Crappy Boy Gets a Job

The other day, Crappy Boy approached me and said:

job1

Okay, so he wants a job. I have to be careful here. I want him to learn a lesson!

This is prime lesson learning material right here. 

He already helps set the table for dinner. For free. He already helps to pick up his toys. For free. So there is no way I can start paying him to do stuff around the house. He’ll never work for free again! 

Plus, I hated my chores and allowance growing up. I got paid to mow the lawn. I hated mowing the lawn. I hated mowing the lawn so much that even as an adult I refuse to own a lawn mower. Our lawn looks horrible, but it is MY lawn and I’m not gonna mow it! You can’t make me! (Yes, I’m still pathetically clutching onto fragments of my rebellious youth. Also we’re planning to dig up our front lawn and put a native garden in anyway. So there.)

I can’t mess this up. I want him to learn that a job can be something you love. That is an important lesson, one I wish I learned early on. 

So I’ll help him find something he enjoys doing! job2

You know, follow your bliss and all that stuff. This was the angle I was shooting for.

He replies impatiently:

job3

He does not like my brainstorming session. He knows nobody is going to pay him to play. 

So I have another angle:

job4

I suggest sales.

At first I envision a single afternoon lemonade stand. All kids try this, I know I did. You make signs, you set up a table, you make a drink, you figure out pricing and then you launch with hope in your heart. But your get-rich quick dreams are crushed with every passing car. And in the end, you make a very small sum for a lot of work. Kinda like most jobs.

But that sucks. Do I want that to be the lesson he learns? No, no I don’t.   

Luckily, he has his own idea:

job5

He decides he wants to be an artist. Now we’re talking. 

So we start to discuss specifics.

At first, he says he wants to sell metal sculptures. Of cars. But when I asked him how exactly he planned to make these metal sculptures he wasn’t quite sure. So I urged him to draw upon his current talents. In the end, he decided to sell sets of cards. Cards that are blank on the inside “So people can actually use them and send them to their friends, Mama!” but with his watercolor paintings on the outside.

Perfect. 

He (and Crappy Baby joined in too) got to work:

job6

He was very serious about this. He experimented with different techniques, like splattering the paint on wet paper versus dry or smacking the page with his brush. He narrated everything he did. He had a blast.

The pages had to dry overnight and honestly, I assumed that by the next day he would have forgotten all about the next step. I didn’t even mention the cards, but it was the first thing he wanted to do that morning.

job7

He used (with my help) a paper cutter to measure and cut the sheets into cards. He wrote the prices on little tags that he made using a large circle punch. He picked out envelopes to match the colors in the cards. He tied them in bundles. He even found a small bag (his trick-or-treat bag turned inside out) to carry them in.

He was all set!

Good timing too, the next day we went to a big birthday party where he had access to people. People who carry cash. 

job8

I steered him towards family members both because I knew they’d think it was funny and because I knew they’d buy them. Okay, I also didn’t want him annoying strangers. 

Before long:

job9

He sold out. He made $25 which to a five-year-old is like $250. In just one day.

I thought for sure that he’d be satisfied and ready to move on.

But the next day he made more cards. And more. 

Only this time, he had run out of family members to sell to.

This was pretty frustrating for him, so he started attacking anyone that came near our house:

job10

The UPS man, the mail carrier and even a neighbor walking by.

But he just couldn’t move his product.

Five days went by and he didn’t sell a single card. He knew it was time to expand his market. He needed to reach more customers!

So he did what anyone does in this situation:

job11

He opened an Etsy shop. 

He selected a place in the yard to take photos. He took the photos (with my help) and then he sat on my lap for over two hours as we set up his shop and loaded the listings. 

And guess what happened after we opened his shop?

Nothing.

And still nothing. 

And then… he got a sale!!!

After he carefully placed the cards in a shipping envelope he said:

job12

Yay! Lesson learned.

Take that, lemonade stand and lawn mowing.

This post was sponsored by Crashy Cards.*

UPDATE: Sold out! Thanks everyone, you have absolutely made their day. We’ll be packing and shipping these out tonight. As to whether or not there will be more cards coming, I don’t know – it is up to him and he is too busy playing with cars right now to make business decisions. (You can still see them in the SOLD section here.)   

——————–

Do I think this will last? Nah, probably not. But who cares, it was fun.

Oh & the name “Crashy Cards” was inspired by one of his favorite things to do right now, which is to play ‘crashy cars” which is exactly what it sounds like. Crashing cars together, demolition derby style.  

*I gave him the immediate family member discount. Yes, he asked me to post about this here. “Mama, can you tell your crappy pictures people about my cards?” So there you go. I just did. 

This entry was posted in crappy pictures, doing art, five, good stuff, homeschooling, learning. Bookmark the permalink.

256 Responses to Crappy Boy Gets a Job

  1. Angela says:

    Oh my goodness, that is so sweet and adorable! I can imagine all the stuff he learned too!

  2. Natasha says:

    Wow! Crappy boy is *amazing.* I have been trying to start my etsy shop for over a year, crappy boy does it and gets his first sale in days. Awesome.

  3. Maria says:

    His cards are really pretty! I love them!

  4. Melanie says:

    Oh my goodness! That is the cutest thing in the history of the world ever! My boys (7, 3/12, 1) just demand money from me. Well not the 1 year old yet, but give him time.

