Trimming the Fat

This is our second official week without cable. In spite of it all I think we did rather well. Because of the rain the first week we had a couple of black-outs so we couldn't have used it during those times anyway.  In fact, the black-outs turned out to be quite fun.  Connor taught us a word game by candle light and we went on a walk with our flashlights looking for the cause of said blackout.
Back to the cable.  I think I've mentioned in previous posts that electronics are pretty huge in my son's universe.  He does enjoy a good book, in fact he likes to read, but if he had to choose, I think the TV would win.  Yes, we have limits during the week but on the week-ends we let him be his own guide...yikes...that, coupled with how much cable costs these days we decided to get rid of it for a few months.  I can't begin to tell you how hard I worked on getting some good movies and shows saved on the DVR...they will be around again (perhaps my "electronic" habit needs a little letting go of as well).
I'm actually getting pretty good at "Scrabble". Wow, that's a sentence I never thought I'd type.  I was tortured as a child by "Scrabble".  My mother LOVED "Scrabble".  She, a single mother, and I, the last of the four kids at home, played lots of games.  Unlike the nurturing parents we try to be today my Mom never let me win.  Which, of course, led to all that low self-esteem stuff until I was in my 30's and realized the reason she always won was BECAUSE SHE WAS A GROWN-UP AND I WAS A CHILD.  I'm even laughing as I write that down.  I've even played "Bakugan" on the Wii with Connor.  A parent friend thinks I've crossed to the dark side on that one but I really wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  To be honest the game has way too many rules for me.  Yes, Connor usually wins in Bakugan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakugan_Battle_Brawlers
I'd like to play a good old fashioned game of "Monopoly" but Connor does not.  He now has "Monopoly City" which I find to be too mean spirited for my tastes.  It is Monopoly that has been updated, but plays like it has been updated by Donald Trump.  My son loves it.  It's fair to say he may love it because we dislike it so much, that's how things are in his 10 year old universe.  Unlike the Bakugan game (which I can pretend to like) I cannot do the same for "Monopoly City".  My son really channels his inner Alex Keaton.
I've notice that the more "trimming the fat" we do, the more he hounds for money.  Why?  Is it because our children really know where all our cracks in our psyches exists and once found, love poking us in said cracks? Or are they psychic little beings and when feeling our lack they want more?