Why We Do What We Do...........

Fia brought home her spring pictures the other day from school.  You know the ones........cheesy background scenes, hand on the hip pose and a sweet smile from my beautiful girl.  She brings them home with a smile on her face and a hopeful look in her eye........aren't they pretty, mom?

You, my girl, are pretty.

The pictures......not so much.  They don't show the beauty of my sweet girl, the crazy parts of her beauty, the sassy part of her personality.  They are a bit canned and almost weird looking because of the obvious fake background.

But there is that look..........that look in her eye.........I hate that.

What is a parent to do?

At twelve dollars a sheet.............this parent says no.  This past week I spent 14 dollars on groceries, the week before I spent 34 dollars.  Amazingly enough this is enough money to buy ALL FIVE sheets :)  Hmmmm........pictures or two weeks worth of groceries?

Now our situation is not that dire and yes, we could sign a check or get money out of the bank and get those pictures.

But we don't.

Why?  Is it wrong to buy those pictures?

No.

But here's the thing.  I think a lot of parenting decisions are based on what the other kids are doing, what the other parents are doing.  Somehow we wound up in this place where what you give your kids defines you as a parent.  That somehow you are scarring your children if you don't buy the pictures, if you don't buy the yearbook, if you don't put them in this swim class or that soccer class.  I know I struggle with it all the time and this post might seem familiar because of this ongoing struggle.  None of these things are wrong or bad but sometimes I think we do it without thinking about what we are doing.  We spend money and time on things that aren't important and that time and money has to come from somewhere and just maybe it would be better spent somewhere else...............


I wish I had all the answers.


Someday, huh?


Maybe when I'm a grandparent :) .................. and I am watching my children make decisions that drive me crazy........like my parents watch me..........and I drive them a little crazy with my nos :)


Although even GRANDMA said the pictures were bad.......as everything in her was wanting to buy them.