Book Fair Days

And An Unexpected Lesson

Is there a joy that exists greater than the joy of a Scholastic Book Fair? Trick question. I actually don’t know because I never partook in one growing up. I don’t know if it was a Catholic School thing to not have them, or maybe just MY nuns didn’t want one, but they weren’t a thing in my elementary school.

Later, in high school, we had an annual book fair which I loved. In fact, that’s where I bought my first Stephen King novel. It was Fire Starter, by the way.

But, Little Bean has been to them. And she adores them. Looks forward to them. Talks about them for days before hand. Something we encourage of course. What could be better than a kid excited about a book fair?

So last week, she had prepared her purse. She brought $10 of her own money. I gave her $10. And then in the car, I found another couple. Taking 22 bucks to a Scholastic Book Fair would be sure to bring her a huge pile of books. She had a list of one’s she was looking for.

But something unexpected happened and here’s where the story turns. She came home with a couple books and nearly no money.

She sheepishly explained that two of her friends wanted to go to the book fair but they had no money. Little Bean gave them hers. She gave her friends her money so they could buy books.

I feel bad that my first reaction was, Will they be paying you back?

“I don’t know, daddy,” she said. “I can ask.”

I recovered. “No, it’s ok. If they do, great. If they don’t, that’s ok. You did something special for them.”

Turns out, when you make an effort - really try - to teach your kid to be generous, to put others first, to be aware of those that aren’t as well off and then they actually go and do that, it’s a little jarring. And I’m so cynical. I can’t help thinking, well, did she get ripped off. How did she know her friends didn’t have money? What sort of precedent is she setting here for herself?

I want HER to succeed. To not give everything away. Or do I? Is being a giver actual success? Ugh, this is so hard.

I’ll take this as a win for now. She doesn’t seem in the least bit bothered that she didn’t come home with a pile of books for herself. And - at least in theory - she made sure there are two other kids out there who are reading.

There’s way worse things to spend your money on.