    • Melanie says:

      Oops bad typing (it is early in the morning in NZ) middle midget terrorist is 3 1/2

      • sarah freeman says:

        “middle midget terrorist”! we favour “bezerka” but I am sure I can use yours too! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Wendy says:

    that is so sweet. What a cutie.

  6. Jill B. says:

    I’m honestly impressed, they look really beautiful. If I had any money in Paypal I’d buy some in an instant, I’d love to have some original art from the crappies!

  7. krissie says:

    i imagine he’s going to sell out REALLY quickly…. better get him on a 40hour a week schedule.

    • amber says:

      That was what I was thinking! Kid is pulling in more dough than I am! LOL, I have a feeling this is a one time thing. We’ll see.

    • neal says:

      40 hours? What kind of wimp do you want him to grow up to be? The kid’s obviously got talent, but if he wants to capitalize on it, he’s gonna have to put in some overtime. I’m thinking, probably 60-70 hours per week plus some weekends if he wants to put the card-making kids across the street out of business and steal their customers. Walmart would be proud.

  8. Becky says:

    Oh, sorry, I’m going to have to call “fake” on this. I clicked over to the link, and it had a picture of your two boys…

    And those two boys were WEARING CLOTHES.

    Everyone knows you never actually dress your children in clothes. They walk around in wavery-lined diapers.

    You may have tried to pull a fast one over on us, but we the readers are much too smart to fall for anything so obviously fake.

    ****

    On a side note – dude. Those cards are a lot more professional than I expected. Well done, Crappy Boy!

  9. Jen says:

    That is fantastic!! Congratulations on your sales and Etsy Shop, Crappy Boy! ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Alexis W. says:

    Ack! The cuteness is to much to take! I think I got some dust in my eye ๐Ÿ˜‰

  11. Jourdan says:

    that is awesome! how cool that you really supported him all the way! i will be looking for crashy cards soon!:)

  12. Laura R. says:

    I looked up the shop and actually love the cards! Maybe he could start working with stencils to do things like birds, etc on them. I am very impressed with his initiative. Tell crappy boy “great job!”

  13. Keri says:

    betcha he gets some sales now! ๐Ÿ™‚ loved this post!

  14. Megan says:

    I love this! Go Crappy Mama for teaching him about the right attitude regarding a job!

  15. Jen says:

    I LOVE that you did away with the whole Having-a-Job-as-a-Means-to-an-End attitude! And I love even more the fact that Crappy Boy found a job he enjoys (thus far) so much. Pure Awesome.

  16. Heather says:

    That is really stinkin’ cute! I am a little jealous that your 5-year old has had more success than I have on Etsy, though ๐Ÿ˜‰

  17. What is mama’s cut on the action? I would take at least 50% for supplies, inflation, pain and suffering, etc.

  18. Lisa says:

    What an adorable idea! The cards are super cute! I hope he makes enough for that LEGO set ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Ceri says:

      Well if the LEGO set is the Bat Cave one he has a CRAP more cards he has to sell. Does crapy boy want to outsorce? I bet I could get my son to make some cards like that for a cut in those proffets, so he can earn some money for his lego bat cave…. being that he caved when daddy took him to the new and used lego store last week on a build your own mini figures, he is back down to zero! And this crappy mama has a crappy job so “Santa” just isn’t going to be able to supply that bat cave this year. ๐Ÿ™‚

  19. Danielle says:

    That’s pretty awesome. Way to learn!

  20. Christy says:

    What an awesome littl entrepreneur. You are an awesome Mama too!

  21. Cassi says:

    Total parenting WIN! You are the queen of moms today.

  22. Dora says:

    WOW! this is awesome, adorable and so moving!

  23. Modern Mom says:

    Ah. An entrepreneur in the making. A boy after my own heart. Love it!

  24. Marleen says:

    Great stuff! With the audience you’ve got Crappy Boy will have to start painting some more cards asap!

  25. Lisa says:

    Wow, those are really great! Congrats on your start as an artist, Crappy Boy!

  26. Sara says:

    My kids had an “art show” at Easter and sold about 20 paintings and drawings to their grandparents, aunts, and uncles and each made $20 that day! Unfortunately now everytime they draw a picture for their grandparents they say, “I wonder how much she’ll pay me for this!” Not exactly the sweet little scene I aim for.

  27. Amanda says:

    Hooray for Crappy Boy! I’m excited for my yellow set. They look fantastic in the photos. ๐Ÿ™‚

  28. Oh, no! Now I want to buy one! But… um, all of my excuses sound ridiculous since it’s only $7 total.

  29. Kayla says:

    You should move his shop to storenvy.com! They won’t take any of his profits, it’s free! I checked out his shop, those are actually REALLY COOL CARDS!! I’m thinking about buying some 0.0

  30. Crystal says:

    SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!

  31. Brittani Cook says:

    I just checked out his site. His cards are beautiful & so creative. If I had a credit card I would buy some right now! Keep making those cool cards crappy boy, you’re doing a great job!

  32. OMG I LOVE those cards! I make cards all the time but these beat mine totally! And your boys…look at how cute they are!! Congrats to you and your boy! I really hope he does well! I will totally buy some cards from him <3 and I love their long hair! SOOOO cute!

