What kids haven’t dreamed of setting up a lemonade stand on a hot summer day?

My children and some of their friends set one up this weekend.

They built the stand themselves with scrap wood and nails.  My word, the number of nails they used.  Let’s just say we should huddle under this should a tornado come through.

After sitting out there the entire afternoon they closed up shop.  They had made $28.  Divided by 7 children who were working the stand, they each left with $4.  It probably works out to be less than 50 cents per hour for all of the time that they invested.   They could not have been happier.  

I love seeing their entrepenurial spirit.  Remember last week they made flyers for a lawn service?  One of our neighbors called them and they weedwhacked and used the leaf blower on his lawn.  I’m not sure how many people are interested in hiring a trio of boys under 11, but even one customer thrills them to no end.  They worked so hard on that lawn, so invested in their work, that the owner gave them a rather hefty tip.  They accepted their money graciously and the moment they stepped off his front lawn and onto thesidewalk they began screaming, “WooooooHooooo  Look at our money, Mom!”

I was reminded of the post I wrote a couple weeks ago about teenagers not getting traditional jobs this summers, instead carving out jjobs for themselves.  Maybe this is where that entrepenurial spirit starts– lemonade stands and lawn mowing. 

I wonder if Steve Jobs ever had a lemonade stand?