Best $8 I Ever Spent




Best $8 I Ever Spent

Originally uploaded by kjda

Rory is in love.

His name is Sea, or possibly Fast. If you let go of him, he “run away” in the wind over the pool, and you have to swim after him. You can wear him to jump in. You can wear him to climb out. And he is only for Rory.

She saw another little girl in one at the pool today and asked, just oh so very nicely. Can I have one of those?

I of course said no, because that’s my default answer to everything.

But we are on vacation.

And this is the rare pool that allows floaties.

And I just knew she would love it.

Which she did.

Even better was Lily’s reaction, which was a pause, and some very clear thought. You don’t really want that, I told her. She had had a smaller one, which was a birthday gift from a friend, deflate on her earlier in the week. You want a bigger one, I reminded her, a big round one you can lay in. You said so. Immediate gratification fought a visible battle with what she really wanted, and I’m happy to say what she really wants won. Eventually, we will be somewhere, and we will see a big one, and I will buy it for her.

Rory said she would share with Wyatt. But she really didn’t want to. She says it’s only for HER! He wailed. She’s right, I said. It’s hers. You can only use it if she says you can.

Then I want one!

Really? I bought a splash ball yesterday. I bought that for you. You don’t really want this, you would rather the ball be only yours unless you say others can use it. (He would SO rather have a ball than a floatie…)

To my surprise, he agreed, got his ball, and found someone to play catch with.

I know that fair doesn’t always mean equal. This is the first time they’ve shown any sign of grasping it. Halleluia.


2 Responses to “Best $8 I Ever Spent”

  1. Cheryl M. says:

    Yay! You gotta love moments like that. 🙂

    I’m trying to get my 5yo to grasp that concept. With the new baby in the house, there have been a few incidents with toys just like that.

  2. JK says:

    We bought our sea turtle (the girls named him ocean) in Hawaii. I probably spent 3×8 on him, but it was for all 3 (they could all ride him at the same time) and it was the BEST money we ever spent on vacation, too.

    have fun!

    xoxo!