Oliver and Company

  There are many sides to my role as a mother and as of last week I added one more to my title, that of "dream squelcher". Here's how it came to be. . .

Carson came home from school over the top excited about raising money for "Pennies for Patients" and in detail explained how it was helping those with cancer. But the majority of his enthusiasm was directed towards the pizza party reward for the class raising the most money. Let me just say here that there could be a whole other post on my dislike for handing out rewards for every little accomplishment, especially one service based (as was the case here). However, I skipped the lecture and downgraded to a "that's nice". Carson then proceeded to ask for money to take to school, so we raided the change jar and let him take several dollars worth. Unsatisfied he asked for more. I then offered a list of several chores he could do to earn additional money and he half heartedly agreed. After about 30 minutes he could see that this was a bad idea, he was losing valuable daylight in the backyard and the money wasn't coming fast enough. I paid him for the time spent working and he was off to his bedroom. I considered the matter closed and moved onto making dinner. About an hour later Carson emerges from his room with a business plan and product pricing sheet in hand and announces he'll be setting up a store in his bedroom selling things to whatever strangers might happen upon our house that night. He reassures me that all the money will be for a good cause and he won't keep any for himself. Biting my lip to keep from laughing out loud I try to let him down gently by telling him I love all of his big ideas but I don't think this one is going to work out. He pulls out the big guns and starts sobbing and accusing me of not wanting to help sick people, hating all of his ideas and that he never gets to eat pizza. He's off to his room once again, this time to sniffle and think of all the ways in which I stifle his creativity while he waits for Dad to get home.