  33. Melanie G says:

    very cool. i just favorited his Etsy shop ๐Ÿ™‚

  34. Kim says:

    Way to encourage that creative and entrepreneurial spirit!! What a great mom!

  35. Maria C says:

    They are super cute. I just tweeted them and posted them to my facebook page. Hope you get MANY sales!

  36. wendy says:

    you are such a good mama…creative,inspired, encouraging, and the cards are awesome!

  37. Chris says:

    They went like hotcakes! Tried to buy one, the first one disappeared, the second was snatched out of my cart before I could buy it! Go CrappyBoy!

  38. Enid W says:

    Awesome! Maybe he’ll be a featured seller… My Etsy shop has been woefully neglected, but I just renewed a few items. I do love making little packages and shipping them out!

  39. Natalie B says:

    Little entrepreneur on the loose! Those cards look fabulous btw! Keep up the good work crappy boy!

    PS I can’t believe I spelled “entrepreneur” correctly on the first try. I’m pretty impressed with myself.

  40. lisa says:

    Aww, no cards available for sale.

  41. Heather says:

    That is the most kid empowering thing I have ever heard of. Good on you, crappy mama and congratulations to crappy boy.

  42. Kristyn says:

    i love them! and they appear to be sold out!! congrats crappy boy! i’ve been trying to start an etsy shop as well. not as successful.

  43. sarah says:

    omg he sold out lol ๐Ÿ™‚ good advertising mama

  44. Rebekah says:

    I was totally going to buy a stack and HE SOLD OUT?!! Better get start pulling some all nighters! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  45. Fallon says:

    I went over to buy some and there were no more! Looks like he was very successful! It’s a shame because I’ve been in the market for some thank you cards ;).

  46. Jessica says:

    I tried to buy some but they are not available ๐Ÿ™

  47. teagansmomma says:

    Am I missing something? I am new to the whole etsy thing. I clicked on the link and all the cards say that they are sold. Does this mean that they are sold out? I really wanted to buy some!

  48. What a fantastic idea! He is so bright! Great lesson mom! So glad he is learning how business works. And I love their little shop! Does Crappy Baby get a cut too? ๐Ÿ™‚

  49. So I went to look at the cards & they’re all sold out already haha! Better get the boys back to work! Now he needs to learn the lesson of supply & demand. They actually look pretty cool. That was a great idea that you had & I really love the lesson.

  50. Adriane says:

    OMG this is adorable. I’m so proud of him (and you!) for finding himself a job he loves.

  51. Sarah says:

    He sold out! Time to get him back to work for all those adoring fans who have nothing to buy currently!

  52. Rachel Ellis says:

    This is the most impressive and adorable thing I have ever read. Way to go, Crappy Boys! I will have to buy some when he gets more inventory done!

  53. Hope Walker says:

    Ahhhh! Is he sold out? I was going to buy some and can’t see any!

  54. Lulu says:

    That is SO DANG CUTE. His Etsy shop is empty now! I can’t wait until he makes more so I can see them!

  55. Tracy J says:

    If he puts some more up, I will definitely buy! I love supporting kids in their dreams!

  56. Deborah says:

    Will he be making more? I really like them and would like to purchase a set or two. Maybe it will inspire my kids to go into business too! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  57. linda taylor says:

    They are ALL SOLD! Dang!

  58. Jenny says:

    they’re sold out! way to go, crappy boy!

  59. Jo says:

    Oh, holy crap, this IS adorable! I love it! I have no money though, or I’d be there in a flash to buy some. I will, if they stay up there! So great… my daughter would LOVE this but I reckon the market will be pretty saturated with ‘adorable kid art’ by the time she gets round to this, but hey! I might give it a go anyway.

    You did great on this one, Mama!

  60. Cassie says:

    I looked on his Etsy shop hoping to snag up some original Crappy Boy art, and I was both thrilled and heart broken to see that he’s sold out already!

  61. Monica says:

    Beautiful cards! I’m sad they’re sold out. Go Crappy Boy!!

  62. Jen W says:

    I *love* that the shop owner is “Crappy Boy Dusick” – so cute!!!

  63. Catherine S says:

    Sold out?! Ossimsauce! Way to go Crappy Boy!

    <— When they're in stock again I want to buy a set or two!

    ๐Ÿ™‚

  64. Velvet says:

    This is the best idea ever!! I may have to borrow this idea before the next family event where my son has access to people who carry cash!

  65. Colleen says:

    I just love this! I hope my boys will be so inventive one day! (Currently, they’re only almost-2 and almost-3-months, so they get a pass… for now…) And that’s a total parenting win, in my book, to have Crappy Boy love his job! Yay!!!

  66. Carley says:

    The cards were beautiful. Great job everybody.
    Also, I find that I’m a little disappointed in the UPS man and the mail carrier for not buying cards.

  67. Kim says:

    That is awesome & super adorable. So, how long did it take him to sell out?
    Another teachable moment! Never take on a sponsorship without adequate stock. ๐Ÿ™‚ I bet he’s going to be able to get more than LEGOs!

    • amber says:

      Yes, that is a good lesson! But I think he’ll be satisfied with the amount sold. He has enough to buy the LEGO set he wanted so he is basically rich.

      • Ceri says:

        Your son must have cheaper tates in lego sets than mine…. My son wants the darn bat cave. They will retire it before he has enough!!!

