“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.” ~Chinese Proverb
I know I cannot be the only parent on the planet who has invoked the ‘Money does not grow on trees’ response when the kids have asked for something that is not in the family budget. If I am, then you may not need to read this:-) Since I’ve started the business, the girls (ages 8.5 and 11) often bombard me with questions:
“Mom, where are you going?”
“How long will you be gone?”
“Is your job fun?”
Well, last week I decided to hold off on answering and instead, give them a real-world experience: I took them with me to the Berkeley Lakeside Farmer’s Market on Thursday. It was a very hot day and the gnats and mosquitoes were in full-force. (I swear Georgia has some of the most aggressive bugs known to man.) They helped with setting-up the canopy, organizing the displays, and the middle child really took the entrepreneurial reins as she got more comfortable talking with customers. After about an hour of listening to me, taking it all in, and getting her feet wet, she assumed the role of salesperson. I was so proud of her initiative and desire to understand what I do each week! Of course, I kept asking if she was hot/tired/ready to go because I figured they’d both be ready to throw in the towel considering the less-than-desirable working conditions. And by ‘working conditions’ I mean no texting their friends, lounging on the couch watching tv, or sitting in the air conditioning.
It’s one thing to tell your kids that you work hard to earn a living/run a business, but no amount of words can replace giving them an actual glimpse into what you do to bring home the bacon! Don’t wait until ‘Take Your Daughter/Son To Work Day’ to show them the hard work required to afford the lifestyle they enjoy…put ‘em to work!
