A 6-Year-Old's Buyer's Remorse

So far, the we started in our household to eliminate whining and teach my children better table manners is working.

They aren’t perfect, but I don’t have to say, "Lips together chewing" at every meal. And to the chorus of “Mommy, I want that!” at every toy commercial during Saturday morning cartoons, I can simply say, “Save YOUR money.”

The day after Thanksgiving we joined the masses at Arundel Mills Mall hoping to find a great deal in the aftermath of early morning Black Friday shoppers. Each child needed new pants and shoes, and the death of my espresso machine couldn’t have come at a better time. As we turned a corner, my oldest son’s eyes grew big as he spotted the Lego logo.

“Can we go in?”

“Of course, but we are only looking.” How many parents have spoken those words?

After many minutes of Lego building and drooling over boxes of Millennium Falcom, my youngest uttered the words that every parent has heard hundreds of times: “Can we buy something please!?!”

“Yes, you can,” I replied. His eyes lit up and he actually jumped in the air with excitement. “But you have to spend your own money, and I think it’s safe to say you have $5. You can pay me back when we get home.”

His face changed. The excitement of shopping turns into a furrowed brow. He picked up each of the boxes he was hoping I’d purchase and looked at the price tag, which revealed a cost much higher than $5. He went around the store taking the purchase seriously, lifting box after box, and in the end both boys settled on items that were good investments.

Once we arrived home I promptly sent them to their room to retrieve the $5 from their piggy banks. My youngest, who is six years old, needed some help counting out the money. I sat with him on his floor and he counted out the quarters, watching the pile of money owed to Mommy grow, while his savings dwindled. And then it happened … Tears streamed down his face.

“I changed my mind. I don’t want that toy anymore.”

“I’m sorry sweetie, you’ve already opened it and played with it. We can’t return it now.”

“But I don’t want to spend my money!” he cried, and I comforted him in my lap.

Who would have known that at six years old, my son would be experiencing his first “Buyers Remorse?” I wasn’t exactly sure what to say as I stumbled through this parenting obstacle. We talked about how he did such a good job taking the shopping seriously, and I reassured him that I believe he will enjoy this Lego toy for a really long time.

“I’m not going to spend anymore, I’m just going to save,” he said to me with such seriousness.

“Okay,” was all I could say, because there is one thing I do know about children … All this could change once he has another $5.

Gretchen Schock is a mom, a writer and a yoga instructor. Check out her creative writings and crafty goodness on her blog, www.CocktailMom.com. Or come to a yoga class and be inspired!

About this column: Moms from Prince George's County talk about parenting— the rewards, the concerns and more.