The Lemonade Stand

One of my first money memories is of starting a lemonade stand one hot summer Sunday with two other kids from down the street, a pair of sweet young boys whom I corralled into business with me. Together, we mixed the lemonade, made a sign, and put up the stand, charging a cool loonie (one Canadian dollar) per thirst-quenching cup. Business was brisk that day, and by the time we had sold all the lemonade, we had in its place a respectable bowl full of our neighbours’ loose change. It was time to divvy up the proceeds of the day’s sales.

That’s when I pretended to not understand the difference between a loonie and a quarter. After convincing the two boys that all the coins were of equal value, I divided all the coins equally among us—making sure that most of the loonies were in my pile. My father later audited my split of the proceeds and proceeded to educate us all about the different value of the coins—something he knew I was already keenly aware of. He took me aside and spoke to me about the importance of honesty and integrity. 

Suitably shamed, I have never tried to hoodwink anyone again. Perhaps from an early age, I was already fighting the patriarchy. When I was a little girl, I was told that I could be anything I wanted. But if this is so, why is it that, even today, white women in the US make only 83 cents for every dollar men earn? The truth is that because I was born with two X chromosomes, achieving … well, really anything is more challenging. So it could be that even as a little girl, I realized that having more money was an advantage. Money is a tool that allows you to live a certain life, and while it’s not the be all and end all, it sure makes life easier if you have it.