Buy 4, Get a Reality Check Free

The ₹5 Candy That Taught Me Economics

So, the other day I went grocery shopping with my mom — you know, just the usual adulting things. While wandering around the hypermarket like a lost puppy, I spotted my childhood weakness: caramel candy. It was ₹5 a piece, and there was a tempting little sign that screamed “Buy 4 Get 1 FREE!”

And guess what I did? Like the financially smart person I pretend to be, I grabbed 5 candies with full confidence — ₹20 total, a great deal, right?

Wrong.

I turned to show my mom my “smart move” and BOOM — she gave me that legendary mom look. You know, the one that burns your soul and rewrites your financial habits in one glance.

No words. Just pure stare-down energy.

I quietly walked back, returned 4 candies like I just committed a felony, and walked away holding my lonely ₹5 candy like a criminal on probation.

Enter: The Kid With the ₹15,000 Car

Still recovering from my emotional damage, I started roaming around the store. That’s when I saw this little boy — probably 7 or 8 — staring at one of those mini electric cars kids can actually drive. Not the remote-controlled one, oh no. This was the BMW of the kiddie world.

Curious me checked the price tag: ₹15,000.

I assumed he was just drooling like the rest of us. But then... his mom showed up.

She asked, “So, decided what to buy?”
And the kid just casually pointed at the car like, “Yeah, this one will do.”
And she? SHE CALLED THE SALESMAN TO PACK IT.

Ma’am, adopt me please?

Flashback to My ₹80 Trauma

That entire scene unlocked a core memory.

Once, I begged my mom for a miniature cooking set that cost ₹80. Just ₹80! I cried like it was a full-time job. Got yelled at, emotionally damaged, probably disowned twice, but still—didn’t get it.

And this kid just looked at the car, and boom — gift-wrapped dreams delivered.

Are We Raising Kids or Creating Spoiled CEOs?

Okay, before someone says “you’re just jealous” — no. I mean, maybe a little, but mostly, it’s about how parenting has changed.

These days, it feels like some parents treat every “I want” as an Amazon Prime delivery. Whether it’s an iPad, iPhone, or PlayStation, kids are getting luxury before they even learn to spell it.

Meanwhile, many of us had to achieve world peace just to go on a school trip. “Get full marks, sweep the house, solve world hunger — then maybe we’ll think about it.”

Hard Truth: Life Doesn’t Have a Free Shipping Option

Our parents didn’t give us everything — not because they didn’t love us, but because they wanted us to understand the value of effort, patience, and, let’s be real, emotional control in toy aisles.

Kids today grow up with instant access to everything — and when real life doesn’t offer that same speed, they break down.

No coping skills. No patience. Just confusion and sadness when they hear the word “No.”

It’s Okay to Say “No” Sometimes

Look, no one’s saying don’t buy your kid nice things. You totally should. Make them feel loved, seen, and celebrated.

But also teach them:

• That money doesn’t grow on magic swiping cards.

• That disappointment is part of life.

• That “No” doesn’t mean “You’re unloved,” it means “Not now, earn it.”

Because one day, that child will grow up, face real problems, and won’t be able to solve them by crying in the electronics section.

Final Thoughts (And a Quick Therapy Session)

Watching that kid drive off in his dream toy while I clutched my one sad caramel made me realize something...

Sometimes, the best lessons come in shiny wrappers — not because you got the candy, but because you put four back and still walked away smiling.

So here’s to our childhood struggles, ₹80 traumas, and parents who turned us into emotionally stable adults... with a slight chocolate addiction and unresolved toy issues.