Penny Wise, Pound Foolish
July 17, 2008, by Prudence Baird
“Tim must be doing very well!” I can almost hear my friend Sarah’s eyebrows hitting her hairline when I tell her my family is going to England and Scotland for a month this summer.
Yeah, this summer—when a cup of London Starbucks is ₤3, the equivalent of $6.
Even though Sarah didn’t exactly ask the question, she did beg it: Why on earth would a sane person, let alone a family of four, hop the pond now when the dollar is in the toilet and even the esteemed New York Times Travel section trumpets “Europe? It’s way too expensive!”
I know there are less costly places we could go, but as my children shift into their teenage modalities, soon will come the day when they’d rather work all summer as dishwashers in a windowless basement kitchen than be seen walking down the same sidewalk as mom and dad—no matter what the setting.
So, like the spurned lover trying to recapture the heady days of early affection, I set my sights on seducing my children away from Facebook and Grand Theft Auto in the usual American fashion—by throwing money at them. In this case, lots of money—because that’s what it will take for us to travel the British Isles together this summer. (It will cost even more if we want to bring suitcases.)
I admit it; my plans are somewhat selfish. I long to see my sons’ faces when they first glimpse a real Scottish castle reflected in the cobalt-blue waters of a Highlands loch. I want to see them once again as the little boys they’re fast leaving behind; scrambling over ruins and castle walls, shouting with excitement, and seeing, in their minds’ eyes, William Wallace or Robert the Bruce lurking around a tumbled-down turret or half-buried breastwork.
As parents, we carry in our hearts moments like these—pictures and words like snatches of songs—that sustain us during the dark nights of parental fears and self-doubt. And as my children leave behind forever Christopher Robin, Mary Poppins and even Harry Potter, I long to fill my cup again from those days of innocence.
So when my friend raises her eyebrows at my extravagance, I can only agree with her that it will be costly. But, to my way of thinking, the cost of not going is greater.
July 17th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Beautifully said!
July 17th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I agree completely, Pru. Travel teaches and opens the heart. It’s worth the cost. I take my own good coffee and a french press. Up the British and their crappy coffee. The Scots brew a good cup, tho’. I envy you your trip. Can’t wait to hear how it went.
July 17th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Eloquently evocative expression of the painful loss of closeness to our children, provoking at once, laughter and tears as many scenes of life pass before one eyes. Prudence, I so enjoy reading your domestic snippets of life that lets me, the reader, into the very comfortable felling of belonging. We all share both joys and fears of life.
Fuck the Euro!
July 17th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Prudence, you are wise beyond your … well, you are wise. Your days of embarrassing your kids in public are, sadly, numbered; the possibilities for this (as American tourists in the UK for a month) are nearly limitless. Extra points for using “breastwork” in a sentence, even if my trip to the dictionary was a bit disappointing.
July 17th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I was lucky to take 2 extended trips to Britain when I was 9 and 12, my father had work there, and we stayed in a flat in London near Kensington Gardens/Hyde park and also spent some time in Kent. It was magical and changed my life. I am so grateful to my parents for bringing my sister and I along for the ride, even if I did complain about missing my friends at the beginning.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Young boys’ imaginations mixed with castles and moats, palace guards, double decker buses and well-mannered people who speak the Queen’s English are all bound to inspire lifetime memories – screw the expense. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and go for it. Bravo and bon voyage y’all!
July 18th, 2008 at 9:51 am
YES YES YES YES
I LOVE, and so agree with, your Pound Wise and Penny Foolish!
Have a fabulous time.
We did similar things in India, Cyprus and Italy.
Let’s plan on getting together when life gets back to schedules in the Fall.
Warmly,
Julie
July 19th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Greetings from Nova Scotia! Well said. Let me tell you it’s about the kind of adventure you are really after. We dragged our daughter away from HER Facebook page and took her to small fishing villages, to Cape Breton, hiking, sea kayaking and to historical sites. Gotta do it. Our children need their childhoods. For some families like yours it’s the UK. For us it’s Italy (my heritage). I can say that our recent month in Rome, Umbria and visiting family and friends on the coast transformed my child. She gets really tired of small towns, including hill towns (I mean really tired–and they are in abundance), but she can’t wait to go back (especially Milan and Perugia for the yummy chocolate — what can I say, she’s a big city/mid-size city girl). She talks about the Sistine Chapel, the sculpture, the ruins, the art as if it were yesterday. Her and our best memories are the fun times in small town restaurants where every meal is art. Today she told me she really wants to go to Japan. Thankfully we can deal with the yen, not the darn Euro or pound. Our kids need wonderment. It’s not about the money. It’s about cherising life.
July 22nd, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Well said; you are very wise indeed, and holding on (for dear life) to the right values. Have an extraordinary adventure; I know you will.
With love,
Breon
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:42 am
My only other note on this topic is that you really are, in your heart, an honorary Italian and you need to blow more cash and take your kids to Italy once you have thoroughly scoured the UK. Believe me pasta and gelato don’t cost that much. La Dolce Vita!
July 26th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
You could sit the family down at Hyde Park Corner with a sign saying “Americans escaping Bush, won’t you please help.” Have a fab holiday and don’t eat too much haggis.