Summer break is over and we are getting back into the steady-to-busy pace again.
Along with the new season comes our stream of family birthdays, the first one happens to be on Saturday. As is custom in our home, the kids receive some birthday cards in the mail containing the good stuff...money!
While it is hard for the other two to 'rejoice when a brother rejoices' or celebrate his 'blessings' we just keep emphasizing the waiting game, assuring them that their time is coming.
It is birthday time for Joel. He is gaining a small fortune (not quite, but to him it is). For the past year (on a regular basis) he has been nagging/bugging/wanting for Heelys . We have given our flat out 'no' for very good reasons....a) kids on Heelys in the mall are annoying, b) they are very expensive and c) he would out grow them within the year, not to mention the fact that most places (like school) wil not allow you to use them anyway.
He gave up (reluctantly) on his heart's desire for a while until one of his best friends was sporting them. Argh!! Better yet, he was sure to inform us that they were not authentic Heelys and were therfore only 1/2 of the price. Our answer remained the same. He didn't give up and offered to pay for them himself. Laughing him off, I half agreed knowing he has no money, and no steady income or allownace. When he does earn a buck or two around the house, it burns a hole in his pocket and he is off to the dollar store. Now, I am eating my words....he almost has enough to purchase these for himself.
*****
Last winter, he came home asking for a hamster. Again, BIG FAT NO!!! Again, for very good reasons, a) they are rats b) they stink and flick shavings everywhere c) they run all night and
d) I don't need/want another pet to clean up after.
Whenever in Walmart or a pet store he will price them and be sure to tell us (over and over) that they are only $15. Still, "No"
*****
Now, several months later, he is receiving a short-lived but steady cash flow. I had forgotten all about these wishes and thought he did too. As he was counting his money, it didn't take him long to realize he almost had enough for the coveted shoes.
What to do, what to do. I did tell him if he raised the money....I don't want to see it wasted when his feet grow to a new size over the next few months....
then, bouncing around the kitchen he brought up the hamster....beautiful!!! He is figuring that he has just enough to buy a cage and hamster.
The money is burning holes in his pocket even though he has talked lots about opening an account. I have been leaning towards that, encouraging it as much as possible until I realized he only wanted it to be able to shop with a bank card and write cheques!
Alas, these are strcitly the two things he is between.
Mother doesn't approve....of either but would have to choose a hamster (I can't believe I said that) over those wheeled shoes!!!
What to do...there is nothing else he wants.....unless I can think of something better to entice him with....Like Now!!
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
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5 comments:
my youngest daughter wanted heelies and i didn't want to get them cuz they're dangerous, but she asked for her birthday, that was all she wanted, so she got them, but with restrictions. those wheels do come out and she has to take them out when we say so. her feet grow pretty fast, a year later, they barely fit her, they won't last another winter (phew!). as for the hamster, my kids had a pet rat, they are cleaner and don't stink. it had a nice spot downstairs, we encouraged them to feed it all sorts of treats, helping it's short life be even shorter;)
maybe you could talk him into getting some fish - they are much quieter!!
Gee we had 2 hamsters...well they were Phil's. They are buried, with dignity, in the backyard. He looked after them both with each of them living about 2 years.
The day the first one died we were all in tears. It was a great lesson on loss, life and grief.
But I do like fish...you can flush them!
Well, we've had rats, hamsters, fish, birds but no heelies! Hamsters aren't sooo bad, but I'd start by making it VERY clear who's cleaning the cage, etc. Fish may be quieter and easier to dispose of but really, how much fun are they? Heelies, yes, maybe expensive or not, depending on whether they're knock-offs or not but they will last less than any of the animal choices...I'd say, explain the pros and cons of both and let him make the choice. That's my two cents worth! Get him to talk to Allison, she has a hamster now...maybe he could 'borrow' it for a few weeks to see if he's prepared to buy the shavings, food, clean the cage, fill the water bottle, etc.
Or, if he is into anything like photography encourage him to put the money towards a camera. Daniel loves taking pictures and they are more often than not quite good.
Tha bank account idea is good too. The money is safe, and he can watch it grow. (well sort of!)
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