Good morning. I’m enjoying my morning coffee while I wait out the scattered showers delaying our intended beach day.
I messaged my friend Gary when I woke up. We have a full day of paddle boarding and snorkeling planned. He says he’s at CVS and he’s going to “kick some ass for Aj”
Here’s how that all came about.
Saturday was Andrew’s 9th birthday. Months ago we concluded he wanted to go to Universal Studios for his birthday. Well we’re in the keys and that will have to wait. So I promised him as soon as we get to Orlando, we’ll go to Universal. He was happy with that answer and all was good.
Last week I told him I’ll give him $100.00 to spend on whatever on his birthday. That made him super happy and full of anticipation. All week he waited patiently and plotted together with his brother how they wanted to spend the $100.00
We park downtown Saturday evening, attempt to get into Better Than Sex..a dessert restaurant that is amazing but only has a small number of tables. It has grown in popularity over the year and we have tried three times in a row and failed.
We get on the wait list and I ask him what he wants to do first.
He says CVS! With so much enthusiasm I almost feel bad for my sarcastic remark.
He wanted to load a Google Play Card with $50.00 to buy phone apps. One Minecraft thing that’s 30 something…I roll my eyes and oblige.
There’s a small line. The register is not open but there are self pay machines. The female employee is monitoring the machines or I guess she’s supposed to be making sure everyone checks out correctly.
Andrew had 2 options for his birthday money. I had a crispy brand new hundo in one hand and a rubber band stack of a hundred singles in the other. I asked him how he wanted to spend his birthday money. He chose the singles hoping to find an arcade at some point.
I did not want to be the mom with the child feeding 50 singles into the machine so I forfeited 2 of my own twenty dollar bills. Then fed 9 singles into the robot cashier. Only 9 because it wouldn’t take the last one. Nor would it take any other one. It froze. I asked the cashier to help me. She already helped us once when Aj needed her to put her code in for the card. So she comes back and says “you again”. I interrupted her pretend job to have her do something tangible but she can’t manage that. For some reason the machine is frozen. She saw me put the money in. I handed her the last dollar of the transaction and said, “here you do it, are we good?” She shook her head yes and I walked out the door with the card.
We went about with the birthday celebrations and CVS was a distant memory…..until Andrew wanted to load his card onto his play store.
We keep getting an error…hmmmm……wait a minute…I bet the card isn’t activated
So I call CVS and explain what happened. The guy on the phone says that he will leave a note with my number and have the manager count the money. They’ll give me a call tomorrow.
Ok, I’m content. Andrew is a little frustrated but managing.
Sunday, I call again…explain in detail, again….I get the run around…they have to look at the cameras because the sale isn’t in the computers.
Call back tomorrow
Monday we decide to go down there. After our full day of skating and finally getting into Better Than Sex. We were famished and I knew dessert wasn’t the best option but they’ve wanted so bad to come in here so we did
Bellies full and smiles on, we walk across the street and attempt to once and for all resolve this gift card situation.
We go into the store and get, “hold on let me get the manager”
20 minutes later, after explaining the story twice, the same girl who was assisting us on day one says…..”the manager just left, you have to come back tomorrow between 8 and 4″
I look at AJ who now has tears welling up in his eyes. His throat was tight and I could tell if I said anything to him he would cry.
He’s waited all month for Universal only to have to wait another week. Then gets excited and anticipates getting his apps, makes the purchase only to have to wait a few more days. Then is being told sorry, not today, come back tomorrow.
This is where parenting is HARD!
I want to reach into my stash and just load the damn thing myself.
I can’t do that because that’s not the way real life works.
I have to train him to be the kind of adult I want him or at least expect him to be.
Not the selfish entitled brats I’m afraid are our next generation.
I want him to be able to not be discouraged when things don’t go as planned. Learn how to take an unpleasant situation and make the best of it.
Technology errors affect my money all the time. Refunds that don’t process in time. Unexpected fees. Double charges. It’s life. There’s no one to go in their pocket and cover my mistakes for me.
It breaks my heart to see his tears but it’s a lesson I can’t take away from him.
I also need to make sure the situation is handled properly. Although I want my children to be humble enough to not be arrogant and act entitled, It’s imperative that they know not to take shit from anyone.
Gary messages me back. He says that they still have not watched the cameras and he’s not leaving until they do so.
Of course they haven’t watched the cameras. Why would they do their job?
That’s my rant. I’ve figured it out. People just don’t want to work. They want to have jobs because they need money. They don’t do their requirements. People are so lazy and expect technology to do everything for them. I’m disgusted by humanity.
This mornings meditation I pulled a card. I got number 11 in my Angel deck the Strength card. The meaning of the card is to release harsh judgments. Find forgiveness and compassion.
I’ll work on it
I can’t change the work ethic of the rest of the world, but I can make sure my kids rise above the masses. It shouldn’t be too hard from what I’m seeing.
This morning Gary went to CVS for me. For those of you who have not been to the keys. There’s one road. Key West gets like hundreds of tourist a week but there is only one road in and out. Everyone uses the same road.
Finally the card is loaded and the delay is over. Gary kicked some ass!
I can be more compassionate. I’ll also admit my own mistake. If I wasn’t so quick to loose my patience in the beginning, I would have never walked out without finalizing the sale.
My walking out was a bad example. Not a compassionate one either.
Parenting is hard.
I guess the best way to tackle any parenting situation is to ask yourself
“What kind of an adult do you want your kids to be?”
Think about the quote, “be the change you want to see”. It starts at home. People, be the person you want your kids to be.
Random Acts of Candice 