no eat, no need money

Part 2 of my 6-posts-in-day project:

Yesterday Little Buddy woke up and called out for me, as he usually does.  I was downstairs and heard the standard declaration on the monitor:  “Papa, I’m awake!”

I went upstairs, and since I was already partially dressed for work he immediately asked me – even before leaving the crib – “Papa, going to work?”

“Well, yes, Little Buddy,”  I replied.

“Why?  Stay home,”  he shot back in a plaintive tone.

“I can’t.  We need money,” I said.

“Why?” he asked.  I have been explaining the concept of money to him slowly – probably a little bit too much for 2.5 years old, but why not?

“Because we need money to pay for things – all the good food Little Buddy eats, the house…” I said.

“Need money to eat?”  he asked.

“Yes,”  I admitted, in a drastic but not at all untrue simplification.

He paused and considered.  You could almost see the light bulb explode in his head.

“Papa, today Little Buddy no eat.  Papa no need money, no go to work, stay home, play all day.”

These are the moments that both break and exalt a parent’s heart.
photo credit: multi_everything