6 ways to help your child become a ‘kidpreneur’

Children at an early age acquire most of their skills at home and school. This varies from time management all the way to better communication, you know, soft skills required for success later when they grow up.

Entrepreneurship has been on the rise. This went from being a several-hour course taught in college to a global fad that even bloggers started cultivating. Startups are becoming the new 9 to 5. They’re increasingly important – and very sought after – for a lot of the companies and economies.

As an entrepreneur, you need to understand you’re someone who can identify many sources for new venture opportunities regardless of the product idea. The term entrepreneurship itself has been on the rise for the last couple of years now. It’s plastered all over the internet. From magazine covers to outdoor posters and e-newsletters. Being an entrepreneur requires bold risk-taking ventures. It’s important to teach our kids to help our children develop entrepreneurial skills from an early age. Here are six easy ways that will pave the way for your kid to grow up as an entrepreneur with the right advice and support.

• Start Young

According to the Entrepreneur website, The ‘Kidpreneur’ is a book that stokes a child’s desire to get involved in business early by fueling their curiosity in simple, engaging, creative and safe ways. The authors of the book said their goal was to outline some basic tools and strategies kids can use to gain some valuable insight in starting, managing and growing a successful business venture.

The philosophy behind the book is simple: “The future of our children begins with us.”
This brings us to the next intriguing point. Most people say “It’s never too late”.  The book however expresses it as “It’s never too early”. An enthralling approach for breaking down complex concepts into fun-to-read bits that any child will enjoy.

• Teach your child money matters

We should teach children how to make money and not profligate by buying trivial things they do not really need. We treat kids with candies and video games and that somewhat costs us a lot. When we do that, we unconsciously deviate from the most important lesson that we want to embroider in them, “money matters”.  A great way to teach children about this is to tie the weekly allowance with getting house chores done. This way your child will learn the true value of money and how to negotiate the cost for the services they offer.

• Stay posted

Being informed about all the school updates especially those related to your child’s performance is crucial to detect the areas of brilliance your kid has. A reliable app like SchoolVoice will help you stay posted and communicate easily with the school without wasting your time or money.

• Invest in what they like (not what they’re bad at)

A classic mistake that parents usually do is that they try hard when it comes to developing what kids hate instead of investing in what they naturally love – you never know, your kid might turn out to be a motivational speaker or a creative designer for apps. A well-balanced educational diet is crucial especially in the early years, so do not overlook what your kid is passionate about.

• Unleash their creativity

Instead of reading to them bedtime stories every night, give them some elements for inspiration and ask them to form a story. Play the audience, give them your undivided attention. Allow them time to creatively brainstorm and don’t give instant feedback before they are done. Activities like storytelling and role-playing will enhance their presentation skills and improve self-confidence.

• Don’t be pushy and let them be

Do not panic if your kid fails to answer your question about their dream job. Do not force them to memorize a model answer like becoming a doctor, lawyer or an engineer. Let them speak their minds with impunity. Try avoiding words like “impossible” as it gives a negative connotation. Support their dreams, their individuality and convince them into taking group activities to enhance their interpersonal skills. Never force a kid to keep on trying to excel in an area or activity that he explicitly hates. Let them find their passions by trying different things.