Tradeoffs

Life is all about tradeoffs. Weighing the short term costs and gains against long term costs and gains. The most important example I can think of regarding this is the trade off between immediate gratification in this life by sin, and the hope of an eternal payoff in heaven.

On a less profound level, there were the adorable soft cozy baby outfits at Kohl's this morning. :) Purchasing those very useful, but not immediately necessary baby clothes represented a potential tradeoff of a lot of things.

Tradeoff #1 Did I want to trade having those cuddly soft cute and trendy outfits for my baby with having the time to hold and cuddle him? IE - a tradeoff for us living on on income means not buying brand new brand name clothes for the kids.

"But", says the little voice in my head, "You already buy almost all of the kids clothes at resales. You can't find soft new baby clothes like these that aren't all pilled up and matching at the resale shop. These would feel SO soft next to Sammy's skin."

Tradeoff #2: I am going to be watching a friend of BB's after school for a little extra money, as well as tutoring a high schooler, and teaching after school Spanish once a week come December. I do have another opportunity to teach my polish guy and his 2 kids, and although it is lucrative I want to cut it out to save on stress and time with the family. Do I want to "HAVE" to take it on to support my extra spending?

"But they're on sale this week, and Sammy would look cute and the weather's getting colder... "

Tradeoff #3, and really #1. Do I want to put a huge strain on my relationship with my husband? Is it worth messing with our marriage to have cute and cuddly outfits on our kid? No, it is definitely not doing my baby any services to have him dressed in softer outfits if his parents aren't getting along. That won't do.


So I walked out of Kohls with exactly what was on my list to begin with and nothing else- which was a pair of uniform pants for Barbara and a uniform cardigan. It actually hurt not to get those baby clothes until I got out of the doors and realized it was the right choice.