Lorelei is typical five. At the store she'll ask for any number of things. Usually it's candy, a new toy, or a book.
While we were standing in line at the check out in the grocery store she asked for candy. I told her no and then to divert her interest from the extra large Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, I asked her if she wanted to pay for our groceries. That lit her eyes up and she came and stood nicely beside me so that she could pay. The cashier gave me the total and I handed Lorelei the $100 bill I had while stuffing the other $20 bill back into my purse.
She turned to me after handing over the coveted money and said, "Can I have one of those?", while looking anxiously into my open purse.
I told her no (of course) and she wanted to know why.
So, I told her that she wasn't old enough to just be handed $20 bills at random.
And then she says, "But I want one."
Yes, Lorelei, we'd all like an extra $20 in our pocket, but you are not going to get one today, certainly not tomorrow, and probably not until you can drive my car on your own.
The gentleman standing behind us in the check out line broke out laughing as he listened to our little conversation. "Mean mommy!", he accused with a huge smile on his face.
Yeppers...I am one mean, mean mommy!