I’ve been reading Robert Kiyosaki’s books lately. You’d know Rich Dad Poor Dad. I’ve read another six of them. In so doing, the topic of teaching your kids about money and even business came up. Now, most of us, when faced with thinking about teaching our kid about business, think about chores, or maybe a lemonade stand. Those are all great ways to do it. In my case, I went a bit more modern.
In our case, Violette decided to start an eBay business, because it’s online, because it’s based on learning about sales and marketing, and because she likes shopping at yard sales (and her idea is to find items that might be hidden gems and sell them via eBay with her Mom). We picked up my friend Marsha Collier’s eBay Business All-in-One For Dummies (amazon affiliate link). It’s not exactly 8-year-old reading level, but she’s excited about it because she knows we’re treating her like a big kid with big plans.
Here’s a quick video of her with the book:
She loves drawing and playing and running around outdoors. Before reading parts of the first chapter, we were throwing around a little football. So, it’s not like she’s not getting a chance to be a kid. But she’s learning business early. Schools don’t teach it. And frankly, our public education system is setting kids up to be employees, not entrepreneurs.
My own parents did what they could to teach me about business growing up. Instead, I’m going to do what I can to educate mine with as many skills as I can wedge in there.
What’s your take?
(Oh, and if you want the book she’s talking about for yourself, or for your kids, here it is:)
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My take is you are an awesome Dad and lots of other Dad’s should follow your example. I’ve taught Jacob how to build computers and Allison how to fix time. *thinks* time to teach them about the business side of what I do like mining databases. 🙂
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Chris, my son turns 8 very soon and we discuss money with him, family financial goals and he sees how hard my husband and I work on our businesses. (I own Pilates studios / Greg DJs on the side.)
I very much am trying to raise my son to be a “creative type” with a business bent. I agree lots of schools just train kids to work in cubicles. Greg and I have always strived to make sure he doesn’t grow up with that attitude.
Nice Post 🙂
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I applaud parents who take an active interest in the education of their children, and encourage learning outside of the classroom. My own parents are both the “employee” type, but they always encouraged me and my sister to follow our dreams, plan for the unexpected and work darn hard. The education they gave me outside the classroom has often come in handy, and I know I wouldn’t be the same person I am today if they had just assumed that school was “it” for education.
I’m interested to see how Violet’s business turns out!
-Katie
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well done; might as well teach with a successful scalable business model
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I have been thinking of how to help my son understand money but with his cerebral palsy I am not sure how to best teach him about it. They don’t teach kids about money the way they did in my day going to school. I think the best thing for me to do is start very slow by creating a few simple chores I know he can handle in exchange for a reward like a toy, video game,movie, or other thing he wants or small amounts of money. Then once he gets the correlation between the action of getting rewarded for actions then start showing how to save. Then go from there.
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Way to go, V!
Super cool idea. I wish my parents had given me that kind of impetus. I’m hoping my kids grow up with a more pragmatic financial outlook than mine. Rewarding creativity is awesome but giving them a way to channel it is so much better.
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This is a great idea the internet is a great way for younger kids to get involved and learn business. All I had as a kid was mowing lawns and lemonade stand type things, nowadays kids can run a successful blog or website and not even leave there house. If anything it just helps them to learn responsibility and creativity. I have already shown my daughter how to get a blog setup and post her thoughts on there even though she only seven just learning how to read. Of course I don’t let her go on her own it’s all under supervision, the internet is still a wild place.
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My take is you are an awesome Dad and lots of other Dad's should follow your example. I've taught Jacob how to build computers and Allison how to fix time. *thinks* time to teach them about the business side of what I do like mining databases. 🙂
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My take is you are an awesome Dad and lots of other Dad's should follow your example. I've taught Jacob how to build computers and Allison how to fix time. *thinks* time to teach them about the business side of what I do like mining databases. 🙂
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Chris, my son turns 8 very soon and we discuss money with him, family financial goals and he sees how hard my husband and I work on our businesses. (I own Pilates studios / Greg DJs on the side.)
I very much am trying to raise my son to be a “creative type” with a business bent. I agree lots of schools just train kids to work in cubicles. Greg and I have always strived to make sure he doesn't grow up with that attitude.
