If you think its uncomfortable to ask your friends sister, who many times you have known her since she was very young, just imagine how uncomfortable it is for a 14-19 year old kid to ask. You hardly know the person and you just know that at the end of the night they’ll ask. You have alot of thoughts going though your head “Is 7 1/2 too little, the kids are loud and cranky and won’t go to sleep” “Is 10 too much?, i don’t know their economic situation, I don’t want it too be too difficult.” A large part of the night you are thinking about this and are very nervous. You decided finally a number or give a range, they make a strange sound and you begin to feel guilty that you are asking too much.
And I don’t know about where you live but personally ( and many of my friend do similar), on my own, with out my parents advising me either way,decide ” tonight, i see that they need it more then me, going though a rough time, bla bla, i won’t accept the money and will do it as a chessed”, that doesn’t always turn out that well either, with all of you guys complaining you would be surprised how many people get ANGRY and demand i take the $ i refuse to.