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.”
Smith Family Weblog 
Posted by jsmith425 on June 2, 2010 at 6:44 pm
Holy canoli!
Posted by Karyl on June 2, 2010 at 7:52 pm
This is just so funny – sure reminds me of Bryan’s endless questions when he was a little guy! Ava is too darn smart!
Posted by Laura on June 2, 2010 at 9:43 pm
I like how Ava understands the concept of “doing a good job.” Remember when you told her that we had big news? The first thing that she guessed was that we “did a good job at work.” What a sweet, smart girl.
Posted by Nicky on June 3, 2010 at 6:37 am
That is hilarious 🙂 It’s great that Ava is thinking about these things. Colin has started to ask some difficult questions, whenever I’m having trouble explaining things I say, “Let’s look it up.”
Posted by Rebecca on June 3, 2010 at 10:05 am
That is a great tip, Nicky!