Nice Post 🙂
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Chris, my son turns 8 very soon and we discuss money with him, family financial goals and he sees how hard my husband and I work on our businesses. (I own Pilates studios / Greg DJs on the side.)
I very much am trying to raise my son to be a “creative type” with a business bent. I agree lots of schools just train kids to work in cubicles. Greg and I have always strived to make sure he doesn't grow up with that attitude.
Nice Post 🙂
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I applaud parents who take an active interest in the education of their children, and encourage learning outside of the classroom. My own parents are both the “employee” type, but they always encouraged me and my sister to follow our dreams, plan for the unexpected and work darn hard. The education they gave me outside the classroom has often come in handy, and I know I wouldn't be the same person I am today if they had just assumed that school was “it” for education.
I'm interested to see how Violet's business turns out!
-Katie
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I applaud parents who take an active interest in the education of their children, and encourage learning outside of the classroom. My own parents are both the “employee” type, but they always encouraged me and my sister to follow our dreams, plan for the unexpected and work darn hard. The education they gave me outside the classroom has often come in handy, and I know I wouldn't be the same person I am today if they had just assumed that school was “it” for education.
I'm interested to see how Violet's business turns out!
-Katie
#
well done; might as well teach with a successful scalable business model
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well done; might as well teach with a successful scalable business model
#
I have been thinking of how to help my son understand money but with his cerebral palsy I am not sure how to best teach him about it. They don't teach kids about money the way they did in my day going to school. I think the best thing for me to do is start very slow by creating a few simple chores I know he can handle in exchange for a reward like a toy, video game,movie, or other thing he wants or small amounts of money. Then once he gets the correlation between the action of getting rewarded for actions then start showing how to save. Then go from there.
#
I have been thinking of how to help my son understand money but with his cerebral palsy I am not sure how to best teach him about it. They don't teach kids about money the way they did in my day going to school. I think the best thing for me to do is start very slow by creating a few simple chores I know he can handle in exchange for a reward like a toy, video game,movie, or other thing he wants or small amounts of money. Then once he gets the correlation between the action of getting rewarded for actions then start showing how to save. Then go from there.
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Way to go, V!
Super cool idea. I wish my parents had given me that kind of impetus. I'm hoping my kids grow up with a more pragmatic financial outlook than mine. Rewarding creativity is awesome but giving them a way to channel it is so much better.
#
Way to go, V!
Super cool idea. I wish my parents had given me that kind of impetus. I'm hoping my kids grow up with a more pragmatic financial outlook than mine. Rewarding creativity is awesome but giving them a way to channel it is so much better.
#
This is a great idea the internet is a great way for younger kids to get involved and learn business. All I had as a kid was mowing lawns and lemonade stand type things, nowadays kids can run a successful blog or website and not even leave there house. If anything it just helps them to learn responsibility and creativity. I have already shown my daughter how to get a blog setup and post her thoughts on there even though she only seven just learning how to read. Of course I don't let her go on her own it's all under supervision, the internet is still a wild place.
#
This is a great idea the internet is a great way for younger kids to get involved and learn business. All I had as a kid was mowing lawns and lemonade stand type things, nowadays kids can run a successful blog or website and not even leave there house. If anything it just helps them to learn responsibility and creativity. I have already shown my daughter how to get a blog setup and post her thoughts on there even though she only seven just learning how to read. Of course I don't let her go on her own it's all under supervision, the internet is still a wild place.
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I think it’s great you’re teaching her about business. Our kids see it every day to some extent… after school they go to our warehouse with my wife as she works there full-time. They have their own office where they can color and play, but they also get to help mommy a lot too.
I also think it’s supremely important to teach children financial principles and management too. That’s something that’s so critical to basic independence and yet isn’t taught in high school or college. They teach micro and macro economics but not personal financial management. ???
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I think it's great you're teaching her about business. Our kids see it every day to some extent… after school they go to our warehouse with my wife as she works there full-time. They have their own office where they can color and play, but they also get to help mommy a lot too.
I also think it's supremely important to teach children financial principles and management too. That's something that's so critical to basic independence and yet isn't taught in high school or college. They teach micro and macro economics but not personal financial management. ???
