AVS still not assured

Petit Suisse and Lil Miss N together with Baby Taz and Benben received as is the custom on the first day of the Lunar New Year red pockets which contains loose change for luck.

They got several red pockets on the first of January 2010 and Petit Suisse and Lil Miss N proceeded to emphasise in no uncertain terms that it was their money and that Shrek and I were not to interfere with. I then promptly reminded Petit Suisse that it is not cheap to raise them as children into adolescence and eventually adulthood. They cost several houses the four of them to be fed, clothed, sheltered and educated as well as going on holidays etc and hobbies, educational/exchange trips to come. I told Petit Suisse that since they were being calculated lil buggers that I would also begin my calculations and that each time I buy food, clothes etc for them I would then count that and deduct it from any of the money they receive. Petit Suisse had a moment of revelation and decided that it was better to forgo 'loose change' in order to gain a lifetime (until they are independent) of financial support.

Moral of the story is that rivers and streams flow one way downstream only and the reverse is not applicable. Parents taking care of their offsprings is a given but sprouts taking care of their bamboos is a rare evenement to behold. Counting on kids for your AVS is becoming rather archaic.

AVS

Shrek told me many times that one of the motivations of having a big family was that we could look forward to being assured that we will be taken care of in old age by at least one of our offsprings/spawns. Hélas I just had a wake up call that warrants this theory of Shrek to be suspect and iffy at best and needs immediate revision.

I am the usual human garbage disposal because I will consume left-overs from my kids. 'Waste not, want not.' We as a family except Ben for she's too young and perhaps to a lesser extent Shrek are strawberry fiends. We can eat kilos of these in one seating, the taste is dissapointing when not yet in season because they tend to be overly acidic and sour. I did not expect to hear Petit Suisse nonchalantly telling Lil Miss N and I that he thinks it a good idea that 'all the rotten strawberries should be passed onto mummy.' So Petit Suisse reserves the worst aka rotten and foul tasting for mummy. I am forlorn about future prospects and maybe should have remained fallow.

What do you have to say to that Shrek?