For a while now my 8 year old daughter and 6 year old daughter have been asking to set up a stall outside our home selling old toys, lemonade, cookies. Basically anything they can make or get their hands on that will bring them some extra pocket money. I said no to every idea because it was always at a time when I had either just had a baby and was housebound or just too tired/couldn't be bothered. However I'm not one to crush anyone's entrepreneurial spirit, plus the baby's a bit older now, so I told them that I would help them set up a lemonade stand outside if they still wanted to. They were thrilled and set to work immediately. My 6 year old made the lemonade with a bit of supervision and my 8 year old made the sign and organised
tables, cups and napkins.
I stayed a few feet away and let the kids do their thing.
They soon realised their location wasn't the busiest place to stand so we moved to a second spot. They got bored of standing around waiting for people to notice them so made up a lemonade song and waved their hands around a bit. It was cute and it worked. It also happened to be a warm sunny day and people returning from work and kids returning from school were happy to pay 20p for a cool glass of lemonade. In fact almost all the grown ups that bought a glass overpaid because they thought the kids had gone to a lot of effort and "liked their initiative". The lemonade sold out and the kids were happy!
They split the profits between themselves and were probably imagining which toys they would buy with it when I told them they should put the money back into the business. So now they've agreed that next time they will buy the ingredients themselves. I know I sound like a killjoy but I want them to think about making money rather then just spending it. They also set some of it aside to give to charity (their idea not mine).
I'd say that the kids first business venture was a success. I'm pretty sure that on the next sunny day they'll be selling more lemonade....this is Britain so who knows when the sun will come out again! I'm thinking of asking them to contribute to mortgage payments soon though!
MummyImperfect x