How can I convince my parents to let me go on a school trip to Cape Cod?

Here’s the background info. I am in Junior High school (I’m in 9th grade) and the 9th grade science teachers organize a yearly trip to Cape Cod that all of the 9th grade Bio and Earth Science students are invited on. I have been looking forward to this trip for years.

In 7th grade, my first year of Junior High, there was a trip to Washington DC that was offered through the History department. My parents were enthusiastic until they saw the price. They said it was too expensive and when the next opportunity came for a trip, they would let me go no matter the price. However, the eighth grade trip was to Florida, and it cost even more. They made a compromise with me and said that we could go to florida as a family and do all of the same activities (go to the Everglades, spend a day at a waterpark, swim with dolphins, etc.). However, my mom found a great deal for a cruise that fit into the time we were going to be in florida, so they booked that instead, where I spent 7 days on an overcrowded boat where all the activities were either geared for those under 8 or older than 21. Finally, this trip cropped up. I was so excited that I called my mom at work, and she said I could go no matter what the price was. Then my father came home and saw that it was a $560 trip not including lunch and souvenirs. He started on a rant about how expensive things are these days, and I couldn’t help but agree. However, I am now extremely upset that I won’t be able to go.

So, how should I approach my parents? I think one of my best options is as follows. My parents often say that the price of me going on one of these trips is equivalent to the price of the whole family going on a slightly watered down trip. So, maybe I could propose that my family and I go on a trip together, and we have to do all the fun stuff I would have done on the field trip (like a whale watch, IMAX movie, theater show, etc.). After all, I wouldn’t mind staying with my family instead of friends, seeing as if I went with the school, I would be in a hotel suite (2 rooms with 2 beds and 1 couch each) with 8 other kids (4 per room).

Should I ask them about this plan or should I try to convince them to let me go on the school trip. Should I complain and bring up the past two years or should I be really nice to them and ask them at the end of a great day. My father is more frugal, and my mother is more “live your life and don’t worry about money”, but my father also probably would be more aggressive about getting all the forms filled out if he really wanted me on the trip, and since it’s first-come-first-serve, I would like to get the forms in as soon as possible.

Tags: Cape, convince, parents, school, Trip