Lesson Learned

My son had to learn a life lesson the other day about money. One that we all eventually learn over and over again sometimes. There is this little boy who lives at the corner in this huge apartment building with his mom. He comes down to play with my son from time to time. This little boy is a year younger then my son but more street smart then my son and he knows it too. I try to cut off as much of the "bull" as I can but sometimes things happen and they have to learn. So, this particular day they were outside playing and they got the bright idea to ask permission to go to the corner store. I said it was ok, since we know the owners of the store pretty well and the store is about 3 minutes away walking distance. My son collects his $3 that he had from his allowance and off they go. They come back in the allotted time and the little boy is happily eating chips and holding on to an ice cream bar in the other hand. My son is drinking some lemonade he got in a can. All seems good between them.  They happily play for another 45 minutes until the boy's mom comes to pick him up and my son comes inside too. A little while later my son said that he spent all of his money at the store. I only saw him drinking one can of lemonade so I knew that was not possible if he spent his money only on his stuff. One can costs 75 cents not $3. Then he tells me that the little boy didn't have any money so he asked to borrow $2 telling my son that he was hungry and his mom was not home so he didn't' have anything to eat for hours and hours. I am not sure how true that was but I let him continue. So, my son said that he felt sorry for him and let him borrow $2 the boy said he would pay him back the next day. I really didn't believe it but held my tounge and gave him the benefit of the doubt.

So, the next day came and went and no little boy. He didn't see that little boy for a week and when he did that same little boy was walking from the store with another little boy holding on to some chips and a soda. My son asked him when was he going to pay him back. The little boy just looked like my son was speaking a language which he couldn't understand and sort of shook his head and kept walking. The boy he was walking with said that their friend just borrowed money from him too. I told my now upset and confused son that sometimes people will borrow money from you with no intention of paying you back it is just a part of life. A cruel part of life that we all had to learn. You can't lend money to everyone.

My son was not happy but he understood that he learned a lesson that day. He still plays with that little boy from time to time but he will never loan him money again he says. He says the next time he is hungry he will just make him a sandwich and feed him. I think he made the right decision.