Little girl with Specs

Like father like daughter. Our seven year old daughter’s school had an eye examination for the kids. A eye specialist doctor came to visit the kids and checked each one of them. Princess was found to have a -1.5 number on one of the eyes and -1.25 on the other one. The doctor in school advised that we take her to get specs. So we took her to one of the corporate hospitals that can put 5 Star hotels to shame. It was a weekend and the hospital was buzzing with patients. Gurgaon hardly has any good government hospitals and most of the residents are well to do corporate types or land rich locals. ( Food for thought: Should do some research on corporate hospitals listed e.g. Fortis, Apollo... I am sure they will give good return in long run) In the meantime ever since she came back from school she has already broadcast the news to her dadeema and naneema that she will be getting spectacles just like her father. She seems to be very proud of the fact that she is going to look just like her father. This is kind of amusing to me because I wear spectacles only in home or on weekends when I don’t like wearing my contact lenses. The news was also broadcast to her friends in building specially to Miss M her best pal who had got her own pair of pink spectacles only about 2 months ago and our daughter seems to have been in awe of the pink beauties on her nose.

Any ways since this blog is about personal finance let us focus on the same. After examination in the hospital the number was reconfirmed by the doctor and he mentioned that it is going to increase in future also. We were worried but decided to go ahead with buying a pair of specs for her. So off we go to the market where she already knew the Opticians shop as she has accompanied me a few times there to buy contact lens solution and get my specs repaired. The cost of the specs came out to be Rs 500/- on hearing this she was amazed and said the specs are going to cost Rs 500/- I confirmed the same, the chirpy little girl became silent and commented” Oh then all my 500/- Rs will be gone to buy the specs I would be left with nothing to buy or eat in the mall”

I was amazed at the maturity of the comment from a little girl and just hugged her with some moisture in my eyes. I told her that she need not worry about the cost of the specs as they are a gift from me. She smiled and hugged me back mentioning that I am so nice and she loves me so much.

This whole episode left me wondering if we have started her financial education a little too early for her age and should we wait for a few more years? I am not sure what the right answer is. But currently the little girl is very happy with her pink specs and has proudly called her grandmothers to inform about the same. I wonder what she would have to say when she grows up about the specs? Contact lenses ? or would like to go for an specs removal operation? May be I should start saving for that already