I’m not big on back to school shopping. I figure the kids can start school in the clothes they are already wearing. There is no point in spending money on cute sweaters and long pants when the first day of school is in August. But when three quarters of my kids have toes peeking out through the holes in their tennis shoes, it is time to go shopping whether or not school starts next week. It was nice being able to take advantage of the sales for things we definitely needed. While we were replacing things with holes we picked up some socks, underwear, and backpacks too. I am now $150 poorer, but the kids are happy with their shoes and stuff. It was very nice that none of the kids cried “unfair” because some kids got more things than others.
Lately I’ve been trying to restructure my relationship to food. I’ve always been of the “realize I am hungry and shove the most convenient cheap option into my mouth” school of cooking. Now, I’m trying to stop and think before eating. I am trying to be pickier. I am trying to select foods where my desire to eat them is sufficient to make me actually prepare food without the use of a microwave oven. On the whole I am eating less food, but enjoying eating more. I’ve been making use of things like feta cheese, rosemary bread, and vanilla yogurt. I’ve also discovered that the impact on my budget is not nearly has bad as I thought it would be. I use the expensive ingredients to replace the treats I used to buy. It is nice to realize that I am happier with a $3 loaf of rosemary bread than with that $2.50 half gallon of cheap ice cream. If we have to go into full-bore financial conservation mode, I’ll have to give up the pricier stuff. But for now the readjustment seems to be working.
And to bring the prior two paragraphs together, I have been pondering my responsibility as a parent to teach my kids how to manage their resources. I was a little alarmed of late when I realized that my kids regard eating out to be a regular occurrence. I grew up believing eating at McDonalds on road trips was the ultimate treat. On the one hand, I don’t want our family to fall into the expensive habit of eating out constantly. On the other hand, I don’t want my kids to think of McDonalds (or any fast food place) as the one true restaurant. I want my kids to have broad experiences with food, travel, and people. But I do not want them to take any of these things for granted. That is the gripping hand I guess. I don’t mind that we eat out when we’re too busy to cook (so long as we can afford it) but I don’t want my kids to assume that eating out is anything but a privilege. We really are very fortunate and I want my kids to be able to see that so that we are all ready and willing to help out those around us who need help that we can give.