There are so many things we want to teach our kids: how to be polite, proper hygiene, how to ask good questions, and let's not forget reading, writing, and arithmetic.
But I would argue that some of the best lessons you could give your kid(s) is how to be entrepreneurial. How to look for gaps and needs and learn to fill them. How to bring value to people.
Those basic concepts will help ensure that your child will have an income. They will learn to get creative, bring value to people, and get compensated for that value. Whether they pursue starting their own business or a traditional job, that entrepreneurial spirit will help them succeed.
In order to teach them to be entrepreneurial, you probably have to demonstrate it yourself. Some kids are naturally inclined, but others need some guidance and encouragement. There are many resources out there that can help guide you and your child(ren).
Some simple tips to get you started:
- When your child sees a problem, encourage them to come up with a potential solution
- If your child asks for money, ask them what they could offer to others in order to earn those funds they are requesting
- Before your child is even old enough for a "real job", help them learn skills that they could monetize. Lemonade stands are okay, but what about teaching them how to create a template website so that they can offer that service to others? Think big and help your kids think big too!
One of the things my sister and I did as early as elementary school was running a bird business. We would have to hand feed the baby birds for several weeks and then we would sell them. Sometimes we found buyers, sometimes we were giving the birds away. But having to go through the process of "growing" our product and trying to find buyers was a great lesson in hard work and entrepreneurship.
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