She Wants to Take Parents to a Furcon, but Dad Is Balking at the Price

Hi, Papabear!

Firstly, I just wanted to say thank you so much for all you do in the furry community. It personally touches me and helps so many others, so I greatly appreciate how much effort you put into helping other furs.

Okay, here's my question. I turn 14 in a month and want to really start getting involved in the fandom. I live about an hours drive away from Toronto so I'd like to go to Furnal Equinox in 2019, but the trouble is, though my parents are supportive of my "furryness" my dad rarely gets days off from work and I'm not sure my parents as a whole want to spend a bunch of money on a hotel room, con admission, so forth. I'm worried that they also might say that most of the attendees will be adults and there's no reason for a 14 year old to go. (Sorry for all the details.)

So, do you have any advice on what I should say to my parents, or what I should do to bring them this idea? I don't want to be the greedy little child, but at the same time I don't want to be the pushover with no backbone. What is your opinion?

Thanks so much!
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Clexis (14, Ontario)
 
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Hi, Clexis,
 
I'm not sure what kind of job your father has, but most cons, including Furnal Equinox, occur during the weekend. Does your father have to work weekends? If so, that will, indeed, be an issue. Perhaps just you and your mother could attend?
 
Furcons can be kinda pricey, yeah. Not the con itself, if you get a basic membership, but it's the hotel room that can hurt the pocketbook. Many furries resolve this by sharing rooms, but if you are with your mom and/or dad, that seems unlikely. Furnal Equinox rooms are already going fast, and regular doubles are sold out, which means the next available room is $229.50, plus taxes, resort fees, etc. etc. Now, if you are a fursuiter, I always recommend getting a room at the con hotel (or ask a friend with a room to allow you to borrow the room and shower to change), BUT! If you don't need to change in a nearby room, nothing says you can't stay at another nearby hotel for far less money. The hotel is near downtown, and a quick search shows you can find nearby rooms for half that price or less, then just walk over or take a quick cab to the furcon hotel, saving yourself hundreds of dollars. You can, as well, save some money by buying breakfast and lunch items in a grocery store and stocking up in the fridge at the hotel so as to avoid expensive restaurant food.
 
So, say you do this and your parents come along and you have to pay for gas and food and so on: you are talking about $400-$500 for the weekend, minimum. Here's a question: would you be willing to find a part-time job to pay for it yourself? You have a little over six months to save $500 (let's call it $600 to be safe). That's means you would only have to earn $100 a month. If you found a job, say, babysitting or tutoring or as a store cashier or things like that, you could easily earn enough money by the time of the furcon and then treat your parents for the weekend. This will have the bonus effect of impressing them as to how serious you are (and generous and hard-working), which will go a long way toward their allowing you to be furry.

The average age of attendees at furcons is about 18-25, but there ARE quite a few younger attendees (and older). In fact, last time I went to Califur, I was surprised to see probably a dozen or more kids under 15 with their parents, and that number seems to go up every year.
 
Most parents I have spoken with who attend furcons leave with a very good impression of these events. It is a great idea to take your parents to one! 
 
Good Luck! If you do go, let me know how it went!
 
Papabear