  68. Bekah says:

    What?! How is his store sold out already? Very impressive! ๐Ÿ™‚

  69. Annie Wendt says:

    I hope he sells some more through this post! That is awesome.

  70. Kara says:

    This is really a great idea for kids! And his entrepreneurial spirit is fantastic! It’ll be interesting to see where he goes from here : )

  71. Amanda N. says:

    How cute! And original. Way better than a lemonade stand! ๐Ÿ™‚

  72. MarineMommy2012 says:

    Sold out!! I wanted to buy some! Is he going to make more?

  73. Adrienne says:

    This. Is. Amazing. Parenting WIN!!!! I am both incredibly disappointed and absolutely thrilled that he sold out!

  74. Erica says:

    That is so awesome, great job, Crappy Boy! And your patience, putting together his site with him!! What is going to do with all his cold, hard cash?

  75. Laura-Leigh says:

    After reading this I thought, “surely no one has bought his sets of cards. I’ll just swing over there really quick and help out a starving artist. It’s the least I can do. And I can check off that I did my one good deed for the day, especially since I’ve said the F-Word at least 3 times today and barked at my assistant because she did something wrong.”

    They were all gone. Rats. Now I gotta find something else to do to get that good deed checked off. Thanks a lot.

  76. Aleigh says:

    Dammit, sold out! I want Crashy Cards!

  77. Tanya says:

    Wow. I love, love, love all your posts, but this one I LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am just kvelling at the vision of crappy boy getting so into his art, and then being so excited about selling it, and then opening up his own etsy shop. LOVE!!!!!!! Congratulations to him and to you!!

  78. Carolyn says:

    Oh my gosh, I was so crushed at the end of the post when I thought it was sponsored and that the story hadn’t been true . . . but HALLELUJAH! ๐Ÿ˜‰ LOVE this story so much! Way to encourage and support him, and MAJOR kudos to him for having so much stamina and persistance! (And for the record, if any had been in stock, I was thinking about buying some just to help out! I see I was beat to the punch!) The next time he wants to make money, and if he wants to post something in his Etsy shop again, make sure you tell everyone on Facebook that he has restocked ๐Ÿ˜‰ Adorable!

  79. Sarah says:

    Nooo, they sold out and I reallllly wanted to see one.
    Anyhow, thats awesome, so congrats to your boy on selling out of his cards!!!

  80. That is the sweetest thing – and pretty brilliant!

  81. Kate McCully says:

    This is AWESOME. Gutted the cards have sold out though ๐Ÿ™

  82. Kay says:

    Love it! Congratulations Crappy Boy! I went to Etsy hoping to buy some of his cards to support young artist but they were sold out. Looking forward to more cool stuff to come!

  83. nadine says:

    this is so adorable, I wish there were more to buy. few things legit warm my heart, but i’m feeling puppies and kittens and rainbows right now.

  84. I hope he makes more, those are really beautiful!

  85. Michele C. says:

    this is just too sweet!!!!

  86. Amber H says:

    So. Stinking. Cute.
    And the cards are really great. I’m sad they sold out before I saw the post! ๐Ÿ˜›

  87. Ashley says:

    His cards are fantastic. I’d buy a set. Let us know if he gets the urge again ๐Ÿ™‚

  88. Laura K says:

    Short term benefit: learning lessons, find your bliss, yadda yadda yadda. Long term benefit: in 15 years, business mogul with his branded Crappy Cards, puts Hallmark out of business, is so grateful to mom that he buys parents a mansion complete with pool, cook, and maid.

  89. I’m considering a custom order. This is adorable!

  90. Jennifer says:

    OMG this is the best!! What an amazing experience. I’m actually jealous!

  91. Mary says:

    My little sister was exactly like that when she was five. She started selling hand-painted things to friends and neighbors…and now she’s all grown up and makes a living off her artwork. Yay for art! Yay for Etsy! http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeatherKent

  92. Andrea says:

    Rats, I missed out! I hope more are coming!

  93. Robonanny says:

    Has he read Harry and the Dinosaurs? Cos it’s reminding me of the one where Harry makes cards to save endangered animals… ๐Ÿ™‚

  94. Erin M says:

    I really really want to buy some — please convince him to make some more, they are wonderful!!!

  95. Katie says:

    Can’t believe they’re all sold out – I think it’s a great idea! Maybe I’ll set my own kids to doing that. ๐Ÿ˜€

  96. Sara says:

    Maybe this is because I am 9 months pregnant and hormonal, but that brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful mother to help nurture this inspiration! You have inspired me too. The pride and excitement he must’ve felt! And your willingness to go the distance and sell them online! He must feel so valued. That is what creates a firm belief in one’s self. Great teaching moment and well done. I speak for myself too when I say most parents would’ve crapped out after the birthday party!

  97. DefOAWife says:

    Those cards were totally awesome. I hope that he DOES eventually make more even though he can now get his legos ๐Ÿ™‚

  98. Debbie says:

    That is seriously awesome!

  99. Charlotte says:

    I just checked out the sold section in his shop and I have to say I am jealous of those who managed to nab some cards! They look great!

  100. Shelley says:

    So, now that he has made all this money, what does he plan to do with it?

    • amber says:

      There is a LEGO set he has been dreaming about.

