I Am Helping

...You just don't understand it yet.

The other day I dropped Joshua off at the sporting goods store so he could get fishing gear he wanted, and for which he's been saving his money. On my way to pick him up, Joshua called and asked me if he could borrow six dollars when I got to the store. Apparently he discovered something else he "needed" with this new gear. (He went on to explain that he didn't really NEED it. But it sure would be nice to have.)
My first question was, "Do you have six dollars at home so you can pay me back immediately?" Joshua said he did not, so I said, "Then the answer is, 'No.'"
He didn't say anything.
Just hung up on me.
Oh, well, I thought. And I drove on.

A moment later, my phone rang again. An apology, perhaps? Oh, silly me! He was making another attempt to get the six dollars.
He insisted it wasn't that much money, and he said he hardly ever borrows money.
*ahem!* I think we may have very different perceptions of reality.
He said something about thinking I would help him (The kid knows what motivates guilts me into doing things.) and reiterated the fact that he didn't know about this extra expense beforehand. He really thought I should help him get past this travesty by loaning him six dollars.
I listened to him bargain a little longer and then said, "I'm here now. Why don't you buy whatever you're going to buy and then come out to the van." *click* He hung up on me again.

As I waited for Joshua to make his purchase and come outside, I replayed his words in my mind. And I became convinced, I am helping.
This is the way real life goes.
When I am surprised by something costing more than I thought it would, and it isn't a necessity, and I don't have the money to get it - I don't get it. May not be the most "fun" game plan in the world, but it's helped me stay out of debt. And it's a valuable lesson I'm trying to teach Joshua.

So, you see son, by making you wait to get that fishing gear until you have the money to pay for it - I am helping. You just don't understand it yet.