A Penny Saved Is A Penny... SPENT!

I woke up this morning to the glorious beginning of Week 2 of Summer Break. The sun was shining, Child lazed around in bed until the luxurious hour of 8:30 AM, and I was caffeinated/sunscreened for my morning walk. What more could I want? Well, put in a different light, what more would I not want...

After an hour of strolling through the serenity of nature, I arrived back at my abode, sweaty and ready for a nice cool shower. As I made my way through the mudroom, and into the "main house", I caught a glimpse of Child. She was grasping something in her hand. Upon closer examination, it appeared to be one of her purses. So the fun began...

Child: "Mommy, I have to talk to you about something. I need you to listen to me. Two of my leotards are too small, and I have been eyeing two of them at the Gym. I'd like to buy one today." (For the record, all of her leos fit)


(Mother ponders the fact that Child was damning her sport just the other day. Funny how the tide turns...)

Mother: "Three weeks ago you spent $18 on a pair of velour shorts to go over your leos, thus extending their lives (note to gymnastics "newbies"- velour shorts are great because when worn over a slightly too small leo, they can disguise a wedgie really well; thus allowing leos to be worn longer). On Father's Day, you dropped almost $12 at Beans and Barley on pins! There has been a lot of spending, as of late..."

Child: (interrupting, the fire going to two alarms)"But gymnastics is everything! I will only have two leos that fit, and that I actually like!"

Mother: (readying the "psychic fire extinguisher)"Two leos are fine. We'll just wash them both mid-week, and you'll get through a week of practice."

Child: "HMMMPPPPP (growl)!!!!!!!!!" (leaves the room)

With Child out of my line of vision for a brief period, it gave me time to mentally prepare for the second wave of attack that I knew would be imminent......

Child: (entering room with fists clenched, knees locked, and a scowl on face)" All of the other Moms at the Gym buy their kids leos all the time! I said that I would buy it with my money!! You don't even have to pay anything!"

Mother: (working the tranquility mantra) "I know that you have offered to buy the leo; that's not the point. The point is that it is not a good "money decision". You have been spending quite a bit of money as of late on impulse items. What about saving the difference for the North Face jacket for Fall? What about those jeans from Delia's that you were talking about? Weren't you planning on getting some deco items for the Teen Zone???"

Child: (While still maintaining the closed fists, locked knees, and scowl, a deep red begins to creep across the facial area. The two alarm fire is about to become a three alarm one) "IHATEYOU!"

Like taking an ill-fated curtain call, Child again stormed out of the room. I couldn't help but laugh/smile at the fact that we had just achieved an exciting milestone in our Mother/Daughter relationship; the uttering of the first, "IHATEYOU!", directed at 'dear old Mother'.

So...about five minutes passed, and Child, again, appeared on the scene. Knowing that we needed to be out the door in less than an hour for gymnastics, it was necessary for Child to eat. Believing in the curative properties of food, I saw an opportunity...

Mother: "Hungry?"

Child: (semi-sheepishly)"Yeah"

(Mother presents Child with some (feel good carb) pasta and strawberries. The scowl is now replaced by the facial muscles used for chewing. All is good)

Mother: "Learning to manage money is really a hard thing. I used to spend too much of my money on sweatshirt after sweatshirt at your age!"

Child: (looks amused... Mother did something dumb???) "Really? How do you learn how to do the 'money thing'? "

Mother: " It takes time and guidance to figure out how to handle your finances. No one is born knowing how to do it. A person needs to be mentored. Daddy and I are here to help you with that, and we'll be happy to help you with advice even after you leave home."

Child: "HmmmpppOK"

Happily, the "fire" never did reach the four-alarm stage. Child regained her emotional equillibrium after lunch, and pranced off to practice her floor routine in the Family Room. Hopefully, there was a bit of wisdom learned from that "heated exchange", which will "simmer on the back burner" for awhile. As far as myself, I'm glad to have survived the three alarm heated argument without being singed by a fire-breathing tween dragon!