The Orange Horse

As crazy as a 4 year old getting an allowance sounds, Aiden has been getting one for about a month now. This is a way to encourage him to do simple things around the house like put his toys away, clearing his dishes and making his bed. It's also an attempt to make my life a little easier, as things like be nice to Abby, don't wine and listen to mom are all also on the chart. It also means that he doesn't bug me to buy a new car every time we go to Walmart because he knows he can save his own money. He's also learning what the worth of a penny, a nickel, a dime and a quarter are and how much he needs to by a car (of the hot wheels variety of course). One day we pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store near our house to turn around. I had previously taken him there (only once, a couple months ago) to get him a treat. He instantly said, "why are we at the treat store?" We explained to him we were just turning around, but a whole conversation about treat stores had begun. John told him that he used to love going to the treat store when he was little and suggested that he and Aiden go to that store some time and he could use some of his money to buy a treat. Then I told him that when I was a little girl, I would walk to a treat store close to my house and that the store was called the Red Rooster. He didn't even stop to think, he just said, "I think the treat store we go to is called the Orange Horse. John and I just looked at each other and started to laugh. So now the convenience store down the street (actually Jenny's Market) is now refered to as "The Orange Horse". John and Aiden did take a walk to the store this past Sat. and Aiden bought a big long roll of candies and upon leaving the store announced, "when we get home I will share these with everbody!" I love that kid!
Here he is holding his chore chart, money value chart, and new car bank that he got from his friend Boston for his Birthday (he even got to paint and decorate it himself!).