The Summer My Kids Ran a Car Wash

My three kids, ages eight, ten and thirteen, decided to run a car wash in our driveway to raise money for the animal shelter. They made signs out of poster board. They borrowed every bucket and sponge in the neighborhood.

The first car was our neighbor's minivan. They spent forty-five minutes on it and got more water on themselves than on the van. By noon, they'd figured out a system. The thirteen-year-old handled money and the hose. The ten-year-old scrubbed. The eight-year-old was in charge of "drying and compliments."

People lined up down the block. A firefighter brought his truck through, which caused hysterical screaming. A grandmother tipped them twenty dollars "for the compliments."

By the end of the day, they'd raised $347. The shelter sent them a thank-you photo of the dogs they'd helped feed. It's on our fridge. The driveway is still a little soapy.