Our children and what they teach us.

*Disclaimer: This was entirely a monkey idea. The credit rests squarely on their shoulders. Mom was just along for the ride and as grunt labor*

Friday evening Monkey One was explaining to me and his little brother about how a group of students that he is a part of went around to their assigned classes to speak about “Every Dollar Counts”.  This is a charity program that his school has put together to raise money for the victims of Haiti. At the end of this coming week they will take the money that they have raised and donate it to the Red Cross.

So as Monkey One is telling us all about this wonderful program at school Monkey Two of course interrupts. The monkeys have a habit of cutting one another off mid-sentence. I promise that I am doing my best to correct this bad behavior :) ,this time though he’s forgiven. He interrupted his big brother because he had an idea.  I love it when kids get an idea, you never know what you are going to get.

Monkey Two chimed in with ” I know what we can do this weekend!! We can have a lemonade stand and give the money to Haiti!”

Now how can you say no to that? Bless their generous hearts. Those two teach me something new all the time.

I remembered in that moment, how much young children like to help. Whether it is around the house at school or in the community, they simply like to “DO”. We tend to forget that sometimes, especially when our lives always seem to be stuck in fast forward. It is so much easier for us to do everything, do it quickly  and more efficiently . We forget that on occasion the monkeys like to take the reins into their own hands and actually do the work. Especially when they are younger. Tip: Get them while they are young, before the teenage bug bites to hard and to deep :)

I was also reminded today about how very generous our community is. My plan was to have a nice math lesson about Profit and Loss at the end of the day. We did have a lesson about Profit and Loss. Only it was mainly about profit along with a big side of how charity resides in the hearts of many. They made $80 in two and half hours. I know, WOW! Even better… they had a blast doing it.

We had walkers, bikers, people who stopped on their way by and some who turned around and came back. Some people didn’t even want the lemonade they only wanted to donate. Many gave much more than the .50 that we were asking for per cup. It was a beautiful inspiring sight to behold. As the monkeys said when we were done, “That was the best day EVER!”.

I can understand why. They were experiencing that warm, fulfilled, satisfied feeling that you get from accomplishment. They were amazed with how they were treated and the response that they received from all of their hard work. It was a wonderful day full of life lessons between both children and adults. More importantly we all were able to learn about charity today in the best way possible, from each other. Most especially through the eyes of children. I feel very fortunate to be part of such a wonderful community.

Below are some pictures of the boys, some wonderful members of our community, pets that were along for the fun and friends that came out to cheer the monkeys on, lend a helping hand and partake in the fun.

A nice mother and her son stopped by. Unfortunately my son is blocking her son :)

A lovely lady

and her doggie. I wanted to take him home.

This young lady happens to be the big sister to one of the monkeys friends. Love that we have flip-flop weather again.

My dad’s neighbor Linda and her doggie were on their way out for a drive and stopped to donate. I wish that I had it this easy. Love the cheetah  :)

All hard working monkeys need to sit down and take a break.

My favorite part, one of the few 20 something young men that stopped by to be supportive.

A family of friends that came to support

Lend a helping hand and have some fun.

Uh oh girls! But what a cute guinea pig. All of the adults had a good giggle at how Monkey One would not make eye contact…at all. He did the covert under the bangs look.

Thank You ever so much to everyone who came out to donate. The monkeys learned an amazing amount from your support. They are inspired to the point that they are on a mission to do this again, and again, and again… :) who am I to say no.

Tickled Red

Update: They are still at it :)

Day 1-$80 donated to M1’s school

Day 2-$40 donated to M2’s school

Day 3- $32  to be split between schools

Total-$152.00

We will be gone this weekend so someone will have to take up the mantel and run a stand in their neighborhood  this weekend…any takers?