By Dr. Mayowa Olusoji, The Money Smart Coach
That evening, Maya sat at the kitchen table while her grandmother cooked dinner. Penny was tucked safely in Maya’s pocket.
“Grandma, where do people get money?” Maya asked.
Her grandmother smiled. “That’s a good question. Come, let me show you something.”
They walked outside to the garden. The carrots had grown beautifully, carrots that Maya had planted, watered, and cared for all season.
“You grew these carrots with your own hands,” her grandmother said. “Planting them, watering them, removing the weeds. That was work. And now, we have something valuable.”
Maya understood suddenly. “So… work makes things valuable?”
“Exactly. And if we sold these carrots at the market, we’d get money for our work.”
That night, Maya lay in bed thinking about this. She pulled out Penny.
“Penny, you explained money as a tool. But where does it start?”
“From work,” Penny sparkled. “And effort. And creating something valuable. Think about it, Maya. Your garden had nothing in it before. But you did work, you planted, you watered, you waited. You created value. Money is what people give you when they see that value.”
“So if I sold my carrots…” Maya’s mind was racing with possibilities.
“You would be trading your work for money. Your effort would become coins.”
Maya sat up in bed, her eyes shining.
“Penny, I want to try. I want to sell carrots at the market and earn money for myself!”
“Now that,” Penny glowed brightly, “is the spirit of someone who truly understands where money comes from. This is going to be amazing.”
Maya had just discovered one of life’s greatest secrets: she had the power to create wealth with her own two hands.
THE TEACHING POINT FOR PARENTS
When children understand that money comes from work, from their own effort and value creation, they stop seeing it as something mysterious or something others control. They see it as something they can create. This shift from passive to active is where true financial empowerment begins.
CONVERSATION STARTERS TO USE THIS WEEK
- “When Maya’s grandmother showed her the carrots, she explained that work makes things valuable. What things have you worked on? Did they feel more special after all your effort?”
- “Maya realized she could trade her work for money. What work could YOU do that people would pay for? What are you good at?”
- “Where does our family’s money come from? Tell me about the work that brings money into our house. What do you think that work takes? Time? Effort? Skill?”
