There are certain childhood memories that stick with you.
For me, one of those memories was having a Power Wheels-style ride-on toy.
I know some people might say they’re overrated. Maybe they are. But as a kid, I loved mine. There was something special about having your own little pretend vehicle, driving around the yard like you had somewhere important to be.
No bills.
No licence.
No insurance.
Just a plastic truck, a battery, and a whole lot of imagination.
Now that I’m a dad, I find myself excited about giving my son that same kind of memory.
He’s turning two soon, and I’ve been thinking about getting him his first little ride-on truck. The funny part is, I’ve actually been saving for it.
Nothing wild. Just a little bit here and there through my budget savings. Over the last couple of years, I’ve saved around $400 that I can use for his birthday without throwing the rest of the household budget off track.
And honestly, that feels good.
Not because it’s some huge financial achievement.
Because it means I planned ahead for something fun.
That said, I’m starting to realize he might still be a little young for the bigger battery-powered ride-on I originally had in mind. At two, he’d probably enjoy it, but he may not fully remember it. He’s still at that age where the box can sometimes be just as exciting as the gift inside.
So I’m thinking I might wait until he’s three.
That gives me another year to save, maybe add another couple hundred dollars, and look at getting him a bigger 24V ride-on truck when he can really enjoy it.
For now, I might get him a smaller rideable toy truck for a fraction of the cost.
Something simple.
Something he can climb on, push around, and get excited about.
A little warm-up before the big gift next year.
And maybe that’s the better move anyway.
Sometimes as parents, we get excited about the big version of the idea. The big gift. The big trip. The big moment.
But kids don’t always need the biggest version right away.
Sometimes they just need the right version for the stage they’re in.
When I was younger, after the battery in mine died, I still found a way to have fun with it. My brothers were much younger than me, so I would push them around the yard for hours.
I’d push them across the grass, down the small hill in the front yard, and then back up again.
Over and over.
And for some reason, that was fun.
No fancy setup. No big event. Just kids outside, making a toy last longer than it probably should have.
Looking back, that might be part of why I want my son to have something like that.
Not because he needs it.
He doesn’t.
But because I remember the fun it brought.
And I think that’s part of being a parent too.
Yes, be responsible.
Pay the bills.
Build the emergency fund.
Think about the future.
Don’t go broke trying to create memories.
But also, enjoy some of the money.
Use it with intention.
Use it for the birthday gift you’ve been excited to give.
Use it for the little memory you want to pass forward.
Use it for something that makes your kid smile.
Because money is not just about saving.
It’s also about using it well.
And for me, saving up over time so I can buy my son a little truck without stressing the budget feels like the right kind of intentional.
He may not remember the price.
He may not remember how long I saved.
But maybe he’ll remember being outside.
Maybe he’ll remember laughing.
Maybe he’ll remember dad cheering him on as he figures out how to steer.
And maybe one day, he’ll look back and remember that he had a pretty good little childhood.
That’s worth saving for.
