The Value of Money and New Skates

Owen has shown an interest in money lately and has been earning some around the house. There are some things that are his responsibility - putting his shoes away when we come in, feeding his fish (with our help, of course), and picking up his things (again, with our help). But, he can earn money for other things - helping prepare dinner (from start to finish - he often helps here and there for no $ at all), setting the table, helping Abram clean the litter box and feed the cats, helping collect and take out the garbage, and watering the plants.
He recently poured out a bottle of soy sauce on purpose. He asked if he could. I said, "No," and he looked at me and did it anyway. So we had to go to the store and replace the soy sauce at his expense. That wasn't much fun.
He also likes to take his money to yard sales and thrift stores to buy things.
Yesterday, we went a yard saling, and Abram found a pair of Barbie sidewalk skates that Owen loved and gave $1.50 for. I remember getting years of fun out of the sidewalk skates I got when I was 3 years old, so I think this was a really great purchase!

Owen and Abram had a guys afternoon and took the skates and the swim suits over to the F&M pool. They were gone for HOURS while I did the bills, balanced the checkbook, talked to my Mom, took a 45 minute nap, and got a few loads of laundry cycled through and folded! When they finally returned, they hadn't been swimming because the pool was closed (for the weekend with no notice posted on the schedule on the internet), but Owen had skated for a LONG time around the fitness center. Then they went to the mall play aread and finally played at the McDonald's playground. This was a first for Owen who told Abram he had "wanted to go there before." Apparently he had noticed the brightly colored attraction while driving by. They didn't eat anything, and Abram didn't tell Owen the name of the place. Owen called it "that coffee shop," so some innocence is preserved.