Lessons About "Choices"

I try very hard to teach my children that life is all about choices.  These lessons are often taught using simple scenarios that the kids can really relate to.  The boys are still very young (2-years-old and 3-years-old) but they still understand the general idea of choices.  I took the kids to Target yesterday and for the entire hour we were there my 3-year-old son played with a huge bouncing ball that he seemed to get complete enjoyment from.  He enjoyed it so much that I had already prepped myself to purchase the ball.  Low-and-behold as we get closer to the register he spots a shelf full of adorable stuffed animals that move, dance, and sing.  My 3-year-old picks up the doggie which moves from side-to-side and sings "Who Let The Dogs Out" and immediately falls in love (and so did I).  I made it absolutely clear to him that it was either the doggie or the ball.  It took him all of 30 seconds to ditch the ball and clutch onto the doggie for dear life.  Naturally, I had to purchase two doggie's because my 2-year-old son immitates EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING, that his older brother does.  So, the boys got their doggies and were thrilled.  Of course, I wasn't quite as thrilled considering the doggie's were MUCH more expensive than the ball and I had to listen to "Who Let The Dogs Out" the entire ride home.

Teaching lessons about "choices" to my 6-year-old daughter is quite different.  She has no concept that money does NOT grow on trees and thinks because she sees it and wants it that mommy is supposed to purchase it.  Hmmmm, I'll have to work a little more diligently on clarifying that misunderstanding.  Her lesson in choices this weekend also came when we went to Target and she wanted to spend the gift cards she had received as birthday gifts.  My daughter loves gift cards as it makes her feel like a grown-up spending her own money.  In fact, when we stopped at the Target eatery she insisted on treating me to popcorn (LOL... I love it!!).  After getting popcorn, she wallked the aisles looking, touching, and listening trying to decide exactly what to purchase and I had to remind her of "choices."  Her gift cards would only allow her to purchase a certain number of items AND if she used all the cards at once she would not be able to return to the store at a later time and shop for more items.  She picked up one item and really seemed to want it until I explained that it would take both her gift cards.  She emphatically looked at me and responded, "Both of my cards?  So I won't have anymore?"  I responded, "That's right, so you have to make a choice on how much you really want that item."  In the end, she decided on a toy that only used one of her gift cards and would allow her to come again later to purchase another item.

As parents, we sometimes underestimate just how much our children comprehend at a very young age.  However, it is out responsibility to mold them, guide them, and shape their understanding of the world.  And lessons about "choices" is a great start!