Saving every Sickle (Was: Percy and the Weasleys' finances)

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 59187

Janet:

> 
> Yes, but they also need to consider the feelings of teenagers, for 
whom 
> looking bad or different is a painful and traumatic experience. If 
Molly 
> actually couldn't afford new robes for Ron, that's one thing (and 
that's the 
> impression I got). If she actually could have gotten him something 
better 
> and made him wear "girly" robes to make a point, that's something 
altogether 
> different, rather heartless in my opinion, and likely to embitter 
him and 
> make him turn away from the very values she thinks are important.  
If you 
> had the kind of parents who made you eat things you detested 
because "that's 
> all there is and we can't afford to waste food," you would at least 
know 
> they weren't just being arbitrary. But if you were told you had to 
eat it 
> "because children are starving elsewhere," did you actually learn 
anything 
> besides resentment?


Again, maybe if Ron hadn't behaved like a brat in that sequence, it 
could have turned out differently. Maybe Molly even does that 
Severing Charm to help him take off the lace, instead of having him 
do a bad job of it later.

But he DID behave like a brat, and behaved shamefully for someone who 
knows his parents have trouble making ends meet.

I don't think Molly was trying to prove a point, but I don't think 
she had the time nor the inclination to deal with Ron pouting about 
it either.

In the stories, we've seen the kind of parenting where the children 
get everything they want. Exhibit A is Dudley and Exhibit B is Draco. 
Save me from parenting where children get everything they want.

Darrin
-- Exhibit A would be a great name for a band