Passions attach themselves to my son like pollen grains dispersed by wind. This week, it’s Pokemon.
He is so smitten with them that he wanted to use his own money to buy a trading card. Why does a 5-year-old have his own money? Oh blame it on his doting grandparents. They have the annoying habit of unloading their spare coins and dumping them on my very eager son.
Oh well.
Anyway, one trading card cost 4100 sats. What a waste of money, I inwardly thought. But I still allowed him to buy one card. Sometimes I stop him from buying things, so he knows that I don’t take kindly to him buying expensive stuff. Even though his coveted card fell within the exorbitant category, I felt that it was important for him to experience the joy of spending on the things he was passionate about.
In my country, there is a trending moment known as $100k by 30. In order to hit this (arbitrary) milestone and keep up with the Joneses, many young Singaporeans scrimp and save, thus suppressing their spending urges. Now this is a movement that I don’t want my son to join because I don’t want him to be so preoccupied by the price tag that he fails to appreciate the dopamine rush that comes with buying a new toy.
I want him to feel the unbridled joy of spending. Little indulgences go a long way in maintaining one’s eye.
But not without taking a $1 coin from him first. I explained to him that this would go towards his college fund. I seized the opportunity to inform him of an idiom, 积少成多 (jī shǎo chéng duō).
Breakdown:
  • 积 (jī) - accumulate
  • 少 (shǎo) - little
  • 成 (chéng) - form
  • 多 (duō) - a lot
Basically, this idiom means “every little bit counts.” I want my boy to consciously set aside some savings before/after he spends happily.
Beautiful examples as always sensei :)
And as always, it's all about balance, which is what you are teaching your son right there. Now... what's the idiom to express balance??
(Disclosure: I understand your son heartedly for I was hypnotized by Pokemon when I was little :P )
reply
You always set me interesting assignments xP
I wrote down balance on my notebook so that I don’t forget to get back to you this time!
My father-in-law plays Pokemon Go and is thrilled to have his grandson gaining more knowledge about Pokemon characters haha
reply
My father-in-law plays Pokemon Go and is thrilled to have his grandson gaining more knowledge about Pokemon characters haha
Lovely! :')
I wrote down balance on my notebook so that I don’t forget to get back to you this time!
Thank you Sr! Would love to see what you come back with! :)
reply
I think this approach to spending is very particular to your son, and that you have also taught him to save, which is excellent. Have you already talked to him about Bitcoin or are you waiting for him to grow up a little more?
reply
I have posted my son’s artworks here and explicitly told him that I am helping him to get Bitcoin. He is only 5, so I don’t think it has sunk in for him yet. Baby steps!
reply
That's great my friend @cryotosensei , keep going.
reply
Listen to the body. It's our interface between what we perceive as the self and all else.
reply
I bet that’s where the phrase trust the gut originated from
reply
In the place where I am the "Legal tender" currency is the new Sol🌞.. and with the idea of being able to provide that satisfaction to my 2 children, my brother and I daily put the value of a Dollar in each piggy bank.. which is approximately 4 soles are a little less but we still assign that amount! all this with the idea that for Christmas 🧑‍🎄 they can choose something themselves that is within the reach of their capital and buy..💸 but I also want with that action to teach her that she should save from now on it does not matter that she is only 9 years old.. for her next birthday I plan to start giving her and teaching her everything related to the Bitcoin burrow🐰 and from that point I will open her wallet under her responsibility and let her stack her own sats!! 💪💪 my youngest daughter will have to wait a few more years🙃
reply
You can start by posting your daughters’ art works here. That’s how I’m starting to accumulate sats for my son haha
reply
It's actually a good idea 🤔 and I'll put it into action👍
reply
My wife understands the joy of spending much more than I do. She is always getting little things for the kids. I generally see it as more stuff to clutter the house but they like it so that's what matters.
reply
I think my wife and your wife could be best friends. Yesterday, I had to intervene and say “let’s wait for next week before our boy can get a new toy” because my wife had already promised him to get a new Pokemon toy. But the thing is, the day before yesterday, we had visited the zoo - and my wife had already bought for him a pygmy hippo figurine. Too many toys spoil the child
reply
My wife loves to shop but she never spends a lot of money so let her enjoy. The kids have so much stuff though. For me it’s not the money, but I don’t like clutter and this place is bursting at the seams with toys. Haha
reply
Saving is a very important life lesson. But you dont want to miss life because you are being stingy.
reply
Yup it’s no fun going through life as a miser
reply
Right, its important to enjoy life. Its also important to save, but dont save just for the sake of saving. Its important to have a goal in mind.
reply
I like your approach. It's hard to balance enjoying the present and providing for the future.
reply
Thanks for the affirmation
reply
Where did you buy Pokémon cards for SATS
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @fm 30 Oct
Passions attach themselves to my son like pollen grains dispersed by wind.
Oh.. this is so familiar to me.. Loved your description
Oh blame it on his doting grandparents.
hahahah, they are doing good then.. They have to spoil them a little :)
reply
Great story. I still struggle with this balance. I do everything that I can to live simply. And sometimes when I want something I do it. Sometimes I don't. It's a fine line between feeling fulfilled with a purchase and feeling it as a waste. As a stacker, it hits hard. FOMO for me now Is only for sats. But taking ourselves out for a treat once in a while seems important as well. ,🤷‍♂️
reply