Forget the money tree. I have a credit card tree. Apparently?

My newly nine year-old:  MOM!  I CAN GET A JUSTIN BEIBER CREDIT CARD!  SIGN ME UP PLEASE!

Me: [seriously?  Before I barf directly into her face can anyone confirm that such a thing exists?]

Me:  No.  You’re not getting anyone’s credit card.  Do you realize that every time I use our credit card that we have to pay the bill back in real money?  It is not free.  Nothing about a credit card is free.  Same goes for Justin Beiber.

Her:  But I just want it.

Me:  Right. Do you understand how a credit card works?  I pay the bill for every credit card, once a month.  We could never control how much money you spend if you had a credit card.  You are nine years old.  I would rather give you cash to buy things–at least this way I could control how much you buy.

Her:  [pause, thinking] I’ll take the cash…

Me:  Nice try.  [[leaving room]]  Here, have the TV remote.  You can’t buy anything with that.

Her:  Yeah. I can.

Me: …….

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Cassandra can be found on Twitter @aclevergirl.  Learn more about her family’s unique challenges and why they have hope for a cure for muscular dystrophy at byrdsforacure.org.