Lemonade Stands Reveal the Best and Worst Aspects of America

This is a working class newsletter—I don’t get any millionaire support (just you!)Thanks for your support: 30% off 💙 40% off 💙 50% off 💙 60% offIt’s a hot and sunny afternoon in July. Actually, it’s unbearably hot. New temperature records have been set all across the Earth. But today my kids aren’t concerned about the ramifications of climate change, they just want to make a couple of bucks selling lemonade.“Daddy, can you bring the umbrella from the patio?”“Isn’t it too windy?”“Just do the thing you did with the bungee cords.”“Okay.”I get to help with setupSet up is the hardest part. The girls go in and out, and in and out of the house. The front door slams and slams and slams.“Don’t leave your fanny pack filled with money unattended.”“Okay, Daddy!”One of the things I like about my girls is that they’re so chipper as they agree with me. Half the time they don’t listen to my advice, but they’re so pleasant about disregarding it that I don’t mind.“Yup, Daddy! Absolutely, we’ll get right on that!”Fighting with the patio umbrellaSo, I’m out front wrestling with the patio umbrella trying to ensure it won’t come crashing down on any paying customers. Vague thoughts of liability are floating through my mind. Meanwhile, the girls have a hundred more chores for me.“Where’s the table?”“Where are the chairs?”“Where’s the extension cord?”“Where are the cups?”“Girls,” I say, “I’ll help you with all that once I get the shade set up.”“But Daddy, you said it should be radio first and then shade. You said, ‘Kids, whenever you do a job, the absolute first thing to do is get your radio set up. Working becomes a lot less miserable if at least you have some music to listen to.’ That’s what you said!”“I know I said that, but this umbrella is about to fall over…”I’m in the eye of a hurricane of energyThere’s so much talking! There are so many questions. It’s like listening to squirrels chitter at each other. But I realize that’s good. It lightens my spirit to see all that enthusiasm. They’re ready to go, they’re out to conquer the world.They hang a sign on the patio umbrella that says ‘Lemonade and More!’“Did you get the music started yet?”“Signage first, Daddy.”I shake my head.Is it even legal to run a lemonade stand?My girls are both under 13. Before they did the lemonade stand for the first time, I had to check to see if it was legal. It turns out, a few years back, Tony Evers signed a bill to allow kids to make up to $2,000 selling lemonade. The law was necessary because overzealous police have been known to shut down lemonade stands.This is one of those clear instances where privilege becomes apparent. Yes, technically by the letter of the law, a lemonade stand is a “food vendor” and that gives police authority. But come on! Usually, the only lemonade stands that get shut down are those run by underprivileged or minority groups because those are the groups that are always targeted.Essentially, the reality of America is that if you’re a kid with a 5 million dollar trust fund, you are allowed to set up a lemonade stand and make as much money as you want. However, if the money you earn from a lemonade might combat hunger in your household, then the police will stop you from earning.It’s like you’re not allowed to lift yourself up by your own bootstraps.That’s the way our country works. Money is a plaything to rich people so they get to have as much as they want.Why do we allow lawyers to have their way with everything?The legalization of lemonade stands helps to fight the reality of American injustice, but it’s still depressing to go through the parameters of the bill.For example, why did they pick $2,000 as the maximum amount you can earn? Why did they leave it at $2,000 and not include any yearly increase to account for inflation? For all we know, the kids might have to charge $2,000 a cup in a year or two. With as much time and effort and energy that it takes to get a bill passed, are politicians really so ignorant that they don’t recognize the need for a moving scale?I don’t think leaving that out is honest stupidity, I think it’s deliberate malice.What is “potentially hazardous” food?According to the bill, you’re not allowed to sell “potentially hazardous” food, whatever that means. The first time my kids made microwave cupcakes they got excited about how well the baking soda worked and started shoveling it into the batter. My wife took a bite of the final result and reached for a napkin to spit it into.“Why aren’t you excited about how good it is mommy?”Then they took a nibble and went, “Hmmm.”I love watching these moments of learning play out.What I don’t love is watching the lawyers feast on the carcass of a lemonade stand. I mean, come on world, can’t we just chill out? Does the hazardous food prohibition mean enterprising kids can’t go buy a gallon of ice cream and sell it at a dollar a cone? I bet that would go fast on a hot day.Making money isn’t difficult, the challenge comes in avoiding all the obstacles that were designed to keep everyone in poverty. If you’re working a minimum wage job, it would take you almost 7 weeks to earn what you can by running a lemonade stand (and those earnings would be taxed).Does the lemonade stand put my children in danger?The lemonade stand is right by my window, so I can watch my girls work. We also put the dog out on his leash.Once, a car pulled up just as my wife was walking out to check on my girls. The driver took one look at my wife, who is Latina and pulled away. His bumper stickers revealed his philosophy on life.It’s a mistake to shield your kids from the reality of our country. Pretending we don’t have problems only serves to perpetuate the worst parts.