My Daughter's Unique Way to Earn an American Girl Doll

I love how children can be so enterprising. When properly motivated, they can come up with some pretty innovative ideas to achieve their goals. Like shoveling poop. Yes, shoveling poop.

You see, way back when my daughter asked for a new American Girl Doll, I was pretty resistant. I mean, she is not going to be playing with them within the next couple of years and the money could be better served elsewhere. Plus, our luck, there will be no value to the dolls in the future. {Recall the Beanie Baby Bust? Yup, lots of money sunk into that market. Lots.}

I have been able to successfully keep her at bay and our American Girl Doll population down to one until recently. You see, she rounded up all of her Christmas money and began doing chores around the house to earn the doll herself. I am not talking just one day of chores. I am talking multiple. Like in a row. So, how could I say no?

She was pretty ingenious, came up with all sorts of chores to earn money and accepted the amounts I would offer to pay her with a smile and twinkle in her eyes. How could one say no? She even shoveled during the Polar Vortex. Ok--it was in minute stints--but she did it. And, no one else would have. Plus, she shoveled poop. Yup, poop. As in the piles that were left on our deck by two furry beings unwilling to scoot in the 20 inches of snow.

When all goes relatively well, I love when my daughter comes up ways that she can help out. I say relatively because I do not expect perfection. She is 8. She often devises decent plans. So, how could I not let her earn her money for her new doll. And, she shoveled poop. No one else wants to.