Well - funds are short - it's Christmas and well....it's always that way. I stash money away just in case of an emergency and tonight? We had an emergency. No real food in the house and payday a few days away. So I pulled out the stash and headed to WinCo to get the bare essentials.But! Darling daughter (4 years old) didn't want to eat at home. She wanted to go to McDonalds. She loves McDonalds. And to stall for time I used the usual ploy "Do you have money?"
"Yes I do it's in my purse!"
Me "You have money?"
"Yes, I have a little tiny one, it's silver and small and very shiny....."
"That's a dime.....you need a dollar...."
"I have a dollar....."
"You sure?"
"Yes!"
We got inside the grocery store and she pulled out her purse and sure enough - she had almost $2.00 in there!
I was surprised......I told her she had enough to buy something off the dollar menu - she was stoked! She wanted a happy meal. Don't have enough for that. But she could buy a cheeseburger!
So we went to McDonalds - I let her ride in the passenger seat of the van and told her what to say when we got up to the speaker and then she suddenly whispered "you say it....I'm shy."
"What?"
"I'm shy....you say it....I got shy now...."
So I ordered her a MdDouble (more than a Cheeseburger with an extra bit of meat) and two waters and they handed it out the window to her.
She she got to eat her food in front of dad and it was great and she even called mom (on my cell phone - are you nuts to think I'd give a 4 year old her own cell phone? I know someone out there thought it.....and their daughter is probably one of those pageant girls)
But it was fun! She's learning the value of money - sure - she didn't buy the best thing yet - we did go over how to spend the times and not the quarters - but she's getting used to saving and what she can buy. She was actually quiet in the grocery store when she wanted candy and I told her if she bought candy she couldn't go to McDonalds.
ITS WORKING! I feel like a success as a parent! (for a moment!) (Oh shut up you vegans about McDonalds and go live in Syria where they don't eat pork).