Big man is fast approaching 6 and at the moment receives no pocket money. He has money for his birthdays, but I haven't started giving him a weekly allowance yet. I know I will have to soon, but I am reluctant.

Why?

Because I know what I did with my pocket money.

I don't remember having pocket money at 6, but I remember having it at 11. Milky Ways were 10p. Penny sweets were a penny each. Starburst were called Opal fruits. Snickers were called Marathons. The sun was always shining through my now rose tinted glasses.

I guess that paragraph tells you why I am not keen on giving big man pocket money. He is like me. He loves sweets and he will spend his time pondering whether he should buy some strawberry laces or some lollies with his new found fortune.

There was also one other thing my sister, best friend and I used to waste spend our pocket money on. Pretty much any woman my age who grew up in the UK will know the words:

"Suddenly you're seeing me, just the way I am
Suddenly you're hearing me
So I'm talking just as fast as I can, to you
Suddenly, every part of me
Needs to know every part of you"

I hope you are now transported into a world where Sharlene and Scott are getting married from everyone's favourite Aussie Cul de Sac. Yes, Neighbours had hit the UK and for some unknown reason we needed to collect the entire Neighbours sticker and card collection! The cards at least had a piece of chewing gum in to compensate the fact that we no longer had any money to spend on penny sweets.

The worse thing was I failed. I didn't get them all. I gave in. I couldn't waste my money any more. I never got a full set. As I am writing this I am realising that maybe it was a good thing that I bought these stickers. I am pretty sure that my parents didn't want me going down the newsagents every Sunday buying Neighbours cards and sweets, wasting their hard earned cash. So why did they do it?

So I could learn for myself.

So I must do the same and let big man learn his own lessons. And whilst he is leaning I am sure he wouldn't begrudge his Mummy the odd strawberry lace or two would he?