 disadvantaged children living in the Dundee and Perth area.
It is run in partnership with the Evening Telegraph and celebrated its 10th anniversary last year
And every penny raised by the charity goes back to supporting kids.
Is that not amazing?
I’m excited to get involved in helping to raise money, and encouraging other people to do their bit – for what can’t we do if we put our minds to it?
If you want to know more – whether how to help raise money, donate or how to refer a child, go to helpforkids.org.uk.
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