Ava, after a trip to the supermarket: “Mom, how do you make money?”
Mom: “How do I make money, or how is money made?”
Ava: “How is money made?”
Mom: “Well, certain types of money are made with metal, and certain types are made with paper and ink.”
Ava: “Who makes it?”
Mom: “The government.”
Ava: “So when you work really hard the government gives you money for doing a good job?”
Mom (silently contemplates covering the whole state employee thing while deciding to skip right over the part about taxes): “Yes, kind of. My employer gives me money when I do my job.”
Ava: “Where does your employer get the money from?”
Mom: “Um, well, through tuition, I suppose, which students pay to go to school there.”
Ava: “And where do the students get the money?”
Mom: “With the money earned through their own jobs.”
Ava: “But where does that money come from?”
Mom: “You know what? I bet Daddy would really like to help answer some of these questions. Let’s ask him when we get home.”
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