It’s just a nice way of saying the truth hurts, or that kids can be cruel little monsters.
Over a wonderful home cooked meal of steaming hot Pad Thai (which I was proud of the delicious turnout by the way), the conversation turned to what every good family dinner leads to – death and money.
My 7-year old daughter asks, “When you die, what happens to your money?”
I start to give her a drawn out explanation of wills and financial preparations, when she stops me.
“No, I mean, like your money. When you die.” She points her chopstick towards me. My son, ever the ambassador of fairness, sets her straight before I can swallow my mouthful of disconcertion.
“All the money is split between all three of us kids.” He says. “EVENLY, between all three of us. But that’s only if they both die. If Dad dies first, Mom gets all the money. If Mom dies first, Dad gets all the money. Then after the other one dies, all three of us will split the money. Evenly.”
This answer doesn’t sit well with my daughter, as it evokes a big “awwww.” She thinks for a moment as she winds her chopstick, making a cotton candy replica out of noodles. “How about I get dad’s money and you get mom’s money?” She bargains with her brother. Then she looks to me, “because, no offence, but you don’t really make any money.”
It takes a lot to keep me quiet, but this inquisition has rendered me speechless.
My son, along with being the ambassador of fairness, is also the defender of all things mom, and his sister had dealt a blow.
“Dad’s money is mom’s money, it’s all the same. Besides, she makes some money, when she sells something she writes. AND…when her book sells, she will be rich.”
He had me convinced, but my desire for his words to be my reality may have had a hand in his persuasion. My daughter wasn’t as easily convinced though.
“Yeah, but she has to do a lot of writing, and it takes a long time, and maybe nobody will even buy it. So, can I have dad’s money?”
My son reminded her that the money would be split three ways between the three siblings.
I reminded her to eat her dinner. I reminded myself that she’s only seven after all, and to find humour in her savagery of my starving artist self.
Out of the mouths of babes indeed.
Boundbytheword Blog 
It may take a long time to get published… but here’s hoping it’s a good LONG time before any of this is relevant…
loves ya!
I know! Nothing like your kids counting down the days…lol!
xo – right back at ya.
LOL Well *I’ll* buy it. I look forward to reading your posts. Sounds like you’ve got a pretty wise son there, Noelle. And by the way, your kids can eat with chopsticks?
Thank Emily! And yes…they do eat with chopsticks, though I didn’t say they did it well. (note the winding of the noodles…lol) Practice makes perfect though, right?
No truer words have been spoken, i.e. the savagery of children (sometimes) in the innocent things they say and do. Having had a similar experience over and over and over again, one wonders if somewhere in their savage little minds they aren’t plotting the ultimate demise of their parents cause after all, we have way more money than they do! Alas, this too shall pass, particularly when it comes to “can I have the car”.
Oh for the days (sometimes) when they really were babes!!!!!
Yikes – I can’t even think about how she’ll be when she wants the car!
And I agree, the days of goo goo and gaga just seemed so much more simple.
Ouch! Boy, they sure know how to get to the heart of the matter, don’t they??? Out of the mouths of babes for sure!
(And you ARE going to be rich when your book is published!!!)
Nicole
Here’s hoping…but did you know authors only make 8-15% of the cover price of the book? Of course Atwood or King make much more based on the fact that they are sure sellers, but first timers are looking at making less the $2 a book – crazy right???
LOL. I think that girl has a promising future as a financial advisor.
You are so right about the savagery of children. Decara is plotting how to get her grandmother’s house.
Hmmm…I think you might be right. And be glad Decara is plotting against grandma instead of you…lol
Cn you say Lord of the Flies? William Golding wasn’t writing fiction… 😉
My little red-head is bound for politics and that scares the pants off me. She has this knack for making people do what she wants and thinking it was their idea the whole time.
Sounds like you have a diplomat and a politician on your hands. Oil and water.
When you’re rich and famous remember us little people.
Gotta love daughters…they keep us on our toes anyway, right?
You can take comfort that your daughter will not be a pushover and she will never be short changed. LOL. Years ago, my youngest negotiated with me over “tooth fairy” money when he had to leave an IOU note. He thought $20 was fair trade. I tried to explain that tooth fairies don’t have that kind of cash on them. He then proposed $10.
Cryssa, that’s a good way to look at it. I think if your son and my daughter ever teamed up, they might just rule the world.