Being The Owner Of Money Seems To Do The Trick.

A trip to the supermarket and an 'aha' moment.

As you know, our niece and nephew are staying with us at the moment. Yesterday their parents left for a mini vacation of three days, mainly because the kids wanted to be alone with us and partly because they could have a rare few days alone...Either way, it is a win win situation. Bob and I are clearly the winners.

Their parents left pocket money for them which would also cover things like going out eating; ice creams and so forth. So, we went for a drive starting at Aloisia's, looping past a supermarket and ending back home. The kids had been to Aloisia's before, but still had cake and hot chocolates. One almost untouched piece of cake was doggy bagged!

Before we went into the supermarket, I told them that they could buy what they wanted, but had to pay with their pocket money.Lots of oohs and aahs were issued and I think Sam rubbed his hands in glee.

Clearly they had been in a supermarket before as they honed in on the sweet and joghurt isles with lazer precision. The vegetable rack didn't even warrant a glance. At first they wanted to buy everything.

" Take it, it is your pocket money after all. "

" Aunt Birgit, are you not buying it for us? "

" No, you have your own money. "

Suddenly, a round of pricing ensued. And collaboration between brother and sister. Never underestimate an eight year old. With an astuteness beyond his years, he put a five pack of Kinder Milch Schnitte in the trolley. He got his sister to share half the price and told her the fifth one would be for Bob and Birgit.

The cereal isle was next, and he almost tripped up when he noticed a Star Wars theme on one of the cereal boxes. Oh, he wanted it. Bob was called to inspect this box with Star Wars on it and then he glanced at the price. Almost 4 euros.

" Aunt Birgit, can I buy it? "

" Of course, it is your pocket money. "

He stood almost hovering and clearly debating with himself when all of a sudden he said:

" You know, I won't buy it. It doesn't look very healthy. "

By that stage, the supermarket owner was torn between giggles and awe. He even told me that he couldn't get his own kid to understand the value of money.

To cut a long story short, even the supermarket's Holy Grail, the sweet isle, was negotiated along the same principles. Not much was bought...

Later in the afternoon, I spotted the piece of cake from Aloisia's being ignored and forgotten.

" Sam aren't you going to eat that piece? You paid a lot of money for it. "

" Oh no. Aunt Birgit, you never told me that it I had to pay for it with my money. If I had known that, I would not have eaten or drunk anything! "

Ah, the good life....

Biggi