      • Jessica B says:

        Not to be a Debbie Downer, but next lesson: putting a percentage of your income into savings! You can probably wait on taxes though :-/

  101. Jen says:

    LOVE LOVE LOVE this, what an amazing, creative son you have! and you are awesome as well for letting him go for it!

  102. LeahM says:

    That is so awesome that you helped him take his ideas and make them happen. I love the Etsy shop! If he’s already having these kinds of ideas and seeing how they can pay off, you can bet that he’ll have plenty more!

  103. Stephanie says:

    That is super impressive! I love that you encouraged and helped him to do this, and that he was so successful! LOVE!
    (and the cards look fantastic, too – very well done, all the way around!)

  104. Kat says:

    Oh wow, those cards were lovely! Crappy boy has some talent there! ๐Ÿ™‚

  105. Mara says:

    The cards are sold-out! I wanted to buy one! ๐Ÿ™‚

  106. Lesa Pinker says:

    Love! What a great story. Lots of lessons learned for all (including me!) I’m guessing that demand for the cards will continue based on this, hope Crappy Boy can keep up on the supply end!

  107. jackie says:

    You should update your crappy pictures of the kiddos, didn’t know they had long hair. Was a bit surprised by that, seeing as you draw them with little or no hair, and yes, I realize that 5 and 2 year olds have hair barring some type of accident with the scissors.

  108. Marlaina says:

    I absolutely love them!! Awesome work crappy boy!!! ๐Ÿ™‚
    If you decide to go into business again, I’ll buy some cards for sure. ๐Ÿ™‚

  109. Linda R says:

    Wait… totally not fair! I didn’t know there were cards to be purchased! I am a total notecard/stationery junkie!!!

  110. mama nalyn says:

    awww he’s so cute!!! you have a very smart enterpreneur right there ๐Ÿ™‚

  111. Veronica says:

    i want to buy some! how cute!

  112. Danielle says:

    Those are some really beautiful cards they made! Very creative. What a great idea selling them on Etsy. PS: I love their hair! My boy has long hair too. ๐Ÿ™‚

  113. Heather says:

    I also noticed that in her crappy pictures, the boys are always bald (well, Crappy Baby has one curly cue), but in real life the boys have long hair! Love the curls on the little one!

    • amber says:

      ‘Tis true. When I started the blog the cartoon versions were pretty accurate. Changing it all the time would be too confusing, me thinks. Especially since Crappy Boy likes to grow his hair out and then chop it off about once a year.

      • Jessica says:

        They have beautiful hair! I love that you let them grow it out, I will encourage the same for my curly haired little man also.

  114. Sam says:

    This is a fantastic post, and I am so glad that you encouraged him to do something he loves for his first job. Great mum! And I just looked at the cards and think they’re pretty amazing. Go Crashy Cards! Let us know if he starts his own line in Christmas cards…

  115. Jessica says:

    Fantastic, and the cards were beautiful too! Great job Crappy Boy!

  116. Ruth says:

    It says there are no more in the shop. Are there any more that are going to be available soon? ๐Ÿ™‚

  117. Jessica says:

    If and when he decides to open up shop again let me know. I’d be very interested in buying some crashy cards ๐Ÿ™‚ He’s so cute

  118. Jodi says:

    What an incredible act of love – that’s a ton of work!! Great job mama!

  119. lisacng says:

    How absolutely adorable! Sell more!

  120. Gretchen says:

    This is the most awesome thing ever!

  121. Ellie says:

    What a wonderful, can-do story! I think I want to be you when I grow up. ๐Ÿ™‚

    I love his tie-dye t-shirt, btw. And their hair. And their artistic methods. I’d definitely buy and use those cards, and yes, as someone said earlier, it’s very like ‘Harry and the Dinosaurs Go Wild’ where Harry (and his dinosaurs) make cards to sell to help endangered animals.

    And I am SO setting my 4 yo to work tomorrow. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  122. Cassandra says:

    Love this story!

  123. Jennifer Spencer says:

    That is so incredibly adorable! Good for you and your little man. I bet he feels 10 feet tall lol.

  124. Jenn says:

    Wow. You are an amazing mom. Thank you!!

  125. Tiffany says:

    How are you ALWAYS inside my life?! Just yesterday, my five year old eight year old, and I were discussing my five year old’s small business launch – selling her art! She suggested that after we sell to everyone we know, she should sell it “on that place where you always pin stuff from!”

  126. Daina says:

    I think this is my favourite crappy story ever, just gorgeous. And you are one amazing and wonderful Mamma!

  127. Harrison says:

    I love how you can see the un-mown lawn in the etsy pictures!

  128. Linda says:

    I love it! You must be so proud!

  129. Dee says:

    very very impressed with crappy boy

  130. Jenny says:

    Fantastic! Shall keep that idea up my sleeve if ‘we’ need addition income. I mean ‘he’. No i mean ‘we’.

  131. sarah says:

    *grumpy face* nobody ever bought my etsy stuff… :/

    so awesome!! ๐Ÿ˜€

  132. Raphaelle says:

    I just had to have a look at the cards, I would definitely buy some, if he made more, they are really nice! Good job, Crappy Boy ๐Ÿ™‚

  133. Neo says:

    Parenting. You’re doing it right. *Filing this parenting trick for the future.

