By: Stephaine Iszard

Do you recall when going “coach” wasn’t considered a positive social status?  My, the times are a changing.  With my daughters upcoming birthday and Christmas finally over (my credit card can now exhale), my youngest is again telling me what she wants.  It is “all about” Coach.   I am not talking about an airline seat.  She wants a Coach purse.  First of all, I do not own a Coach purse, and I actually have money to put in it. Second of all, she loses everything.  Oh, no, she is giving me the “such and such mama” speech.  Of course my retort is ask “such and such mama” to buy you one.  She begins to loudly demand. She has now plucked that last precious nerve (We all know the color of that nerve.)  After her last “WANT” speech to me, I began to channel my mother.  Without batting an eye I quoted that dear lady.  “Girl, hush! People in Hell want ice water.”  She was both dazed and confused by my apparent harsh statement.

Then, my adorable child gave me another look.  She gave me “that” look.  You know the look.  The one that makes you feel guilty when you go through a red light, or when you tell them to turn it inside out until laundry day, or when you serve leftover microwavable food two days in a row.  I determined to stay strong.  It was for her own good.  She left the room looking like someone applying for a car loan and did not know their credit score.  She was rejected.  I thought I was okay.  My mom would have done the same thing.  As a matter of fact she did.  Then it dawn on me, she made decisions based on a lack of funds not on teaching me a lesson concerning the value of a dollar.  At that point, two faces made an impression on my mind.  My mama’s sad face when she could not give us what we wanted and my sweet  pre-teen who did not get what she wanted.  With the economy in bad shape, my money has been kinda funny these days.  However, my child would come first.  I gave into part of her request.  I bought her two pair of Coach shoes.  I figured she could not misplaced those at school. Now, do not get me wrong.  I do teach her the importance of self-control when it comes to money.  But when it comes to love….well, I did not feel the need to control my pocket book.  I know people in Hell will NEVER get ice water.  However, this is not Hell.  You should see my baby’s face; she is in Heaven.  I am too.  Oh, by the way, I got the shoes on sale!!!