My daughter moans about lack of funding just as her big sister returns from pulling poison oak in Santa Cruz, dressed like a yetty for protection. I observe the girls in silence as I pot up seedlings which are technically weeds.
“Geez you look disgustin.”
“Disgusting but rich, which suits me just fine.”
“Rich?”
“Yes indeedy.”
“Howmucha got?”
“That’s for me to know.”
“Can I come with you next time?”
“You’ll be at school I’m afraid.”
“How can I get some money too?”
“Work.”
“Can I do some chores for money Mom?”
“You already do your chores to earn your pocket money….er……allowance. There isn’t really anything else that the budget can stretch to right now dear.”
“Maybe you could set up one of those American lemonade stands in the summer?” offers her big sister.
“I need money now. I can’t wait til the summer.”
“I don’t think they have paper rounds out here do they? How do children earn money do you suppose?”
“When she’s a bit older she can do baby sitting.”
“I hate babies.”
“Well that’s another career door slammed shut.”
“Maybe you could make something to sell? Friendship bracelets perhaps?”
“What are you doing mum?”
“I’m just making these little paper pots and plopping weeds in them. Mainly Morning Glories and Tomatoes. They seem to have seeded the entire garden. I really need to conquer the compost heap but I don’t want to just throw them away.”
“Geez I could sell em!”
“Er……I was going to give them away to my friends.”
“Friends suck. I’ll set em up at the end of the driveway. What’ll they cost? $10 bucks each?”
“In your dreams dearie. More like 25 cents if you’re lucky.”
“Really? Still if I sell four that’s a dollar.”
“Now hang on a minute. If you’re really going to do this then we should do it properly.”
“Properly? What’s properly?”
“First of all, you need to be making the pots, finding the seedlings and filling them.”
“I do?”
“Yes……unless you want to pay my wages for making them for you?”
“That sucks. How much do you charge?”
“I believe you said the going rate is ten bucks an hour?”
"Make that ten pounds Mum. Much better exchange "rate!"
1 hour ago
6 comments:
LOL Great thinking ;)
Well at least she's trying to be enterprising rather than just asking for a handout; gotta give her points for that!
It is a long time in coming, but our teen just earned her first money on Friday - lifeguarding. This is after the $200 course to certify as lifeguard! However, she is 2 summers ahead our oldest. She made out a list of purchases (probably exceeding potential earnings) weeks ago - lol. Good luck!
Barbara
That is a great idea and you get out of some work too.
They have a different way of looking at things, don't they? It's a constant struggle with my almost-15-yr-old...
I'm waving a ten dollar bill right here, right now.
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