Mother-daughter lemonade stand teaches value of earning money, fosters imagination
Soleli Harris’ 5th birthday is at the end of the month, and what she wants most is a Yoto, which is similar to the previous generation’s Walkman.
Her mother, Aeszia Harris, strives to raise her daughter without subjecting her to harmful online content masquerading as children’s content. But buying the number of toys needed to keep a 4-year-old entertained is not cheap for a single mother, nor would it teach her the value of earning her own money.
Aeszia and Sol operate a lemonade and craft stand multiple days per week at the corner of Chestnut and Shore streets near the Butler City Farmers’ Market. The stand, named Shai and Sol, allows Sol to raise and spend her own money on toys that help her imagination thrive away from screens while the mother-daughter duo spends time together.
“My favorite part is that it’s something we can do together and have control over,” Aeszia said. “Being able to give her things that she wants and her not really feeling the effects of the reality of the situation, it’s been so amazing.”
Sol wants to be on Broadway when she grows up and loves to fill her mom’s phone storage with videos of herself. The stand allowed Sol to get a used camcorder to make videos, a pink and black battery-powered ride-on car and several smaller toys such as dolls and stuffies.
“Making a lot of money and buying new stuff” is her favorite part, Sol said.
The stand also gives Aeszia the extra income to take her daughter on trips such as to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden. Their next trip will be to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, she said.
The Yoto will be one of Sol’s few pieces of technology, but it is screenless and operates using cards that store songs, stories and educational lessons. Some cards will also allow her to make her own recordings.
“We used to have a Smart TV, and she could work that thing all by herself,” Aeszia said of Sol. “She would go on YouTube, and she would just watch whatever looked kid-friendly, and then you realize they’re not really that kid-friendly.”
Aeszia said she got rid of the Smart TV and brought in an older TV with a DVD player. The two of them have movie nights together and watch “Little Bear” when Sol isn’t busy playing with her toys or pouring her creativity into writing stories.
The duo sells cups of fresh-made lemonade and hot apple cider for $1, fresh-baked cookies for $2 and crafts such as tote bags, keychains, scrunchies and bows that Aeszia makes, and will soon introduce book sleeves.
“I’m surprised how nice and generous and kind people are,” Aeszia said.
She said some people buy the products, and some just offer donations. Being outside also allows Sol to make lots of dog friends.
Aeszia and Sol moved about four years ago from Brooklyn, New York, to be closer to Aeszia’s mother in Butler. Aeszia is from Ellwood City and graduated from Slippery Rock University after studying anthropology and nonprofit management.
