Sometimes I find these kids so interesting. Certain moments just make me feel that what I am doing is working and creating very unique, individuals. Today, I was starting to till the garden to plant our seedlings and found there were lots of little pumpkin plants coming up from the compost that we put in there earlier. Knowing that I did not have room to grow all these pumpkins and all the other things I had to plant, I started to pull them up. Lexi did not like this and was mad that we were "wasting" these good seedlings. So, she convinced me to pot them and she and Chase dragged a table and made signs to sell them in the front yard. Before you know it, lots of neighborhood kids come over to "help". Chase and a couple other boys started going door-to-door to sell them and some people even gave them extra to plant them for them. The kids added lemonade to their stand as well. It always amazes me the nice people that stop and buy from children. One guy, who looked a bit like a hippy, bought two even though it was toward the end of the afternoon and they were looking a bit sad and droopy.
I learned something important. Always buy stuff from children! They are these budding entrepreneurs! They believe that anything is possible.
Now the true issue came out at the end of the afternoon when it was time to go in. Lexi was stressed that she still had plants left and knew that if they did not get planted, they would die. So she and two of her friends worked tirelessly to take them around and "give" them to people, instructing them on how to plant and make sure to water them. It was so funny. People were receptive and I think our neighborhood will be populated with pumpkins. Lexi's stubbornness and persistence really is some of her key qualities. She just does not give up when she believes in something. She manages these other kids, all who had different ideas and she delegated different tasks. She is really a leader in the making.
So often, I don't really want to associate with the neighbors. I just feel so different and get irritated at their lawn spraying, and George Bush signs ;-) But it was really nice to see them being kind to these crazy children, trying to save the world - one pumpkin at a time. And of course you have to throw in the capitalism, with the selling of product - marketed on cuteness alone ;-)
