"Mommy sold those things because we don't need them anymore. We can sell them to get things we do need. It's important to be thrifty, whether we have a lot of money or not. And being thrifty doesn't mean we can't buy anything expensive. It just means we need to think about whether we truly need to buy it, okay?"
Ian Monroe listened intently, his big, dark eyes fixed on his mother as he nodded emphatically.
"It's okay to buy toys for Ian. Mommy heard these kinds of toys can help develop your brain and make you smarter. How about you try putting it together in a little while?"
"Okay," Ian nodded immediately. He believed everything his mom said.
"Also, Ian must always listen to Mommy. You can't do anything to hurt other people, okay? But if someone tries to bully you, you're allowed to fight back. You should be kind, but not weak."
Ian obediently nodded again, as if trying to etch his mother's words into his heart.
