Burnin' a Hole in His Pocket

The boys' uncle gave them each $10 a couple weeks ago for learning how to do a headstand. I was fairly impressed at the accomplishment, although I informed my brother-in-law that they would have been just as willing to oblige for a buck. Since he handed them the dough, there have been endless discussions on how best to spend the money. I thought that I had convinced Michael to save up for the Lego set he has been eyeing for months, Mission 6: Mobile Command Center. There had, in fact, also been countless discussions about the $90 Lego set. Indeed, some wheelin' and dealin' as well.

Initially, I agreed to pay half of the cost of Mission 6. With the savings goal cut in half, Michael then began negotiations with his brother. I discouraged it with the thought that there might be some Taking-Advantage-of-Younger-Brothers going on, but Jacob insisted that he was in complete agreement with the deal. And the deal was that Jacob would help Michael save up half of the cost of Mission 6 if Michael would then help Jacob save up for half of the item of his choosing. (Michael will surely be in sales someday if his Lego career doesn't lead him to life as an architect.) (Do you even begin to understand how confusing it gets around here with all of these Deals going down?) At both boys' insistence, I stopped defending Jacob, and my only stipulation was that Jacob's money remain in his bank until the goal had been reached. Because you just never know what happens to money once it starts mixing together!

During all of these negotiations, I discussed with my husband my desire to just outright purchase the pricey Lego set for my little Lego Boy for Christmas. After all, while he may have a rather strong dislike for academia, the boy can do amazing things with Legos! He certainly benefits from his hours of lego-ing rather than video gaming. Plus, I reasoned, if he really did work hard at saving his money, getting the Legos for Christmas would be a huge reward for at least trying to achieve such a lofty goal.

However. Today we went to Target because we did not completely fill up our shoeboxes with the stuff we bought on our Wal-Mart field trip yesterday. Every time we've left the house since Uncle John gave them that money, they have asked to bring their wallets. I've put my foot down with a loud, resounding, controlling thud. "You said you would save your money. You need to save it!" Sometimes, though, sometimes I forget I'm a control freak. Today I forgot. It is, after all, their money. To do with what they please. To learn from their actions.

After much, much, much time spent studying EVERY toy in the toy section of Target, I was pleased that each boy chose only small items which meant they would have money leftover. However. It wasn't without some whining and complaining. The first item they wanted to buy was a miniature of one of those claw machines that steals your money and never gives you a prize. That's what they wanted to spend their pooled Lego money on. "It doesn't come with candy," I told them. Aha! Gotcha! "Oh, that's OK," they said, "we'll just use our leftover Halloween candy." I reminded myself that it's their money. But then, as I looked at the box of the dumbest invention ever for $20, a lightbulb went on over my head. "Boys," I said triumphantly, "it doesn't come with batteries. You'll need another 4 or 5 dollars for batteries." Ha! And ha! And they whined and complained. "Can't you buy us batteries?" Then, for good measure once the candy claw thing had been put back on the shelf, Michael said, "Then why don't you just buy Mission 6 for me?"

And herein lies the dilemma. I still want to get the boy his Lego set for Christmas. But will I be sacrificing an important life lesson in doing so?

He was going to save his money, but then he didn't.

But he did only purchase Monkeys in a Barrel, so he still has some money left.

On the other hand, we had a few unsavory moments in aisle 16b today.

But were those moments trying enough to warrant the cold shoulder from Santa Claus?

Why, oh why don't these children come with an instruction manual like the Lego set on my boy's wish list?