July 1st 2023.
Cristal Johnson and her 8-year-old son Cameron had a dream. The dream of running a lemonade stand and teaching two children the valuable skills of entrepreneurship. With the intention of creating a 'one-day apprenticeship' for the two kids, Johnson posted on social media last Thursday, offering two-hour shifts and a $20 payment.
"I was trying to teach them exactly what I'm trying to teach my son, just how to handle money. Customer service skills. Teach the little boys how to shake hands correctly. And just little things like that," Johnson said on Fox & Friends First. Cameron was running the stand to earn money to go to Disney World.
But instead of hearing from prospective apprentices, Johnson and Cameron were contacted by the Alabama Labor Department informing them that a complaint was filed claiming that their lemonade stand violated child labor laws. The labor department told Johnson that the lemonade stand had to be shut down because they could have profited by selling cups of the drink.
Upon hearing this news, Cameron was 'sad' and Johnson said her feelings were hurt. "I was shocked. There's no way a decent person would gather that I was trying to hire minors to do any type of work for me," she said.
Johnson does not know who reported her to the labor department. However, she vowed that the act will not stop their goals. "Although my heart was in the right place.. someone else's was not," she wrote on Facebook. "That person is no doubt reading this message, and this is for you: You CANNOT stop what is destined to be! You didn't win! All you did is make me figure out another way."
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