Max and Mona’s Penny Power: A Story About Money
In a cozy apartment above a bakery lived a family of industrious mice – Papa Miles, a master baker with a flour-dusted nose; Mama Patch, known for her quick sewing skills, and their two curious kits, Max and Mona. Max, with his twitching whiskers and boundless energy, loved exploring every nook and cranny of the bakery. Mona, her fur the color of freshly baked bread, enjoyed helping Mama Patch mend clothes and gather scraps of fabric.
One sunny morning, a delicious aroma filled the air as Papa Miles emerged from the bakery carrying a basket overflowing with warm croissants. The smell made Max’s tummy rumble.
‘‘Fresh croissants for breakfast, everyone!’’ Papa Miles announced cheerfully.
Max and Mona squealed with delight. They loved the buttery, flaky goodness of the croissants, a special treat Papa Miles brought only on weekends. As they munched happily, Max noticed a shiny round object glinting in the basket – a coin! It was unlike anything he had seen before.
‘‘Papa,’’ Max squeaked, his mouth full of croissants, ‘‘what’s that shiny thing?’’
Papa Miles finished his breakfast and picked up the coin, explaining, ‘‘That, Max, is a penny. We use pennies and other coins to buy things we need.’’
Mona tilted her head. ‘‘Buy things? We don’t buy anything. We have all the yummy food we need here!’’
Papa Miles chuckled. ‘‘That’s true, Mona. But sometimes, we might want special ingredients or something we can’t make ourselves, like a new spool
of thread for Mama to mend clothes or some flour to make these delicious croissants. We can buy lots of different things with coins.’’
Max’s eyes widened. ‘‘We can buy anything we want with those coins? That sounds amazing. I want to have tons of coins when I grow up!’’ he said excitedly.
Papa Miles smiled gently. ‘‘Well, Max, it’s true that money is useful in many ways, and it’s great to have more of it, but money can’t buy everything. For example, money can’t buy happiness, or love, or health. These things are more important than money.’’
Max nodded in agreement, always appreciating his father’s wisdom.
Later that day, Mama Patch was mending a tear in Papa Miles’s favorite hat. ‘‘This needs a stronger thread, Papa,’’ she sighed. ‘‘My spool is almost empty.’’
Max and Mona, remembering the conversation about pennies, scurried over to their nest, where Max kept all his shiny treasures – a colorful button, a smooth pebble, and a sparkly feather. He proudly presented them to Mama Patch. ‘‘Here, Mama! Can you buy some thread with these?’’
Mama Patch smiled gently. ‘‘These are lovely treasures, my dears, but they can’t be used to buy things. We need special coins, like the one Papa showed you.’’
Max and Mona felt a pang of disappointment. They had so wanted to help their Mama. Papa Miles, noticing his children’s frowns, knelt beside them. ‘‘Don’t worry, guys. You can earn your coins if you want.
‘‘Earn coins? What does that mean?’’ Mona asked curiously.
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When you grow up, would you rather work a boring and stressful job that pays a lot of money or earn less money doing a job that you enjoy?
(This question introduces the idea of priorities by asking readers to prioritize enjoyment and financial security. It encourages them to think about what
they value most in a job and future career.)