It’s not like I’ve worked with her with flashcards since her high-chair days (Oh, those commercials drive me nuts, pleeaaase!).

The teacher continues her excitement, “Yes! She is the only one in my class that has a full grasp on money and change.

Oh, I get it now! Perhaps this teacher doesn’t realize how many garage sales this poor little girl has had to endure. I did the dragging, but little Miss Math/Garage Sale Wizard did the shopping! This one ain’t shy. Before I can browse through a box of book titles, she is up at the card table asking if they would take a quarter for a toy, shoes or anything that sparkles.

She found out early that mama wasn’t going to buy her everything just because it was cheap. Really how many Little Pony’s do you need? That’s when she started taking (and buying!) little purses to throw all her found change in.

We started early.

At first she would need help identifying coins (The quarters are the big ones.). Then we worked on how much each was worth, followed by adding and making change.

She has it down, sometimes even assisting the poor little lady who is adding items with her industrial-sized adding machine next to her muffin-tin change organizer.

Last week my daughter was all excited saying that she had to get some old toys priced and, “Oh, could you make some cookies and maybe some granola bars?”

I’m thinking I must have missed something on a school note. It’s not like the teacher uses flashcards with us parents. I’m lucky to read school notes half of the time. But as I’m going through the assortment of gold star math papers, I find verification of my Little Miss Math Wiz demands — A Math Class Garage Sale.

Each child is to bring 25¢ in dimes, nickels and pennies along with low priced items. A math class garage sale! How ingenious! I wonder where are on earth the teacher came up with such a brilliant idea.

She’s a garage sale wizard
There’s got to be a twist
A garage sale wizard
She’s got a coin purse on her wrist

How do you think she does it?
(I don’t know)
What makes her so good?

She ain’t got no distractions
Can see the bargains and deals
Doesn’t let high stickers stop her
Pays only in small bills

Always gets a bargain
Never over-pays at all
That Math/Garage Sale Wizard
Sure has a bargain ball!