By Bill Conley
Moral of the Story:
Money doesn’t grow on trees—it comes from hard work, careful planning, and
making wise choices. Every dollar a family spends is earned by someone giving
their time, effort, or skills, often in exchange for long hours of work. That’s
why it’s important to think before spending, to ask if something is a want or a
need, and to treat money with care. Learning how money is made and used helps
us become responsible, thankful, and smart with every penny.
In the heart of Sunflower Farm, a
curious little piglet named Penny loved to ask questions.
“Why is the sun hot?”
“Where do eggs come from?”
And one morning, as she saw her parents talking at the kitchen table, she
asked, “Where does money come from?”
Her mama smiled. “Money comes from
work, sweetie.”
“Work?” Penny asked, wrinkling her
pink snout. “Like chores?”
“Exactly,” her papa said. “But
grown-up chores. Jobs. We work, and in exchange, we get paid with money. That
money helps us buy food, clothes, and things we need.”
Penny’s eyes widened. “So… money
doesn’t just appear in your wallet?”
Her parents laughed. “No, darling.
Money doesn’t grow on trees. It comes from effort and sacrifice.”
That day, Penny began to notice
things differently.
When Papa left early in the morning,
she realized he was heading to his job at the feed store. He stacked bags,
loaded trucks, and helped customers—all to bring home a paycheck.
When Mama worked in the barn,
cleaned the house, and baked bread to sell at the farmers’ market, Penny saw
how tired she looked, even when she smiled.
That weekend, Penny spotted a shiny
toy tractor in the store window.
“Mama, can I have that?” she asked.
“It costs ten dollars,” Mama said.
“We don’t have extra money for toys this week. We have groceries and bills to
pay first.”
“But it’s only ten dollars!” Penny
whined.
Mama knelt down. “Do you know how
many hours Papa works to earn ten dollars?”
Penny shook her head.
“He stacks five heavy bags and helps
three customers. That’s nearly an hour of hard work.”
Penny blinked. “All that… for just
ten dollars?”
Mama nodded. “That’s why we have to
be thoughtful. Every dollar is earned with love, energy, and time.”
That night, Penny sat quietly at the
dinner table.
She looked at the warm bread, the
fresh carrots, and the milk in her cup.
“Did this all cost money?” she
asked.
“Yes,” Papa replied. “And it was
worth every penny—because it feeds our family.”
Penny swallowed a bite and thought, This
is more important than a toy.
The next morning, Penny asked if she
could help at the market. She handed out bread, smiled at customers, and earned
two whole dollars in tips.
She ran to her mom and held up the
money. “That was so much work!”
Mama smiled. “Now you understand.”
Penny didn’t spend her money right
away. She tucked it into a jar marked “Save.”
She made another jar called “Give”
and put fifty cents in it to help her friend whose bike broke.
The last jar she labeled “Spend,”
and she promised herself to only use it for something special.
A few days later, Penny returned to
the toy store.
The tractor was still there.
She held her two dollars and
thought: Do I really need it?
Then she turned and walked out.
When she got home, she ran to Papa
and said, “I didn’t buy the tractor. I want to save for something that matters
more.”
Papa beamed. “You’re learning
something even more valuable than money—wisdom.”
From that day forward, Penny became
the smartest little piglet on the farm when it came to coins, cash, and careful
choices.
Moral Poem to End the Story:
Money comes from work each day,
Not magic trees or games we play.
Be wise, be kind, and always pause—
Each dollar spent deserves a cause.
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