  134. Kelly says:

    That is gorgeous! What a great lesson!

  135. melissa says:

    This is the greatest thing, like, ever. If he decides to keep selling his cards, I am SO buying some!

  136. Lisa says:

    Love this! Making and selling cards was my first job too (a good 20-some years ago!)

  137. Brandy says:

    Great job!! Wish we had of saw them before they sold out, we would of loved to buy some!

  138. Elizabeth says:

    How gorgeously enterprising! I hope when I have kids they are as motivated as this to succeed!

    Sounds like you have very clever (and creative) kiddies! Congrats.

    P.S. Had a squiz at CrashyCards, they look amazing. Very disappointed that I missed out!

  139. jamye says:

    Wish I had known, they look amazing!! I would buy!

  140. Tara says:

    He has great marketing sense to boot! Your readers are the exact right market for him to target! ๐Ÿ™‚ I love this post for just so many reasons. I bet he is walking pretty tall and confident today, knowing he accomplished his goal.

  141. Rachel S. says:

    awwww!!! what a great idea! and super dedicated mommy!!!

  142. Stephanie says:

    I agree – let us know when he makes more. I’d love some. Way to go, Crappy Boy!

  143. April says:

    I LOVE this post! Your blog is the only non-crafty one I read and I’m so glad I subscribed. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Those cards are quite impressive.

    Now he can buy more cars to crash together. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  144. Shona says:

    “I can’t mess this up. I want him to learn that a job can be something you love. That is an important lesson, one I wish I learned early on.”

    Amber, you are a beautiful mum. I love this wisdom. I’m going to use this.

  145. Lj says:

    You’re a great mommy!! Love this!

  146. Jen says:

    Way to go!!!!! What an entrepeneur!

  147. K says:

    I think this is my favourite post yet! Brought a tear to my eye, actually ๐Ÿ™‚ Bless him, little chicken.

  148. Melissa says:

    My heart just melted into a puddle on the floor! That is the sweetest thing I’ve heard. The cards looked so good too! Congrats Crappy Boy (and to Mama for a lesson taught) ๐Ÿ™‚

  149. Jessica says:

    This is awesome, and one of if not THE favorite in my collection of memorable stories from you <3 GOOD JOB Momma!

  150. Emily says:

    1) The cards are absolutely awesome! And I’m so bummed that I didn’t get to buy a set before they were sold out!
    2) Do you know how long it took me to get 13 sales on Etsy?
    3) I’m glad to know that what I do for a living is something a 5 year old does in an afternoon. I am clearly working too hard and am immediately putting my baby to work… as soon as she wakes up from her nap!

  151. Carolyn says:

    You did a terrific job parenting Amber. So much more energy than I have. Hopefully I will use this story to inspire MY parenting!

  152. Woolies says:

    Are you serious? SOLD OUT? Are you going to announce when there are more for sale? It will be like THOSE BIG ETSY SHOPS, when they announce that on a certain day at a certain time they will stock a certain item, and then 7 zillion people try to buy it at the same time and the seller makes their 20th million dollars. Which has never happened to me. Yet. A girl can dream. Please tell Crappy Boy that we are waiting for more….

  153. Pretty nice! He did a great job with this and what a great lesson to teach.

  154. Tara says:

    Hopefully he will make more! I would buy a set! ๐Ÿ™‚

  155. Jo says:

    My 5 yr old son made a crown for a May Day festival this Spring with spun wool and felt flowers (he does not spin or sew) which I fell in love with and wanted for myself. He made me buy it off of him for $1. I gave him an extra $1 so he wouldn’t try to resell it to me when he forgets that I bought it from him in the first place. The deal had an extortion feel to it so I’m mixed on what the long-term manifestation of his industriousness will be. I did not try to sell my art when I was a little girl. ; )

  156. Vicki says:

    This is brilliant! I’d love my little Diva to try this but most activities end after 3 minutes in our house. I will bookmark this for whatever point she does start wanting work. In the meantime she would like to be a party planner so that she can go to lots of parties. Apparently they get to run and to jump.

  157. Adeline T says:

    Did Crappy Baby get a share for his cards contribution? =)

  158. Abi says:

    Dear Amber,

    This is so inspiring! Like you, my husband used to have to mow the lawn when he was a boy and now refuses to mow ours because he hated the chore so much. We are definitely going to use your method when our son decides he needs money! Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

    Abi,
    London, UK

  159. Outi says:

    The cards are SO beautiful! And what a wonderful, happy post this was. I got tears in my eyes :’)

  160. Jems says:

    Too sweet! Let us know when the CrashyCards are restocked so we can place our orders. Maybe for Christmas? Red and green paint? ๐Ÿ™‚

  161. JoF says:

    Top parenting points (note to self to follow same approach when my three year old gets to this stage) and beautiful cards! Awesome teamwork Crappy Mama and Crappy Boy!

  162. Rachel says:

    Ha ha, awesome!

  163. Jessica says:

    What a great idea. I tend to set up a whole chore chart system and then forget to have them do the chores and/or give them money for doing said chores. I end up with very disgruntled household employees. My daughter really wants to do a lemonade stand, but it seems like so much work….

  164. Julie says:

    Brilliant. And it’s great that you could use this blog to contribute to his marketing, since he’s contributed so much to the content of your blog.

