How much should I put in the cart for my child’s snacks?
At the supermarket, Child asked to add another bag of snacks. Mom hesitated for a moment by the cart, too.
At the supermarket, Sujin swallows her words, caught between her spending limit and Child’s request as she picks out snacks.
While shopping for dinner, Sujin puts milk and a bag of snacks in the cart when Child asks for more. Then, in the snack aisle, Child picks up a new snack, and Sujin looks back and forth between the price tag and Child’s face. In the counseling room, Golden Child points out what Sujin has already put in the cart. Sujin describes the moment she meant to set a spending rule for Child, but she still hasn’t decided what that rule should be.
A spending limit for Child
To take care of what Child needs while setting a spending limit, you can start by looking at what actually goes into the cart.
What moment comes to mind first when you spend money for Child?
The moment she stood looking at the price tag after being asked to add one more snack stayed with her. Her care for Child and her wish to decide how much to spend sat together in front of the same cart. If you’ve been through something similar, you’re welcome to share that story, too.
Scenes
- 01 · Can we get one more? Can we get one more? — Child is about to put a new bag of snacks in the cart. Sujin looks down at the price tag. Child: Mom, can we get this one too? Sujin: We said we’d get just one snack.
- 02 · We said just one Snacks in the cart — There’s already a bag of snacks beside the milk. Child stands by the cart holding a new bag. Child: So I can’t have this one? Sujin: Let’s take a look.
- 03 · The cart from that day What went in, and what was left unsaid — In the counseling room, Sujin brings up the shopping trip. Golden Child points to the bag of snacks drawn on the paper. Golden Child: Sujin, what had you already put in the cart? Sujin: Milk and one bag of snacks. I was trying to decide how much to spend on Child’s snacks, but when I got to that point, I stopped talking.
- 04 · By the price tag Where the words stopped — Sujin describes the moment she looked back and forth between the snack Child was holding and the price tag. Golden Child lowers their hand from the paper and listens. Golden Child: The words that stopped by the price tag are still here on the page. Sujin: I’m still not sure what I was going to say then.
Stories by Golden Child
- Golden Child
- I’m trying to tidy up, but dinner with my coworkers is getting closer.
- The night before an important meeting, all I can think about are my mistakes
- I keep thinking about the money I got in my dream.
- I dream about losing money, then sit in front of a salon mirror.
- When I ride the elevator alone, utility bills are the first thing I think of.
- After washing up, choose a number for how you feel today as you stand in front of the mirror.
- I meant to praise them, but asked about the result first.
- My friend and I trade lucky numbers, but I keep changing mine.