The Yearbook Verdict

Thank you for all your comments! The yearbook post attracted more feedback than usual, and even some first-time commenters, which I love! (BTW, if you're lurking, I totally want to know. I lurk too, so I won't call you a black kettle and say you're weird...)

After 5 whole minutes of parental deliberation, we have decided against a yearbook purchase. I already bought the Class Picture, which I feel counts as my contribution to the school year's memories. We told Cassidy that the memory budget had been spent, and though a little disappointed, she was very understanding. (No tears, and not even a woebegone look of sorrow! She didn't even voice disappointment until after I told her it was OK to feel so.)

We decided that next year she and Braden may choose between the purchase of a class picture or a yearbook. As a [likely lame, dorky, uncool] substitute, Cassie plans to put her class picture in a sheet protector, add some blank paper behind it, and use it as the front cover of a little memory book she can take to school and have her friends write in.

On the whole, I feel like this has been a good teaching experience about budgeting, the value of money, and weighing wants vs. needs. Yesterday when Cassie first asked for the yearbook she offered to use her own money to pay for it, but by this afternoon, that was forgotten. After our talk I gave her an open-ended, "Is there anything you want to say or talk more about?" to see if she would bring up paying for it herself again, but she said she was OK with our [my] decision.

It's just a $10 thing, which wasn't going to result in a missed mortgage payment, but in the end I'm glad I didn't just send another check. I'll be fine with it next year if that's what she chooses.