On a recent trip to Costco we came across a display with giant stuffed animals. Monkeys, lions, giraffes, elephants, etc. Another little tyke was holding one of the giraffes and my Monkey asked to look at the elephant. Normally, I'm ok with this, because he usually looks at or holds said toy, but happily gives it back when I tell him it's time to move on. This time was different. He insisted on keeping a tight grasp on the elephant throughout our shopping trip, and I expected his interest to wane before we left.
I was very wrong. He kept a tight grip on this thing, 'showing it' various items throughout the store. Towards the end I started preparing him for letting go of elephant. I finally convinced him to put it down, but he wasn't happy about it. Realizing that he was intent on buying this elephant, I offered a solution. How about we use some of that birthday money he just received and he could buy the elephant? He thought this was a "great idea!" as he likes to say. Unfortunately, his wallet was at home, so I promised him we'd come back another day.
Here's the thing about this wallet. He's never really used it, although we've talked about it, and how things cost money, and how daddy works to make money. At my mention of his wallet and using his money, he became very excited. Attention diverted. In the back of my mind, I thought he'd forget about the elephant before we made it back to Costco.
Wrong, again. This morning I pick him up from preschool, and on the way home he talks about how much fun he had. We pull in the driveway and BAM, out of nowhere, he declares, "I miss my elephant!", with tears. He mentioned it a couple times over the weekend, so I knew he was still slightly interested, and I was planning on bringing his wallet with us on the next trip to Costco, but seriously?
Fortunately, Costco is only a couple miles away, and I needed to get some pictures printed anyway. We headed up there and he was bouncing with energy about his purchase. He picked out the elephant, we made our way to the cashier, and I tried explaining the process to him. "Wait for the cashier to ring up your elephant. Then, he'll tell you how much it costs and you give him the money."
I had explained in advance that the elephant cost $13, so that he'd be prepared. Funny enough, he had a $20 bill in his wallet, and tried to wrap his head around it being 'twenty' dollars. "This is only one." I wished I had thought ahead and exchanged his $20 for ones, so that he could count the $13 out, but maybe next time.
He couldn't wait for the cashier to ring it up. As the bagger was pulling the cart up, he yells, "Here!", and shoves the $20 at the bagger, who can't help but smile. After the cashier rings it up, he proceeds to give Monkey the change, all in ones. We were suddenly in a music video. Monkey is fanning and flashing his cash all over the place. Of course, being 4, he's also dropping it in the cart, so I'm trying to explain that if we lose it, it will be gone forever.
I finally get him to put it in the wallet, which then goes into Bear's diaper bag for safe keeping. On the car ride home, he holds this giant elephant in his lap, and seems as content as could be. His little head is currently snuggling on the elephant, now named Kayla, after the elephant in Curious George.
So for a mere $13 of birthday money, we got a giant elephant, and a lesson in money. Totally worth it, in my opinion.
Hugs,
-J
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