Parenting Takes All Six Of Your Senses

(I am about eight years old, and my mom has allowed me to pick something out from a dollar store with money I’ve earned. I have a dollar and a few pennies in my wallet, and am excited to pick out a brand new toy. I quickly find one I like and approach the cash register.)

Cashier: “That will be one dollar, plus seven cents sales tax.”

Me: *not understanding why my toy isn’t one dollar* “Uh, seven cents?”

(The cashier nods politely as I pull out one dollar and six pennies from my wallet. Seeing that I am one penny short, I burst into tears.)

Cashier: *a bit startled* “Are you okay?”

Me: *trying to calm down* “I just need to talk to my mom for a minute.”

(I rush to my mom, flat-out sobbing. My mom isn’t even fazed as she hands me a penny from her own wallet without even asking what happened. I dry my eyes and buy my toy from the very confused cashier.)

Me: *as cheerfully as if nothing had happened* “Bye! Have a good day!”

Cashier: “Bye…”

(I learned two things that day. For one, parents are literally telepathic. And two, cashiers that have to put up with people like my younger self deserve lots of respect in return!)