Lemonade Life Lessons

This summer, instead of letting your children fritter away their vacation playing video games, encourage them to start a small business by running an old-fashioned lemonade stand.

From creating posters, to setting up the lemonade stand, to squeezing the lemons, they will get to see firsthand how their hard work can pay off. A way to add more meaning to their enterprise is to donate some of the proceeds to a local charity.

To get your family started, Sunkist offers fresh lemonade recipes and advice on running a successful lemonade stand for charity through their "Take a Stand" program. And while supplies last, Sunkist is giving away free lemonade stands. To qualify, children must be ages 7 to 12 and must pledge to "Take a Stand" for a charity of their choice. More information can be found at www.sunkist.com/takeastand.

And if you're not among the first for a free lemonade stand, don't be disappointed. Remember, it's about the spirit of the sale and giving back to the community. It's just as easy to set up and decorate a sturdy card table and fun for them to paint their own signs.

Here are a few tips to squeeze the most out of lemonade sales:

• Research local charities and let the little one choose a favourite.
• Set the stand up in the front yard or in an area with lots of foot/bicycle traffic.
• Have plenty of ice on hand in an insulated cooler. Use a ladle or tongs to serve the ice.
• Cover the lemonade and ice cubes between servings to keep bugs and dirt out.
• Provide a covered trash container to keep the area clutter-free.
• Post flyers around the neighborhood to get the word out.
• Get attention by decorating your stand with brightly colored balloons and streamers
• Be polite and cheerful. Smile at the customers and always thank them for stopping by, even if they don't buy anything.
• And last, be sure to have fun!

Once they have opened their own business and with any luck made a profit, you will have the opportunity to teach your children how to invest that money wisely. Help them choose a mutual fund or just open a savings account. As a result they should begin to acquire the discipline of saving some of their earnings on a regular basis.

These life lessons and habits can help formulate their attitude toward business ownership and money, which in this day and age can only be beneficial.