    Listen, native plants are the way to go. We got rid of our front lawn a few years ago and put in natives and have not had to water even in drought conditions. Weeding involves noticing something odd coming up on the edge once every couple of months and pulling it out with one hand as we walk by to get the mail. Boy is it easier and prettier than anything else we’ve ever tried. And we’ve done a lot, from perennials to stupid grass to corn. We do still have some grass in the back and side of our house, but not so much that we need a gas-powered mower. My 8 year old can do an OK job mowing with the little push mower. But we’ll get rid of it all someday, I hope. Just be sure to get natives specific to YOUR soil and immediate area. We have “oak savanna” plants, for example, not just plants native to Michigan.

  165. Kate Wilson says:

    I’m seriously jealous that Crappy Boy has had more Etsy sales than me. Because I have 0. lol! That’s great for him though! I was more bummed that they’re sold out already. Darn my need to sleep instead of reading your blog!

  166. Rebecca says:

    His cards are beautiful! Wish I’d seen your post before he sold out… I would have bought a set simply because I really like them. Please tell him he is a very talented artist!

  167. Jaclyn says:

    This story is so cute, I nearly died of the cute. Cute dysentary. Also, his cards are so pretty! I’d like to buy some if he makes more!

  168. Melanie says:

    Please make more!! They are beautiful!!! Great Job!

  169. Sallie says:

    Those cards are so cool! I would totally buy a set if he made more. But I understand if playing with cars is a higher priority right now =)

  170. Christine Shen says:

    What an awesome story and “way to go” Crappy Boy! ๐Ÿ™‚ I always love your drawings and stories but the one thing that cracked me up this morning was seeing how you drew the cat sneakily trying to escape while the UPS guy was at the door. Hilarious!

  171. Raquel says:

    This is the cutest thing ever. You both must be (and should be) incredibly proud! BTW, does Crashy Cards ships to South America? I’d love to buy me some of these cards.

  172. You are totally ruining your rep as a crappy mom. This is brilliant parenting, but don’t worry. I will tell NO ONE.

  173. Shannon says:

    OMG that is pretty much the cutest thing ever!!!!!!! Thanks for helping me think outside the box with my son!

  174. Damon says:

    He might be at the stage in his career where he’s ready to pay someone else to make the cards so he can play with trucks and go golfing with his buddies ๐Ÿ˜‰

  175. Leigh says:

    Loved this – it made me cry. Such a sweet boy.

  176. Sarah S. says:

    What a great story! And he did such a good job on the cards! :D. (my kids also only ever ask me for money. :P)

  177. Jules says:

    That is SO FREAKING COOL. And I just checked out the sold cards on Etsy; very pretty!! Good job, Crappy Kiddos!

  178. Tell him to make more, I would so buy them, the art of letter writing is almost dead. I try to write a letter to someone once a week! And I’m so glad he found a “job” he loves, because that is awwesome!

  179. Kim says:

    So. Freakin’. Awesome. I’m so inspired! Might have to put my toddler to work! ‘Bout time she started pulling her weight around here, lol!!!!

  180. CuppaJo says:

    That. Is. Brilliant.

    My daughter loves to make pictures and cards and always wants to sell them, it NEVER occurred to me to actually let her! Brilliant, I say!!

  181. Laura says:

    I don’t see the photos many have referred to, which show crappy baby and more of the yard. I don’t want to sound like a stalker or anything, but I was curious to see more of Crappy Baby – where are the photo(s) people are talking about…??

    PS: I completely love the cards (as well as the post, but that seems like a given!) – I was surprised at how pretty they were and truly wanted to buy some had they been available!

    • Jill B. says:

      They were in the listings on Etsy.

      • Laura says:

        Yeah, sorry, I guess I should have specified that I looked on Etsy, and at the profile, and all I see is the pic of Crappy Boy smiling while crouching over his cards… Oh well, unless I’m missing something (please point it out, if so), maybe I’ll just assume Amber just decided there were more photos there than necessary and took the extras down.

  182. Dre Fagan says:

    ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!!
    I favorited the shop and will gladly buy the next stock! soooo cute, and what a wonderful lesson/story! <3

  183. Stacey says:

    I am not a mom yet, and still, I love all of your blog posts! This one especially! I know you had to work hard to help your son do this, and I am confident he will remember this awesome “project” for the rest of his life! You are such a fun mama!

  184. Amy says:

    You should convince him to make more! They are really good – I would totally buy a set

  185. Karin says:

    I can see my 5yo art fiend getting into this idea. Are you supplying the paper and envelopes pro bono, or will you make him purchase his own supplies in the future?

  186. Emily says:

    Love the cards. I might use it for inspiration in my art classes. I wish I had read this earlier and had gotten a set of my own.

    If Crappy Boy wants to diversify his products or even just for fun, he should try wrapping paper. I did this as a kid and it is so much fun. You unroll the brown craft paper roll, pin it down, and then paint away! When it is dry, you roll it back up and save it for your present!

  187. Sarah says:

    I love the support and encouragement you give your son. It’s a wonderful gift, and he’s so lucky to have such a savvy and talented Mama! I have a feeling he is a talented boy, as well. ๐Ÿ™‚ Great job!

