The Lemonade Stand

We have all passed one on the street.
They are usually on a well-traveled corner.
The handmade sign is taped to the front end of the makeshift table.
The young entrepreneurs are filled with enthusiasm.

It doesn’t matter that they had absolutely no hand in the product itself.
Their ability to sell the product is determined by their cuteness alone.
The way they flag down cars as they drive by.
The way the passer-by seems to catch their joy.

The lemonade stand is a welcome sight.
It can conjure up memories of days gone by.
It reminds the older generation of the paper Dixie cups that were used.
They were too small to quench a thirst yet the perfect size for making a profit.

The profit was usually divided among those selling the lemonade.
Those passing by would inevitably ask the question, how much is a glass?
Those passing by would inevitably put more into the jar than the actual cost.
For a first time salesperson that generosity caught them by surprise.

After a while, that generosity was almost expected.
Selling lemonade was often a family project.
The mother usually made the large pitcher.
The older siblings would help the younger ones carry their product to the curb.

Children can sit at a lemonade stand all day if you let them.
If you live on a quiet street, your neighbors are your only customers.
You never wanted to sell lemonade on the same day as someone else.
You always wanted to sell lemonade on the hottest day possible.

The problem with the heat of the summer is that it taps into your product.
It is terribly hard to sell lemonade and not have any for yourself.
A customer would come as soon as one of the little entrepreneurs went inside to get more.
The one minding the stand would have to explain that they ran out of lemonade.

I would always keep the large spoon handy since I knew the request for more was coming.
We used to bake cookies as well so the customer had a choice.
My children loved when workmen were working at someone’s house.
The workmen would always seem to stop and buy a glass of lemonade.

I can still see the major business transaction that happened at the kitchen table.
The profits from the day were poured out of the jar.
The money was divided between the little entrepreneurs.
How about some profits for the one who made the lemonade? I teased.

But you’re the Mom, they would say and that ended that.
They would look at me and search my face to see if I was serious.
I would bring them close and they would give me a hug.
That was the best payment in the world.

I try never to pass a lemonade stand without stopping.
Sometimes it is impossible, if I need to get somewhere or I can’t pull over.
That little bit of encouragement works wonders.
It is so important to have a sense of responsibility and independence.

My children all received allowances.
If the amount of those allowances were known, I would blush.
It was not about the money as much as it was about taking ownership.
We all lived in our house and we all had to work to make it run smoothly.

Allowances were adjusted according to age and amount of chores.
Even the littlest one received an allowance every Friday.
All those years I set aside money for five allowances.
They received an allowance until they went off to college.

It was truly a minuscule amount in the scheme of things, but I felt it was important.
It was important that they learn the value of money early on in their upbringing.
They were never rewarded with money.
They earned it.

My daughter, who is a teacher, was going through some bins in the attic.
She was found her old Back Street Boys poster.
She also found the journal that was one way we communicated in our busy household.
She ran downstairs holding the journal in her hand.

I had this special journal for my two oldest daughters.
They could ask me anything privately and leave it at my bedroom door at night.
I would write an answer to them by the end of the next day.
It was helpful in a busy family when one-on-one time was precious.

She opened to a certain page and began to read.
Apparently, we were working on being more independent as she got ready for school.
I actually wrote a contract of what I expected her morning to look like.
I dated the contract and left a long line for her to sign her name when she agreed.

She laughed when she read my words at the end of the contract.
If the above terms are met, there will be an increase in your allowance from $1.00 to $1.10.
She was in elementary school at the time and $1.00 a week was a fair amount then.
We both laughed so hard at the $.10 increase.

I can’t believe I signed it, she said laughing.
But sign it she did.
The contract was binding.
Apparently the mornings were a lot better after that.

When I think about giving allowance to my children until college I am wistful.
Of course, the dollar amounts went up considerably but they were never extravagant.
Each of my children had jobs, so the allowance was merely supplemental.
Giving the allowance only until college meant I gave an allowance for eighteen years.

Only eighteen years.
Actually, less than that since they did not receive an allowance as a toddler.
I am amazed that we really only have eighteen summers until our children go to college.
When we are in the day-to-day it seems so far away but it is actually a blink of an eye.

We have eighteen years to pour into our children.
We have eighteen years to make lots of memories.
We have eighteen years to be part of their daily routine.
Only eighteen summers.

My days are swifter than a runner… (Job 9:25)

Swifter than a runner.
The days of lemonade stands.
The days of allowances.
The days of childhood.

Treasure them.
Pour into the little ones that God has placed in your care.
Never pass a lemonade stand if you can possibly help it.
Put a little something extra in the jar.

Eighteen lemonade summers go by very quickly.

2 responses to “The Lemonade Stand”

1. Fabulous

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   • Kevin,
     I am so glad that you were blessed and that you can now follow the blog each day.
     Regina

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