The Adventure: Discover Summer’s Treasures
SOLO PARENTING
AUGUST 2025
By Scoti Springfield Domeij
Being financially strapped, I paid the monthly rent and childcare every month and a half. Car insurance was a luxury. Regret nagged at me. I couldn’t afford toys or vacations for my two sons. Without the benefit of court-ordered child support, I joked, “I’m just a child-support payment away from middle class!”
The boys’ father provided expensive video games and trips to theme parks, which I appreciated for my sons. However, I grieved: Their vacation pictures did not include their mom.
I couldn’t compete with costly playthings and amusements and felt insecure. My consolation? Realizing that each parent’s contribution, regardless of monetary value, is immeasurable. No person or extravagancies could replace my role in their lives. Finding summer’s treasures wasn’t about money, entertainment, or competing with others. It was spending time together and engaging in activities the family enjoys.
My sons and I looked forward to our summer weekends, especially scouting garage sales and thrift stores. Shopping relaxed me. The boys enjoyed hunting for bargains.
Spend limited cash wisely. Garage sales and thrift stores exposed the boys to things they desired. Like all kids, they relentlessly begged at each stop. Giving the boys an allowance for completing chores ranging from $.50 to $2.00 eliminated stress and their endless litanies of “Mom. Mom! Buy me this. Ple-e-a-ase!”
I reminded them, “Make sure you spend your money on what you really want. When your money is no more, it’s gone. Don’t whine for more.”
Teach your kids to bargain. It never hurts to ask. To make the most of our pennies’ worth, I taught my four- and seven-year-old sons to bargain. Kyle spotted a copper German alarm clock at a garage sale he knew I’d love. My four-year-old asked, “How much is that clock?”
“It’s twenty-five cents.”
“Wouldja take fifty?” Kyle caught the bargaining concept. Now, I needed to teach him to count to 50!
Ten-year-old Kyle wanted a bike. He received $5 and earned $3 doing chores. With $8 in hand, the birthday bike hunt began. Kyle found his dream bike for $10. The garage seller refused to negotiate.
As Kyle and I walked to the car, he said, “I really wanted that bike for my birthday.”
“It’s okay, Son. We’ll keep looking. God will provide.” Overhearing our conversation, the owner softened and sold Kyle the bike for $8.
Turn urban ore into treasures. Surviving requires creative resolve to unearth high-priced necessities for dirt cheap. Thanks to transient military families, I decorated my home with exotic items and wore designer labels purchased for 50–75 percent off at thrift stores. My boys enjoyed golf clubs, tennis rackets, soccer balls, and baseball equipment purchased for a few dollars. Our summer treasure chest overflowed with happy memories and key money management skills.
One summer, the boys and I cruised the posh shops of Breckenridge. To the horror of well-dressed customers and a dismayed clerk, my bored son, Kristoffer, shattered the pricey atmosphere and blurted, “Where’s Goodwill?”
Scoti Springfield Domeij was propelled into single parenthood with a four-year-old son and a nine-month-old son. The New York Times, Family Life Today, School Daze, Southwest Art, and Charlotte Parent published her articles.
