100 Questions from My Child by Mallika Chopra & Deepak Chopra

Author:Mallika Chopra & Deepak Chopra
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rodale Press
Published: 2014-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Why can’t I get the shoes I want?

I had taken the girls to buy shoes. Both loved shoes—Tara always wanted pink ones, and Leela was just thrilled to be in a room full of endless shoes.

Tara chose two pairs of shoes to try on while Leela ran around the store singing, “Shoes! Shoes!” Before I could even look at the price, the salesman had gone into the back room to find Tara’s size.

As the salesman put the first pair of shoes on her, I saw that my fashion-conscious daughter had chosen a very cool, very expensive pair of designer shoes. The salesman was telling her how beautiful they were, that she looked like a real princess in them. Tara glowed with pride. I hesitatingly watched.

“Tara, try the other pair of shoes on,” I encouraged her. As he put the shoes on her, the salesman was not as enthusiastic. And, in turn, neither was Tara—even though they were also pink and shiny.

Tara looked at me and clearly stated that she wanted the designer pair. When I looked at the price, I winced. They were more expensive than shoes I had ever bought for myself.

“Baby, I don’t think we can buy these shoes. Let’s get the other pair.”

Tara’s eyes filled up with tears, and her voice was quivering as she hugged the designer shoes. “But I want these shoes.” I could see the salesman smiling next to me. I could also sense a tantrum coming.

As a mother, I often struggled with my desire to give my children everything. More important, however, I wanted to teach them values that were important to me.

“Tara, we are not going to buy those shoes. If you don’t want the other shoes, we can wait until we find a pair of shoes that you do want,” I said firmly.

“But I want these shoes!” she screamed back. The tears were rolling down her cheeks now, and Leela had stopped her shoe song.

“Tara, these shoes are too expensive. We are not going to buy them.”

“I don’t care. What does expensive mean? I want them now!” she screamed. At this point, the salesman realized I wasn’t a gullible customer and he focused on some other clients.

I sat down and took Tara in my lap. “Expensive means that they cost too much money. Mama and Papa work really hard to make money so that we can live in a nice house, eat good food, and buy you and your sister special things.”

“But Mama, I really want these shoes. They are very special.”

I continued. “I know they are special, Tara. But we have to choose what we are going to spend money on. If we buy these shoes, then we may not be able to buy dinner or a sweater when it is cold or get you a new doll. Or we may not be able to buy your sister shoes. That wouldn’t be nice, would it? We have to decide what is most important to us.”

“Mommy, the shoes are the most important things to me.

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