“Why did that driver leave, Mommy?”“Because that person is a white supremacist dear.”“What’s a white supremacist?”“People who hate anyone who isn’t white.”“Does that mean they hate me?”“Yes.”“But why?”Shrugs.The kids struggle with this for a moment, but soon those worries go into the same corner of their mind that harbors the concerns about how hot the world is getting.“I hope the next driver isn’t a white supremacist.”“I hope so too.”Girls, seriously, you’re allowed to entertain yourselves while you work“Why don’t you bring your pastels and paints and crayons so you can stay occupied while you’re waiting for customers?”“Nah, that’s alright, we don’t want to do that.”“Okay, suit yourself.”I go back into the house and five seconds later I hear the tremendous clatter of the girls coming back in. How is it that such small children can make so much noise?“We’ve decided to get our pastels and paints and crayons.”“Good idea! Why don’t you get your remote control cars, too? Then you could put out a sign that says, ‘Play with the remote control car while you wait.’”“No Daddy.”“Okay.”Learning how to actively sellSometimes I glance out the window and catch them looking bored, hot, and miserable. Eventually they figured out that one of them needs to go down to the corner with a sign that says “Lemonade ahead!”They smile and wave at the cars and try to guilt them into stopping. It works! This is an important lesson. If your business is not getting any customers, you can either sit there and be miserable, or you can get up and be creative and try to flag down some attention.Do you want change? Not everyone doesThe other good trick my kids have learned is to ask customers if they want change, no matter how big a bill they provide.“Do you want change? I only ask because a lot of customers don’t.”Smile.The smile is the important part. So is saying, “Thank you!” In many cases, the smile and the thank you are what the people are buying, not the lemonade.Older people come down the streets and the bounce returns to their step as they see the lemonade stand and they are reminded there are things to think about other than the fact that the Earth has just endured the hottest temperatures in recorded history.“Here kids, take a $20.”“Thank you!”“Don’t wait too long to spend it!”Life lessons for the future, assuming they’ll have a futureMy kids have learned a lot through the lemonade stand:* They’ve learned you have to actively sell the product* They’ve learned that music helps the workday go faster* They’ve learned that it’s important to have the dog nearby for protection* They’ve learned you have to actively sell* They’ve learned that they get more customers on the weekends* They’ve learned that the customer isn’t always right.“Girls, why don’t you make a video? Mom and I can share it on social media. We can post it every time you set up the stand. It’s advertising!”In the back of my mind I’m thinking, “Is the lemonade stand still protected under Wisconsin law if you start to advertise?” Then I get frustrated and think, “Darn it! Isn’t the whole point of this to allow kids to learn what it takes to be an entrepreneur?”Meanwhile, this whole inner dialogue takes place as I’m trying to fend off concerns that none of it will matter because the whole Earth is showing signs that it is about to burn to ash. Society is more concerned about regulating lemonade stands than preserving the planet.You’re not buying lemonade, you’re purchasing joyThe lemonade stand is bittersweet.As a parent, I constantly worry about my children. That’s bitter. At the same time, I take such joy in them. That’s the sweet. Perhaps the joy I feel is more pronounced because of the constant worry. You have to soak in the joy to balance out the worry.I worry and I worry and I worry. Then I look out the window and see how my daughters’ eyes light up with every customer. “Look at how much money we earned!” they say proudly. I feel comforted that perhaps they’re becoming more equipped to handle the world.I have to remind myself that I can’t worry all the time. You don’t have to sit and work and not color and not listen to music and not have shade. Pause and entertain yourself. Designate some energy for celebration. Soak up the joy.These days, when I see a lemonade stand, I always stop. The future is uncertain. A refreshing glass of cool lemonade brings you back to the tangible present and serves as a reminder of all the things it’s far too easy to forget. Enjoy your big old glass of joy!“Keep the change kids, and thank you!”Thanks for your support: 30% off 💙 40% off 💙 50% off 💙 60% offI'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe