Tomorrow is the big Harleysville Country Fair Days parade. It is the last day of the Harleysville Country Fair and the official kick-off of the Memorial Day Weekend. Every year, our office hosts an open house during the parade. From 10am to 1pm, we serve free hot dogs, soda, and water ice. We have a moon bounce, face painting, and a mini golf course set up for the kids. We have giveaways and balloons. All in all a very festive event and everyone is welcome to come.
And the highlight is the parade marches down Main Street (right past our office) at 11am.
The parade is nothing too fancy. It is comprised of community groups (some walking, some on makeshift floats), marching bands, old fashioned cars, horses, carriages, fire engines, etc. One of the best parts is everyone throws out candy to the kids, at least that is every kid's favorite part of the parade.
Well about six years ago we had a life changing moment for my daughter (and me). My daughter Caroline brought her friend Sierra to the parade. Both girls were nine years old and really excited about the parade.
NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON THREW THEM ONE SINGLE PIECE OF CANDY! NOTHING!
Everyone threw the candy to the younger kids and completely passed over our two girls. Disappointment and sadness is an understatement for how the girls felt. Caroline, holding back a tear, said to me afterward, "I guess we're too old. They gave it all to the little kids."
Here is a picture of Caroline and Sierra at nine:
I was speechless and not sure what to say. I offered to buy them candy but I knew it was pointless and not the point anyway. It was the sudden realization that a kid can't be a kid in today's society. People treat you differently as you get older. But at nine, you are still just a kid.
It didn't seem fair, but LIFE IS NOT FAIR.
On the way home in the car, the girls said they didn't even want to come to the parade the following year. I looked them straight in the eye and said,
"Next year, you will have to figure out a way to make them WANT to throw you candy."
The following year, Caroline got busy the day before the parade. She took a huge red toy bucket and a piece of posterboard. She cut a big hole in the poster and drew rings around the hole and wrote "BULLSEYE!" at the top. I asked her what she was doing and she said,
"I remembered what you said. It's a target. They will want to throw me candy this year."
That's my girl!
Did it work? LIKE A CHARM. Every single person in the parade threw candy at that bucket. No one could resist ('cause we are all kids at heart). It was practically overflowing by the end of the parade. Caroline and Sierra were passing out candy to all the other kids after the parade because they got too much!
The girls used the Bulleye Bucket the following year with the same success. After that, they passed the bucket down to their little brothers. Here is a picture that made the local newspaper:
The boys used the Bullseye Bucket for a couple years and then passed it on to my nephews. The bucket broke last year so it is no more unless my nephews decide to recreate it.
Caroline and Sierra are planning to attend the parade again tomorrow and they are bringing another friend Marisa along. The girls are 15 now and more interested in seeing if there will be any cute guys at the parade.
Candy? Forget about it!
The lesson here is sometimes in life we have to look for a different approach to help us achieve our goals or overcome rejection and obstacles. And unfortunately, most people need to start learning this at a very early age.
Happy Memorial Day!
~Lisa
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