Confession: I Used My Kids Money for McDonalds Happy Meals
October 12, 2009 by Jeni
Filed under Confessions of a Mom
Is it right to make the kids pay for their own Happy Meal??
I can’t believe I’m actually confessing this to strangers. But other moms have done this, right?? I’ve dipped into the kids birthday/Christmas money envelopes to help pay for Happy Meals at McDs. (I have to stress I’ve only done this once.) Hey, times are tough, mom runs out of money, and for the sake of the family’s sanity we needed to get out! It technically is food for them and therefore could be paid for with their money. Will they ever notice the missing $3? Probably not, but the guilt is horrible. What kind of mommy makes the kids pay for their own meal? Why aren’t I creative enough to make a fun meal and find a fun activity to keep us occupied? Am I a bad mother because I can’t do these simple things….AND I make my kids pay for it?
OK, enough. I have to stop beating myself up about it. All moms reserve the right to loose their head from time to time and do something stupid, expensive, unnecessary or unfair. We’re only human. Besides, I’ve never duct taped my kids to the floor, left them on the side if the road during a backseat squirmish, or “forget” to pick them up at school (as tempting is it might be). So maybe grabbing a few bucks from their rainy day funds isn’t so bad.
This is a guest post by Jeni, a mom friend. Jeni has “Weddings by Jeni” and you can visit her on Facebook by clicking here or Jeni is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jenihemingson
You are so funny Jeni. Glad there was no duct taping involved. LOL Don’t feel bad. I took money from my oldest last week and drained her wallet when we went to the ECFE garage sale. I didn’t have any cash, and she did. She looked so sad when I asked for all the money she owned. I DID pay her back and she was very relieved.
This is too funny because currently I owe my daughter $12 because I needed to pay the babysitter and my husband owes my son $5 because of a door to door fundraiser. Why is it we NEVER have cash on us and they always do…except when their parents borrow from them!! LOL
Jeni~ just consider it calling in a loan from that time you bought that thing they insisted they had to have. There, now they paid for that thing (which they’ve now forgotten about) and you bought lunch.
Twice (in one day) I had to kick my 3 year old out of the van. One time, it was on Hwy 7 in town, with lots cars passing by. The temper tantrums got too loud and out of hand, so I kicked him out. Was this one of my finer mommy moments, I don’t think so, but the two of us survived. AND he hasn’t ever had a meltdown that bad since!!
We must do the best we can, with what we have at the time. If it happens to be a few bucks from the kiddy’s piggy bank so that the whole family has a nice (or at least one YOU don’t have to make) meal, than that is OK!!