A First: Paying Her Way

At the last minute yesterday, after I completed a 4 mile run from Forbes Mill to the Dam, and after assessing the uncongested condition of southbound highway 17 through LG, we decided to head over the hill and spend the day at the boardwalk.<br />n<br />nWe go there once, maybe twice a year, and it’s always fun, pretty close, and we even sometimes hit the beach. They are always full days.<br />n<br />nThis day, though, marked a bit of a milestone in Penny’s deveopment and young life. She thought ahead, before we left the house, to bring some of her own money, just in case she wanted to buy something special. Maybe she wanted to feel a bit independent. Fine with us, we thought. She does have a bit of a stash of cash since she’s been providing flute lessons to the sister of a friend of hers. So she ended up bringing fifty dollars with her, in her own wallet, safely stashed in her own purse.<br />n<br />nWhile at the Boardwalk that day, we haad plenty of treats, from slurpees to ice cream to pizza. Later in the afternoon, though, Penny decided that she really wanted to try some sort of lemon ice type of treat. She also insisted that she will treat the family. We had a stack of coupons that we got from buying a season pass, so that eased the financial burden somewhat, but at the end of the transaction, Penny pulled out her own money, handed it to the attendent, and got the change on her own. The rest of us, well, maybe just mama and me, watched in amazement how maturely she handled the entire event. No drama, no looking to her parents for guidance like she usually does, just calmly ordering, paying and receiving the goods. Nice job.<br />n<br />nI was used to paying for everything that day, but this was a pleasant surprise, to get treated by my daughter, with money that she had earned from the outside, ie, not from the family by doing chores. It probably won’t happen again for a while, but just the fact that it did, in the way it did, was really cool to see. Priceless.<br />n<br />