Adairville eighth grader Chase Smith had his hands full at the Reality Store on Wednesday morning.

He was a farmer with four children and he was trying to figure out a budget, all while carrying around a crying baby.

The Reality Store, a 4-H program, offers students a taste of what life is like by assigning them a career, salary and family and then challenging them to make a budget that will cover all the expenses most families have.

Students visit various stations such as housing, groceries, child care, insurance, transportation, furniture and others where they must make choices about what they can afford. They can’t spend more a month than they bring in, so if they go over budget, they must rethink some of their spending.

“It makes me think what it’s going to be like,” Smith said of the Reality Store. “I don’t like it.”

Logan County 4-H Extension Agent Gary Michael Templeman said between 800 and 900 students took part in the Reality Store during the three days it was set up this year at the Extension Office. Templeman said the event is made possible by 4-H, the Family Resource Centers and the many volunteers who help out.

The goal of the Reality Store is to make young people think about how their career and life choices will impact them in the future.

“I think it’s an eye-opening experience for a lot of kids,” said Denise Grayson, a volunteer working at the housing station.

“I think a lot of them are surprised by how much things cost,” added volunteer Debbi McReynolds.

Olmstead eighth-grade teacher Kelly Hardison said she thinks the Reality Story is a great lesson for the students.

“It teaches them how to budget and plan things,” Hardison said. “And they really enjoy it.”

“I think it’s awesome,” said Adairville eighth grader Latisha Jackson. “It gets us ready for the real world.”

Jackson’s Reality Store scenario had her as a veterinarian with four children whose husband did not work. She said it wasn’t easy making a budget to cover all their expenses, but she did it.

Her friend Courtney Barnhill agreed that budgeting was a challenge.

“It was nerve wrecking,” Barnhill said, “because I was running out of money constantly.”

Chandlers student DJ Lee said he learned that, “you can’t always get what you want.”

Ian Woodall, also a Chandlers student, said in his scenario he was a construction manager who wasn’t married and had no children.

“It makes it a lot easier if you are single,” Woodall said he realized.

Contessa Davenport was stressed out after her round at the Reality Store. She had been given a crack baby to carry around while making her budget.

“It cried the whole time,” Davenport said. “I felt really bad for the baby. I wanted to cry.”

Despite the challenges, most students seem to enjoy the Reality Store.

“We want students to have fun and learn at the same time,” Templeman said.