Dinner without Crayons » moneyDinner without Crayons

Watching Daddy go grayer by the second

Tanya — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:33:58 +0000

We went away this weekend for a family trip to celebrate Tate’s birthday. Unfortunately, a combination of bad weather and a bad cold (mine) found us back at the hotel earlier than expected, with the children looking for something to do.

Cat, 7, decided to make her own fun. She put my bra on over her nightgown and then went around to her father, sister, and I holding up the cups and saying, “Change? Anyone got change for a pretty lady?”

I burst out laughing but her father was not as amused. “Ummm. Don’t you think you should tell her that isn’t appropriate?” he said.

“You are right dear,” I replied. “Cat honey, Mommy has a life lesson for you. Do not ask men to put change in your bra. Ask for paper bills. With BIG numbers on them.” I fell back laughing onto the bed.

Darling Hubby, whose face and hair were noticeably grayer than when the conversation started yelled, “Daddy has a new rule. No one in our family gets to make money by people putting ANY kind of money in ANY of our underpants.”

There go the retirement and college funds.

Who knew THIS was an exciting rite of passage?

Tanya — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:29:49 +0000

Cat is fascinated with all things adult. She quizzes me about movies rated PG-13 or R. She longs to ride in the front passenger seat of my car. She peppers me with questions about God, sex, cancer, death, my past boyfriends, divorce, politics and the environment (all of which she covered on a 30 minute ride to my office this weekend).

Hence Cat was triumphant and gleeful today to return from school to find a letter addressed to her. It was not just any letter; it was a bill for renewing her National Geographic Kids magazine.

“MOM MOM MOM MOM” she yelled, “I GOT MY FIRST BILL. I GOT MY VERY FIRST BILL. HOW COOL.” She was literally skipping a victory lap around the room waving the bill like one of Willie Wonka’s golden tickets.

“How do you plan to pay for this bill?” I inquired.

“Well, I could raid my piggy bank, but you said that is money for important things, so I think I will just use your money instead.”

At bedtime, I found her piggy bank gutted with its monetary entrails spilled on her desk. The exact cost of the subscription was set in a neat pile to one side.

“I thought you planned to use my money for your bill,” I said to Cat. “I told you I would pay for it.”

“But Mom,” she explained patiently, “My magazine is EDUCATIONAL and you said there is nothing more important than education so I am going to pay my bill and use my magazine to get smarter so I can earn more money.”

Game, set, match to America’s newest bill payer.

You know your swim club is expensive when…

Jill — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:37:59 +0000

We joined a new swim club this fall, an experiment in year-round competitive swimming.

I had previously laughed at the idea of joining this club, because the fees are so exorbitant. But, as so often happens with kids, what once seemed impossible eventually came to seem normal.

How expensive is it? Well, I was just reading the flyer for the club’s family picnic next month. It mentions the raffle that will be held, with the prize, “…a free trip to Sydney (or credit toward 2009-10 dues!)”