Let’s All Agree That Lemonade Stands Aren’t Political Fodder

I can remember having lemonade stands when I was little. Every time my mother had a garage sale, which happened regularly since she had three kids constantly outgrowing their clothes, I would set up a table at the end of the drive way. Normally, I would bake cookies or brownies to go with my Country Time lemonade mix. I’d sit out there all day in the heat. Then I’d use my hard-earned money to visit the other garage sales around the block and buy random things I didn’t need from older kids who no longer wanted board games or G-Rated movies.

They were pretty awesome, those lemonade stands.

You know what I don’t remember talking about with anyone? My investors… or what my business venture meant to my political alliances… or how my seven-year-old know-how was affected by recent legislation passed in the state government. In fact, I don’t remember anything more than learning how to handle money and being proud to earn my own income. But looking back, those were really important lessons for me at a young age.

Maybe we should all focus on those innocent, but still necessary, lessons when it comes to children’s business enterprises. Maybe we should take a step back and let kids enjoy their accomplishments without indoctrinating them into a political philosophy. I’m looking at you, Fox & Friends.

Today, the cable news morning show brought on two adorable girls, age 4 and 7, to talk about their lemonade stand. The girls were cute. They had a sweet, summer story. It could have been an adorable interview about their hard-work and what they chose to do with their earnings. Unfortunately, host Brian Kilmeade decided to take the conversation in a different direction, via Mediaite:

Kilmeade: Clara, how do you feel about the President saying that you needed help to start this business. And just speak from ”” speak from within. All right, you know what? Let’s switch over to ””

Younger sister Eliza yawns. Clara begins to speak.

Kilmeade: Why don’t you answer that one?

Clara, age 7: I would say that’s rude because we worked very hard to build this business. But we did have help.

Kilmeade: And your help came from?

Clara, age 7: Our help came from our investors, our dad and stepmom, along with other friends and family.

Really? At the risk of being a cliche… Seriously? Why would anyone ask children an obviously loaded question about a campaign quote taken out of context?

These adorable girls have every right to be proud of their accomplishment. I’m sure that the President would congratulate them on their successful business. But there is no need to drag them into the latest pundit controversy. Children do not deserve to have their stories exploited to score partisan points.

How about we all just agree to leave lemonade stands alone? We can let them stay down at the end of the drive-way, with children giggling over their quarters and dimes. We can leave these mini-businesses outside of the election cycle politicking. Children learn plenty from these first forays into the financial world. They don’t need the added lesson of political grandstanding. They’ll learn that soon enough.

(Photo: Maria Dryfhout/Shutterstock)