How Much Should You Trust a 7 Year Old?

How much should you trust a 7 year old? That is just the question that I was faced with. Then again, should you trust them at all? At what point, or at what age, do you begin to trust someone or allow them the amenity of someone gaining trust in them. Alexandra being the oldest in her family, has always presented as much more responsible,  as being 7 going on 17. I figured a little exercise in trust- ability would be good for her.

Her class was going to the World of Coke. Coke has a particular souvenir that is like a stress ball/squeeze ball, but it looks like a miniature Coke can. It makes for great conversation. I asked her to pick up three of them for me. I told her that they were either 4.00 or 5.00. I gave her enough money to get me 3-4 plus tax. We had a math lesson and she was prepared. Of her own accord, she put the money in a Zip Lock bag, and wrote the instructions on the outside, so she would not forget. Pretty responsible so far I thought, and off to school she went.

Later that day she gets home, and so excitedly and happily approaches me, and hands me one (1) stress Coke can. I stand there puzzled, but her enthusiasm was so contagious, I knew how proud she was of her accomplishment. She also handed me the bag with the change — $8.00 or so in change. I’m very bewildered at this point and so I ask, without quashing her enthusiasm, “Why didn’t you get more, there was enough money for them?” She proudly stated that she got “herself” a Dr. Pepper lip gloss, and her “brother” a Coke bear, so she wasn’t sure what the tax for all that would be, so didn’t know if she had enough money left to get any more. She was so happy with her purchases.

Initially, when I handed her the money, I was totally prepared that she may come home empty handed having lost the money. This I was prepared for, but little did I dream I would get just one Coke can and she would purchase some souvenirs for herself and her brother. I learned a lesson here too. I learned just how much you should actually trust a 7 year old, and she learned two lessons that day. She learned to carry out instructions (somewhat) and to share and be thoughtful of others. I got my Coke can and I appreciated that, but most of all, I appreciated her enthusiasm for a life lesson. She gained my trust to make “partial” purchases for me, and she made another person happy (her brother), for he received an unexpected gift from her. She was beaming and that was worth more pleasure than any “Coke Stress Can” can could ever give me; and my stress was immediately lowered.