Music Teaching and Parenting

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How a Lemonade Stand Can Teach Kids About Money

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Teaching Children About Money

How a Lemonade Stand Can Teach Kids About The Value of Money

I am a big believer in using children’s books to empower kids and teach them about taking control of their lives! Teaching children about money and about the value of their own work plays a big role in  helping them develop independence. Have you done a lemonade stand as a child? Do you remember your enthusiasm and the countless hours waiting for adults to buy lemonade? What if you can preserve that child’s enthusiasm and help them develop self-reliance through it? I remember seeing the students of a wonderful Suzuki violin teacher in town. They were playing in front of a store and behind a lemonade stand, raising funds for their own music festival. They were using their talent to take control of their music goals. Teaching in a public school presents similar challenges. Everything that we want to experience, we need to fundraise for. I need to be able to teach my students the value of money as well as taking the power to make things happen on their own. This got me thinking, how do we develop a child’s sense of self-reliance from an early age? Can we raise our children to set goals, follow them, and understand the value of their own work? That can be done successfully with a book! Let me introduce It All Started with a Turtle.   

 
Teaching-children-about-money
 
…and what a better way to introduce the book than to interview the author, Lisa Holthouse!
 

 

Interview with the Author

 

Maria: When did you start writing?
Teaching- Children -About -MoneyLisa: Writing was always a creative outlet for me, even as a child and I’ve always enjoyed it. It’s been a dream of mine to write a children’s book and this was my first foray into writing an actual book, which I did two years ago. Originally written as a Christmas gift for my husband Michael, it shares the true story of how Lemonade Day, a non-profit organization we founded, began at our home in 2007.
 
In short, our daughter wanted a pet turtle and I’m not sure we needed another pet in the house. When my husband explained that we had enough pets and that someday, when she started making her own money she could design her own pet collection, she decided to use a lemonade stand as a means to get that turtle sooner rather than later. That lemonade stand created an opportunity for a daddy/daughter teaching moment that sparked a movement. The “lemonade lessons” that he imparted on her became the catalyst for Lemonade Day.
 
For those that are not aware of Lemonade Day – it is a free, community-wide event that teaches kids how to start, own and operate their own business – a lemonade stand through a fun and engaging 14-step process. At the end of the day, participants are asked to do three things with their profits – spend some on something for themselves, save some in a youth savings account and share some with a local charity of their choice.
 

Maria: What part did creativity play in your childhood?

Lisa: The creative part of my brain has always been the dominant mass! I can’t balance a checkbook, but I can speak 3 languages and I actually majored in English Linguistics in college (with studies also in Spanish and Italian).  I have been painting all of my life as art is an important part of who I am.  I have taken art classes since I was a child, and continue to do so, even today as my schedule allows.  Music is in my blood.  I played the guitar as a child and have been the singer in my family since grade school.  To this day, there isn’t a stage that I won’t jump on to perform.

Naturally, writing is the other creative outlet for me.  I have always enjoyed the process of putting thoughts onto paper, whether it has been through essays, letter writing, newsletters and now a book.  I have taken creative writing classes just to force myself to take the time when life has its way of getting in the way of doing it alone.
 
Maria: I know that you feel strongly about the book being read by parents to their child in order to bond and share with them. What are you best childhood memories of adults using books to teach a lesson?
 
Lisa: I imagine that my childhood memories of snuggling up with my mom or dad and reading together are similar to other nurturing family environments.  Whether it was being read to by one of them, or taking a stab at reading myself while they listen, it’s a pastime that I find incredibly important in raising a healthy child.
 
Yes, I definitely see this book as an experience to be shared. When I decided to publish this book, I envisioned a loving adult and child reading the book together, taking turns reading if the child is old enough; going through the vocabulary; talking about some of the “lemonade lessons”; and thinking about what they might do with a stand of their own.
 
I think it is really important to remind adults how sharing special moments with their own children, simply by reading a book together and talking through the lessons in the story can change your child’s life.  Through writing this book, I’ve been reminded of the importance of taking the time to really invest in your children and using these moments, even silly ones, to teach and experience things together.
 
Maria: Could you tell us more about “teachable moments”?
 
Lisa:  With Lemonade Day in full swing and the launch of the book, I have teachable moments on the brain. In our lives, the lemonade stand has become a metaphor for teachable moments. You can talk about how a lemonade stand works, but nothing is as effective as shared experiential learning.
 
Teachable moments are all about seizing opportunities to engage and impart life lessons in a fun and interactive way. My husband really is the role model here; he never lets a teachable moment go by, it is something that he is truly passionate about. When Lissa decided to start that lemonade business, she realized running a profitable lemonade stand was not as easy as it seemed. Upon seeing that the day was not going as planned, Michael jumped at the chance to offer his daughter simple steps she could take to improve her business.  In the book, I share the journey they took that day which includes a lot of practical lessons that can be applied not just to business, but life in general. The next year, when she opened her lemonade business using the insights her father taught her, her business trajectory improved greatly.
 
Maria:  If there was just one thing that you want children to take away after reading you book, what would it be?
 
Lisa: Well, there are a few things I’d like children to take away from this book and they all go together – dream big, create a plan and work hard to attain that goal!
 
Maria: If there was just one parenting advice you would like parents to learn though you book, what would it be?
Lisa: Remember the importance of the precious child and caring adult/mentor relationship. When you empower your child to take ownership of their own lives, anything can happen!    

Teaching Children About Money

Comments

  1. Oh my gosh, Maria, This post is terrific! Fabulous!

    you hit the nail right on the head, as usual.

    I am loving the interview! One thing I think that is missing – is that talent, passions, interests need to be nurtured by the parents. Everyone is born on equal footing. Every child has the possibilities for greatness. It's the encouragement by the parents that is the necessary component. If talent/passions are not encouraged, it's like a wilting flower.

    That is one of the fundamental Suzuki beliefs – and I believe in it and live it.

    Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply

  2. Lisa,

    Thank you for your comment as well as adding to the discussion!

    Yes, I absolutely agree with you! Children need the support of the adults around them in order to grow! Sometimes, it is using a book to teach, sometimes learning with them, sometimes "getting out of the way" to nurture them! It is important for a parent to always play an active part in their child's growth!

    This book is a wonderful starting point for that nurturing process, for a parent and child to have discussions and as the author calls it, "teaching moments".

    Reply

  5. This was a fabulous post and a great spotlight on a book that I am sure will be wonderful. Thanks so much for joining us on the Kid Lit Blog Hop and for bringing Lemonade Day to our attention. It sounds like an awesome initiative.

    Reply

  7. Thank you for your kind comments. Yes, teaching children to be responsible at an young age is so important and it can save parents from having a problem down the road. Planting the idea through a book is always a good idea!!!

    Reply

  12. I totally agree with this philosophy. My children have done lemonade stands for years. This looks like a wonderful book for beginning a discussion about basic business and money management. Thanks for linking it into the Kid Lit Blog Hop.

    Reply

  13. What a fantastic endeavor you and your husband have put together, Lisa! We always used chores as a way for our children to earn money for items they wanted and to save for bigger things. Our grandson is now learning how to do that. I'm sure he would also love to try the Lemonade Stand. Thanks for sharing on the Kid Lit Blog Hop, Maria.

    Reply

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