  188. Jessica says:

    Love it!! I would like to buy a set or 2 of cards, will more be added to Etsy? Thank You for your daily blogging, makes me smile and lifts my spirit ๐Ÿ™‚

  189. TC says:

    Aw, that is darling.

  190. Kirsten says:

    Not that we know each other or anything, but the impression that I have when I read your posts (even the ones about when things go terribly, hilariously wrong), is that you are a really great mom. Just sayin’.

  191. Loni says:

    My etsy shop has been open for almost 3 years and I gave up. Your son has more sales than me!

  192. Lana says:

    Wow. His Etsy site looks better than mine! …And I think he makes more $$ than I do too, lol! I really hope he keeps it up, the cards are really beautiful!

  193. Vivian Bouza says:

    Your boy is so cute!

    I love how you feel the need to explain yourself in your own blog. ^_^

  194. Jamie says:

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story and I LOVE Crappy Boy’s cards! My dad is a small business adviser and starting when I was a kid he encouraged me to be an entrepreneur, which was one of the biggest gifts he could have given me. How wonderful that you are supporting him the same way. In high school I painted holiday windows and RAKED it in; later I became a design consultant. Go, Crappy Boy, and may you never have to have a crappy job!

  195. Barb says:

    My daughter-in-law forwarded me your blog, as I also make greeting cards. I just had to say I Loved it! I’ll be looking to see if he moves on to new adventures or posts more in his shop. I would definitely buy HIS cards! Love your pictures and the comment that he is too busy playing to make business decisions. Started my day out perfectly!

  196. craftyashley says:

    What a great lesson! I’m glad he was so successful. You have officially given me I’m-a-lame-parent complex. Congrats.

  197. Alissa says:

    Adorable. Good Job Crappy Mama!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  198. oilandgarlic says:

    those are beautiful cards. If Crappy boys gets tired of these, he can hire other kids to do it. I volunteer my kids (once they’re old enough to splatter paint!)

  199. Cindy says:

    I love that you took the time to listen to his very first request to “have a job”. That you listened and let him guide himself. And what a smart boy he is! He thought of something he really could market and you had his back. Good mama! Love the etsy shop. Fabulous. Be proud of that boy and keep being the wind below his wings! (I’m not normally that cheezy, but this was a fantastic post!) Made me happy.

  200. LizM says:

    This is a BRILLIANT idea! I so hope my kids can have a positive experience with jobs like this–of course, I guess it has to start with them wanting a job.

    Would’ve bought a set if they hadn’t sold out.

    Ps. I played crashy cars with my brother when I was little too. We even called it that.

  201. Kelly says:

    Amber, I love this story as much I love dark chocolate–which is a lot. I make up businesses in my sleep (and when I’m awake), so all of my 9 kids are always starting up businesses. My 13-yr.-old son, a very gifted artist, started a portrait sketch business and made hundreds of dollars last Christmas (then asked me to “temporarily shut down the website so he could play Legos ;-)) He still runs artbyashton.com and is thinking of a new business building small furniture/wood items. I love that he’s not only thinking of the product end, but he enjoys, as I do, the marketing/brand design stuff too.

    My 7-yr. old is obsessed with big machinery and wants to run a “machine-rental” business. So I ordered him business cards with his picture, name, and “owner to be” on them.

    Entrepreneurs…it’s the stuff America is made of, no?

    Your blog niche is brilliant, by the way.

  202. Moji says:

    Great job on teaching him about making money. Perhaps, when he has next his money making business, you will also teach him about saving for his future. It’s never too early to start saving for college. I suggest putting away 10% of the profits. He’ll never miss it and also learn the next most important thing about managing money.

  203. Julie V. says:

    Amber, these are beautiful! Please, please let us know if there are more! Way to go, Crappy Boy!

  204. Ken says:

    This is great. We’ve had a lot of different sales stands at our house. Recently my five year old decided to sell some of his art. He had me write down the words to “Jingle Bells, Batman Smells,” and he illustrated it, and then sold the copies for 25 cents apiece. He got a few sales, but more fun was that all the neighborhood kids wanted in. We set up the easel in the yard and they were all drawing pictures and suggesting we charge to *do* art here. It was fun and I was all excited about it but my five year old had no interest in doing it again.

  205. Karen says:

    adorable! Mine wanted to sell balloons by the road. He settled with “you can have a lemonade stand the next time we have a yard sale.”

  206. Deneen says:

    Yay!! Good luck to crashy cards!!

  207. So adorable!!! And the cards are lovely. I am SO impressed!

  208. Christine says:

    Amazing job! The cards look absolutely gorgeous — he is one talented (and at least temporarily highly motivated) artist. ๐Ÿ™‚ Hope he re-enters the card-making business one of these days; his cards are really beautiful and fascinating to see.

  209. Amazing! This blog looks just like my old one!
    It’s on a totally different subject but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Outstanding choice of colors!

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  211. Christina says:

    Impressive! I’m working on opening my own shop but, man.. 5yrs old! & I must say crappy mama.. crappy boy has far better artistic skills.. your crappy picture of his crashy cards does them little justice.. they ROCK..

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  213. michelle says:

    I saw this stroy after checking out the tye dye t-shirt post, WOW those are some beautiful cards! I don’t know if it’s because I am a momma of 5 myslef but those really are wonderful!! Great Job!! ๐Ÿ™‚

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