My youngest daughter, Lexie, decided it would be fun to rent some paddle boards and go up to the lake for the day. She also rented a smaller board and kayak for the grand kids. My oldest grandson took to it like a fish to water, and it was only a matter of minutes before he had made his way to the other side of the lake and back. Who knew? This led to him wanting a kayak of his very own. What a perfect opportunity to talk about hard work and earning money and…apricots.
It just so happens that our apricot tree was loaded with apricots. While we are striving to pick, share, bottle, dry and eat as many as we can, there are still hundreds that have fallen on the ground. You know where I’m going with this story. We decided to pay my grandson one penny for each apricot he picked up. The first day he informed me that he had picked up 800 apricots! I might go broke before he gets his kayak! He was determined to earn the $75 for the kayak and I think he wanted to do it all in one day!
He has counted his money no less than ten times a day every single day! He has saved his money from the tooth fairy, his birthday, and his treat money. He has also picked up apples for his other grandpa. He is barely six, yet he has now figured out exactly how many pennies are in a dollar, how many dollars he has earned (addition) and how many dollars he still has to go (subtraction). He also knows how to count to 800! He is willing to work hard in the heat of the day to do it! His enthusiasm has been inspiring to watch!
Now that’s something a math book will never do!