Zero percent parenting

K pushed the CREDIT button for me on the card-swiping machine at Henry's this morning.

"Look at that," said the bag boy. "She already knows just what to do."
"You'd be amazed how quickly they pick up things like that," I said.
Then, as I handed back my signed receipt and thanked them both, I heard the checker say to the bag boy, "I try to tell parents not to do that. Wouldn't want to teach kids bad habits so early."

I'm sorry: bad habits? What would those be: paying for groceries, or pushing the button instructing PUSH HERE? Is there really some concern that I am teaching my daughter something bad because she understands that we collect things in a store and must then swipe our credit card instead of just walking off with them?

Look, I firmly believe that my kid would have picked up on the system whether I let her push a button or not. She wants to push the button because she sees me do it, and by gosh, buttons are the bomb. She knows I have to swipe my little card and push that little button before we get our blueberries and bunny mac & cheese. She just wants to play a tiny part in this whole dance--and that's all it is, because K can't even wrap her mind around the concept of paper money let alone credit--and I like for her to feel like she can. God help me, I've ruined her already.