One of the things Maria loved to do was take the girls to the County Fair in August. This became a time-honored tradition, one which I hope we can keep up this year.
I will never forget the first time I visited the 4H barn with the girls and saw children -- small children -- tending their animals such as goats, rabbits, or ponies. These workers helped out on their family farms and were expected to do so from a young age.
It reminded me that, by the time my mother went to work at the United Nations, she slowly taught me how to clean the house and prepare basic meals for my father and myself. At age ten, I was able to cook, clean, and go to the market to run errands.
This was expected of me and I certainly was not paid for it. An allowance? What was that?