Ayah, Why You Mention Small Number?

Don reminded me last night to write about our latest experience in teaching financial planning for our little children.

Oiya, I forgot to tell you. My darling husband – the great looking and wonderful guy that he is – has this little weak spot with… bargaining.

I don’t know what’s gotten into him. But he is very good at it. I’m usually too straight up so I rarely manage a good bargain.

So where did he pick the hotel for our stay? Other than Disneyland, we stayed at Mong Kok. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s where the Ladies’ Market is located. Home of all knock offs in the world. The rain and wind finally stopped. So off we went…

We didn’t realize that it was the first time for our kids to get involved in the art of ‘bargaining’.

Azra was so confused,

“Ayah, why you mention small number?”

He didn’t understand why he couldn’t tell the yelling aunties that he liked the T-shirt we’re going to buy. Dena was already busy with a pair of pink bracelets so she wasn’t even paying attention to the process.

Finally as we walked back to the hotel… Azra opened his mouth…

“Oh now I get it. The nice uncle said big number. Ayah said small number. Then uncle said smaller number, then Ayah said OK. Then we can buy the watch?”

“Iya Mas. Itu namanya bargaining. We have to ask the nice uncle to lower his price. The price is cheaper. So we have some money left to buy other things.”

“Itu namanya planning ya Ayah?”

”…”

Kids have the ability to absorb more that you can imagine! 

And believe me, they watch what we do, including how we work with our money!

Ligwina Hananto