So parenting is like this

Each time I return home, my nieces ask about their bicycles. In their minds, they expect me to come back with brand new ones that would belong to them. But I had been there—about their ages, when I longed for my very own bicycle—so I could totally understand their persistence. Their reason for this particular want wouldn't surprise me either when they told me.

Apparently, their want isn't exactly internal. I mean, they were girls, and I don't remember girls being interested in that kind of thing when I was at their age. They had been feeling left-out, however. Some of their friends have bicycles, and they see those friends ride in joy and feel bad that they don't have their very own. And that's how they started to want a bicycle. But how do you tell a child that you're not going to be able to get them theirs soon enough?

Their minds fascinate me sometimes, though. I just wonder if they even know what people mean by "I'm off to work," the value of money, that nothing is free, or that nothing really lasts forever. Maybe they just simply expect my going out and coming in to be at least "visibly" beneficial to them. More like, "Thank you, Uncle Jay, for the popsicles. But when bicycles?"

How I navigate my way through them and their persistent requests requires great evasive tactics. Or that's how I like to see it. I wouldn't want to let them down with a "no" or "you can't have it yet," or even worse, "I don't have money for bicycles right now." The last thing I want to do is make them think that life's all about money. Although there are ways to make them understand the role of money, I just wasn't in for that kind of discussion - because they'd forget the next hour.

One time, in an effort to dissuade them gracefully, I tried to make them understand that wants change—that soon enough, they'd have the bicycles they so crave for and eventually be tired of it. I tried to relay my own story to them, but guess what? They said, "We'll never get tired! We want our bicycles now!" They responded. I had clearly failed to impose my perspective on them. So yet again, I told them that they'd have it some day and that they should just keep praying to Baba Jesus to keep providing for their parents and me.

Now what happens? They tell me every morning, "We prayed to Jesus this morning, Uncle Jay." I tell them, "Yes, you've done well to talk to Jesus this morning." I then sometimes remind them to look around at what they actually already have and to also be thankful in all. Somehow, that calms them down. But that's not going to work forever, I know. So I'm just going to buy them their bicycles someday.

So this is what it was like for my parents and uncles when I bugged them every now and then for my wants? I am humbled...