I’ve been morphing into my father for quite some time now—probably since I popped into this world. But nothing speeds up that transformation quite like becoming a parent yourself. The clearest signs that I’m resembling my dad, aside from my aching back and the growing bags under my eyes, are the things I find myself shouting at my kids.
Nothing was more exhausting than hearing my dad rant about lights being left on, doors ajar, the TV blaring, and yes, those pesky toilet seat incidents (thanks, Karen!). Now, I catch myself doing the same, often echoing his favorite line: “Money doesn’t grow on trees!”
Reflecting on it, I’ve come to realize that I’m likely turning into every dad out there. It’s part of parenthood to feel a surge of irritation at your kids’ complete oblivion to household expenses, and it’s equally typical for kids to tune out whatever their parents are lamenting. Combine those two dynamics, and you’ve got a summer filled with me shouting clichés at my 5-year-old. (Yes, I’ve mentioned “Money doesn’t grow on trees!” a few too many times.)
I now spend my evenings wandering through the house, flicking off lights while grumbling to myself. If my siblings were to visit and close their eyes, they might think they had stepped into our father’s abode. And yes, they’d probably tease me about it.
But they’re not the ones paying the bills, are they? So, they can take a back seat! Utility bills aren’t just annoying squares in Monopoly; they are real, sneaky budget busters that kids often overlook. I’m pretty sure my 5-year-old believes that the electricity powering his beloved Death Star nightlight, Netflix binge sessions, and his iPad is as free and abundant as the air he breathes. His approach to washing his hands after using the bathroom, where he turns on the faucet and then forgets it while he excitedly talks about his latest Lego creation, suggests he thinks water is just as limitless.
Of course, 5-year-olds don’t grasp the concept of money. (My son believes all coins are pennies, and yes, one time he actually swallowed a penny, leading me to sift through a week’s worth of diapers to recover it—let’s not revisit that horror.) But if they did understand, I’m convinced they’d still expect essentials like water, electricity, heat, food, and Wi-Fi to come at no cost.
No one knows privilege better than a child who is well-cared for. To be honest, I’d like to keep it that way for a while longer. I don’t want to burden my 5-year-old with the heavy reality of our budget constraints any more than he wants to stress me out as I transition into my dad’s role before I even hit 40 (which is just around the corner!). But both realities are pretty much unavoidable. They’re part of the complex dance of parenting.
It’s inevitable that we become our parents. Our kids will continue being kids, and I’m likely heading toward an ulcer. Ideally, I will manage to shield my kids from the daily stresses of adulthood until they’ve fully enjoyed their childhood and are mature enough to help navigate the real world alongside me. Maybe they can start working at 10, right? That should give me enough time to prepare. Until then, every time they leave a light on, I’ll just pretend to dock their nonexistent allowance!
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In summary, transitioning into parenthood often leads to adopting our own parent’s habits, including the nagging about household expenses. While kids live in a blissful state of oblivion regarding financial responsibilities, it’s up to us to balance raising them without burdening them too early with the realities of adulthood.
Keyphrase: Parenting and Household Financial Awareness
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