- 2018 update – Our kiddos have expanded their learning and, for the 2018 Ski Season, made Homemade Coconut Oil Soaps to earn money for their ski-school. For the full recipe (or to purchase your own), click here!
Learning Their Own Way
How Our Kids Learned to Earn Their Own Way for Ski School
Learning their own way…earning their own way.
Note: Our oldest two children recently earned a scholarship for a ski program. It is a great program that teaches them how to ski, and encourages them to pay the remaining cost of the program from their own labor.
As parents, we try to instill an attitude of servant-hood in our kids, teaching them that we help and bless others because it’s doing what is right, not because they may receive something in return.
As parents, we also realize it’s necessary to teach our children the connection between hard work and the realities of earning a living, the value in producing things you can be proud of…and that “free” can influence not only finances, but character as well.
Because our kiddos frequently jump in and help neighbors with chores (raking, gardening, weeding, eagerly pushing a wheelbarrow, bee keeping and caring for animals) they thought long and hard for “chores” or “services” they could provide in exchange for a donation, but kept realizing that the value in these acts is the love it demonstrates and not in any sort of compensation.
Finally, after prodding Grandma for ideas, our daughter realized she and her brother could measure and mix ingredients, carefully layer them into a jar, decorate the jar nice and cute, and create something of value…hand made brownie and cookie mixes! This organically grew the idea from donation to earning and helped them learn the value of a product by understanding the production costs. They even talked about wanting to earn their entire program fee next year, as Malia put it, so other kids can have the scholarship.
They washed their hands THOROUGHLY and quickly began their production line (with minimal start-up help from mom), knocking out the first batch of jars in one evening.
They totally dug it, had so much fun, worked as a team, and worked on their math at the same time! #homeschool
They’ve pretty much got marketing in the bag… *HUGE smile*
“Would you like to buy some yummy desserts? They make a perfect gift!”
Chocolate Chip Cookie Jars
Cookie Ingredients
1 3/4 cup Flour
3/4 tsp. Baking Soda
3/4 tsp. Salt
1 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sugar
Buy from Azure
Organic Flour
To Make Gift Jars: Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt into a small bowl, then add to quart size jar. Add remaining ingredients (in order listed) to jar, packing down after each addition. Place a lid on the jar and decorate with fun ribbon and a little tag with the following instructions:
Preheat oven to 375℉. Beat 3/4 cup softened butter, 1 large egg and 3/4 tsp. vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until blended. Add contents from jar and mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Chocolate Brownie Jars
Brownie Ingredients
2 cups Sugar
2/3 cup Cocoa Powder
1 1/4 cup Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
Buy from Amazon
Organic Sugar
Baking Powder (aluminum free)
Buy from Azure
Organic Sugar
Baking Powder – (aluminum free)
To Make Gift Jars: Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Add ingredients (in order listed) to jar, packing down after each addition. Ingredients will just fit into the jar, so you’re really going to have to pack it well. Place a lid on the jar and decorate as you like, remember to include the following instructions:
Empty contents of jar into a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add 3/4 cup butter and 4 eggs. Mix well. Spread batter into a lightly greased 9×13 inch pan (or 8×10 inch pan for thicker brownies). Bake at 350℉ for 30 mins (45 mins if using smaller pan). Test “doneness” with a toothpick. Allow to cool in pan.
I would like to buy one of each. Let me know where the kiddos are selling them please!
Thanks so much Cassie! They’ll be thrilled!
Awesome job Melia and Z. Looking forward to receiving my order 🙂
How would one go about buying one of these items??
Thanks Grandma! These items are only available locally (but you’re more than welcome to visit and we’ll set some aside! Wink! Wink!)…part of the learning experience for Malia and Z is for them to stand face to face with people and explain what they are doing…”earning their own way.”