{summer ♥} Bean Auction

My fond memories of hosting my own bean auction parties in 4th or 5th grade have now been usurped by hosting a bean auction party for my kids. 

2. Call a friend to do the same and come on over. Make sure friend’s mom is okay with (a) friend donating items from his room or their gift closet for the sake of alleviating boredom and (b) friend coming home with junk to fill the space those things came from. 

3.  Beans. Each kid needs a cup of ’em. Use a glass cup so they can literally see how many beans they have left in there (trying to make this educational, you know). For this first attempt, I gave each kid an even 40 beans. Next time, I’m going to give beans as answers to questions….such as…. 

• Did you brush your teeth today? Yes = 1 bean
• Did you contribute more than 3 items to the auction? Yes = 3 beans
• Did you put your flip flops away today? Yes = 2 beans (obviously more valuable to me than clean teeth)
• Did you tell your mother you love her today? Yes = 5 beans

4. Be a full-fledged, fast-talking auctioneer, showing off each item and making it totally desirable.

5. Be prepared for the donor to suddenly believe your fast talk and change his or her mind and bid on his or her own donated item.

6. Choose the order wisely–mix up lesser desired items with more highly desired items.

7. Adore your child when he bids on a craft donated by your daughter and then immediately gives it to you, saying that you were saying such nice things about it, you sounded like you really wanted it.

8. Laugh hysterically when son is cheering at his win of the King-sized Hershey Bar for 28 beans after a tight bidding war with his sister only to have his friend jump in during the “going once…” talk to drive up the bidding so that son spends all 40 beans on one chocolate bar in total Wonka style.