National One Cent Day 2020

One of my children's favorite national holidays is National One Cent Day. Last year, they earned pennies throughout their school day for things like neat writing, diligence, and improved scores. I put prices on everything in my rewards tote and they had fun shopping with their pennies at my "yard sale."

This year, National One Cent Day fell at a time when my rewards box was empty, so I created Mom's Store.

Mom's Store

--Stay up past bedtime $.10

--Dessert for supper $.10

--Eyewitness space packet $.08

--Do a craft $.05

--Do a science experiment $.05

--Get a printed coloring page $.04

--Eat a mint $.02

I made a second list to help them earn more money than neat writing can buy them:

Job Chart

--Wash dishes $.02

--Set Table $.01

--Clear Table $.01

--Wash leaves of plant $.02

--Pick up toys $.02

--Sweep floors $.03

--Wash stairwell wall $.02

--Do Math Brain* 5x $.05

*Math Brain is an electronic flashcard game.

The children loved my store and told me this was their favorite day of the week. Meanwhile, my entire afternoon was spent on the run. They kept me busy finding science experiments and crafts, sourcing supplies from around the house, helping one child make a paper machê globe while the other needing continual oversight to make a camera case on my sewing machine. I had dessert in the oven, dishes piled high, and a child at my elbow asking, "Mom, is there any way I can please earn three more pennies?" 

I plan to do this again next year, but being wiser and more experienced, my store prices are going to double. I want my children to have fun and earn a reward (notice the singular tense), but they don't need to buy out the store. 

It so happened that National One Cent Day landed on April 1, the day we planned to have a Daffy Dinner with some friends. When our friends couldn't come because of a stay-at-home order, I promised the children we would do the meal anyway, just with us. John came home from the office in time to see the children set his spot at the table with a large kettle for a plate, a gravy pitcher for a cup, and a ladle as a spoon. Good sport that he is, he played along with us and helped make it a fun meal.

Griddle plate, corn handle fork,
spaghetti keeper cup

9x13 plate, baby spoon/fork, gravy shaker cup

Serving bowl plate, baby fork/serving spoon,
quart jar for a cup

After my Overly Ambitious day, I was relieved to see that the next national day I planned to celebrate was National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. You can't get easier than that.

Bonus picture:  As I typed this post, the robot and sign were placed at my elbow. This is what you get when a ten-year-old boy has been on the property for three weeks solid.