Future Rock Star?

My kids have been wanting the Wii Rock Band since they first learned that it was being released this summer. They talked about how they could come up with a big chunk of money in just a few short months. Unfortunately the small amount of money they earn for allowance wasn't going to quite cover the steep $170 price tag unless of course they saved for a very long time.

So this year as Harrison's birthday approached, he came to me and said he wanted to get the Wii Rock Band for his gift. I explained that if he chose to get that gift it would have to come from his us and his grandparents and that would be his only gift. He seemed okay with it but not 100 percent sure that he wanted to give up other gifts.

After talking to him some more, I suggested that he and Holden (whose birthday is a month after Harrison's) combine their birthday money from their great grandmother and purchase the Wii Rock Band. Harrison, who still has no real understanding of how money works, thought that was a fine idea. Holden who seems to better understand money, decided that wasn't fair since Haley wouldn't be contributing anything but still getting to play.

So what to do? I suggested that they talk to Haley and see if she was willing to fork over one third of the cost and if she wasn't then to come up with a solution that would work. Haley said she didn't mind helping out but had spent all of her money and didn't have enough up front. Holden wanted to charge Haley $3 every time she played the Wii Rock Band. Haley wasn't so happy about that. Haley suggested that she pay the boys back. Holden still wasn't hearing it.

So in a weak moment, I came to the rescue. I agreed to pay Haley's third in exchange for babysitting and extra chores.

Now the problem was the waiting. Holden's birthday isn't for another two weeks and Harrison already had his money in hand. At Wal-mart the other day I just happened to walk buy the electronics department and saw that they only had one Wii Rock Band left. So I bought it and planned to hold it until Holden got his money. David had other ideas. He said I should give it to them now and Holden could pay me back (I really think he wanted to play it but wouldn't admit it).