If you know Disney Pixar movies, then I’m sure you’ve heard of Cars & Cars 2.
These movies are a HUGE hit with our boys and our house is littered with any numbers of cars and Cars characters on a given basis. At one point, we had five versions of Lightning McQueen. Be it gifts or hand-me-downs, these boys have a TON of cars! The Easter Bunny brought Fillmore and Charlie soon become enamored with Carla Veloso from Brazil.
Isn’t she beautiful?! We already had Holley Shiftwell and Sally, so I was pulling for Carla – another female to join the family ranks. I overheard a conversation with Jim and Charlie in which Jim told Charlie we didn’t have money to spend on yet another car. And Charlie the parrot would mimic that throughout the days that followed, “Carla Veloso? We don’t have money!” In the meantime, I searched the internet high and low for her, but never came across a price that was reasonable (not sure why!) I knew that Jim was trying to stress to Charlie that just because we want something doesn’t mean we go out and buy it.
Getting more stuff isn’t automatic.
So imagine my surprise when we walked into the Disney Store and we found her on SALE for about $3. In my heart deep down, as a mother, I knew we couldn’t pass her up, but I also knew that Jim was trying to teach Charlie an important lesson. I snagged her off the shelf and talked to Charlie about how he would have to earn Carla and pay for her himself – perhaps he could do some chores for Momma and earn the money! I paid for Carla and slipped her into the stroller, reminding Charlie that he would have to pay for her himself.
When we arrived at my mom’s, he raced in the door and started listing chores he could do, “Laundry! Dustin’! Vacuum!” I placed Carla in a prominent place for him to see and he set to work. While I went out to grab lunch, he worked and worked and worked. He earned $3 to pay for that little car and was so proud to tell me when I arrived! He patiently waited until Daddy came home and then paid daddy for Ms. Veloso.
He treasures her and now understands that he bought her with his own money that he earned. It’s a small lesson, but I know he learned a little bit more about the value of money because of it.
And Holley & Sally have a companion now!
That was such a great way to show Charlie how hard work truly does pay off! I must say That Ms. Veloso is one of my favorte characters in the movie:-)
so sweet! My eldest saved money to buy a box of Frosted Flakes when he was 3 because I always bought generic but he wanted the box with the tiger and the prize inside. He was SO PROUD. 🙂
You deserve it, Charlie! You are a great worker!
Love, Aunt Sarah
PS I am spoiling him by buying him stuff for being my ring bearer. I haven’t bought any presents for other people yet. Should I tell him he only gets it if he does a good job? 😉
Way to go Mom for having the wisdom to teach this important lesson at such an early age! (Stopping by and following from our FB page!)