Last summer when Lena first came from Ukraine, we took her to the store and let her pick out a bike. She insisted on a smaller Hannah Montana bike even though we encouraged her to pick a bigger one. She rode it for a few months and then said she wanted a new bike, complaining it was too small. I told her that we bought her one bike, so if she wanted a different one she would have to buy it herself. I told her I would be happy to show her ways to make money, but I was absolutely not buying her another bike.
This was the beginning of Lena's Entrepreneurial ventures. After trying many different things, she decided one day, that she wanted to sell wheat bread. So, I taught her how to make wheat bread, including grinding the wheat. After a few times of showing her, she could do it all on her own and was in business. I expected her energy to fizzle after a few weeks. Surprisingly, not only did it not fizzle, she made a regular business of it and has been at it for a year now.
So far, she has made over $700 in her business. She put off buying that new bike till last month, when she decided she needed it to do a triathlon with me. It was so fun to see her excitement when she took the money to the store and finally bought her bike. She was equally excited to open her first bank account and get a debit card.
Jeff and I have been amazed by her hard work and ambition.
What a smart determined girl. You are a great mom Amy!
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing!! What a great story. I might have to snag that for the newsletter!
ReplyDeleteWay to not hand her over the money. Alex wanted to use his "good grades" money to buy some piece of junk toy. I told him, as I have done with all my children, he had to think about it for one week. If he still wanted to buy the toy in a week, I would allow it. It worked. He totally forgot about it. You're doing a great job. She'll take care of her bike better too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good mom you are! And great daughters you have. (They didn't just come that way, knowing how to cook everything. Here you taught her how to make wheat bread from scratch and so many other lessons along the way. Those teenage years are going to come very natural for you. I think you know what you are doing :-). Fun to talk to you tonight.
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