How much Are YOU Worth?

  So, I was doling out allowance money for the first time today. - sidebar: feeling somewhat guilty and somewhat lucky that my little slaves haven't been paid before now, but the natives are restless. They are just short of picketing in front of the house, or worse yet, the bathroom. What's a girl to do? I don't want to lose their services to some house up the street. Also, we just had a budgeting lesson with them and I could see their eyes start to glaze over as I was talking. I knew at that point they were hearing "blah, blah, blah, money, blah, blah, blah". As soon as I uttered the word 'allowance' their little faces lit up. There was a period with an uncontrollable amount of jumping , chattering and girlish giggles. I had them at hello - or 'your money', as it were.

  Hmm, where was I? Oh yes, the boys first allowance. Soooo, Grey took his fist full of cold hard cash and fiendishly cried, "All this and the money from Riley for being her friend! I'm rich!" (insert sinister laughter here). Um, 'rrreeeecccchhh' (that's the sound of the needle screeching across the record as the whole room - or just me, in this case - turns to look at Grey). "Sorry, what?" I say. "Oh, yeah, Riley gave me ten cents to be her friend," he answers, like it's completely normal for other children to pay him for his friendship.

Me - "You're charging kids to be friends with you?"
Mr. Innocent -  "She wanted to give me money, Mom." (Yeah, 'duh, Mom')
Me - "You were already her friend anyway, weren't you?"
M. I. - "Yeah."
Me - " Did you tell her she had to pay you to be your friend?"
M.I. - "Not really."
Me - "Not really?  What does that mean?"
M. I. - "Just not really."

 I still don't get it. How exactly did that conversation go? "I'll let you swing next to me for fifty cents. You don't have fifty? How much do you have? Ten? Okay , ten'll buy you a walk back in from recess - but no talking." Does she think she got her money's worth? Does he feel cheap? One way or another I told him he has to give the sweet little girl (who is as cute as they come, by the way - Grey should be paying her!) her money back. I mean, kudos for getting a little money for nothing, but it feels a bit like he's pimping himself out. Either that, or he's a natural-born entrepreneur.