#
I think it's great you're teaching her about business. Our kids see it every day to some extent… after school they go to our warehouse with my wife as she works there full-time. They have their own office where they can color and play, but they also get to help mommy a lot too.
I also think it's supremely important to teach children financial principles and management too. That's something that's so critical to basic independence and yet isn't taught in high school or college. They teach micro and macro economics but not personal financial management. ???
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Nice idea, Chris. My guys are still just little young for this, but it’s making me think for the future…
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Nice idea, Chris. My guys are still just little young for this, but it's making me think for the future…
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Nice idea, Chris. My guys are still just little young for this, but it's making me think for the future…
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My son is only 3, so I’ve got a bit of time before I have to concern myself with all that. However, I don’t think being an employee is a negative thing, per se. I’ve been both an employee and a business owner, and both have their pros and cons. After all, if a business succeeds, it will eventually have employees, right?
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EXCELLENT POST!!!!! Good for you Violette! You’ll have so much to share with your class! Piper’s 9 and learning by following her passion…and developing skills along the way. Actually, Violette would love the show!
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This post has come at a good time for me. My son is 7 and we have had a number of false starts on earning allowance for doing chores. Something like this would be more fun and interesting for him, especially if he/we sold something of interest to him, the way Violette is. Plus it offers so many more teaching/learning opportunities than just, “Clean your room and I’ll give you $2.”
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Hi Chris,
I don’t even have kids yet but I know that among other things, like you, I will be teaching them the basics of business at an early age.
Both of my parents nurtured the creativity in me and my siblings: there was always music playing in our home, plenty of art supplies to keep the fridge door covered with our “artwork,” and enough crafts to give our loved ones as gifts for special occasions. It is understandable, as both my parents worked in creative fields (art director and writer). Although I believe nurturing creativity is good, I wish they taught us about business as well. Even in school, I don’t remember business as a requirement to graduate (secondary or post secondary). I think a lot of people would be better off learning the basics, even if they decide to become an employee somewhere, but to know they have other options.
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What a genius idea for a kid: reselling yard sale bargains. Was this originally her idea or did you present this idea to her?
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I 100% Agree – here is a talk I gave two months ago at TEDx called “Raising Kids to Be Entrepreneurs” (originally titled that with …Instead of Lawyers) at the end 😉
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCar_sFfEf4
Hope it resonates.
Cameron
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My son is only 3, so I've got a bit of time before I have to concern myself with all that. However, I don't think being an employee is a negative thing, per se. I've been both an employee and a business owner, and both have their pros and cons. After all, if a business succeeds, it will eventually have employees, right?
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My son is only 3, so I've got a bit of time before I have to concern myself with all that. However, I don't think being an employee is a negative thing, per se. I've been both an employee and a business owner, and both have their pros and cons. After all, if a business succeeds, it will eventually have employees, right?
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EXCELLENT POST!!!!! Good for you Violette! You'll have so much to share with your class! Piper's 9 and learning by following her passion…and developing skills along the way. Actually, Violette would love the show!
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EXCELLENT POST!!!!! Good for you Violette! You'll have so much to share with your class! Piper's 9 and learning by following her passion…and developing skills along the way. Actually, Violette would love the show!
#
This post has come at a good time for me. My son is 7 and we have had a number of false starts on earning allowance for doing chores. Something like this would be more fun and interesting for him, especially if he/we sold something of interest to him, the way Violette is. Plus it offers so many more teaching/learning opportunities than just, “Clean your room and I'll give you $2.”
#
This post has come at a good time for me. My son is 7 and we have had a number of false starts on earning allowance for doing chores. Something like this would be more fun and interesting for him, especially if he/we sold something of interest to him, the way Violette is. Plus it offers so many more teaching/learning opportunities than just, “Clean your room and I'll give you $2.”
#
Hi Chris,
I don't even have kids yet but I know that among other things, like you, I will be teaching them the basics of business at an early age.
Both of my parents nurtured the creativity in me and my siblings: there was always music playing in our home, plenty of art supplies to keep the fridge door covered with our “artwork,” and enough crafts to give our loved ones as gifts for special occasions. It is understandable, as both my parents worked in creative fields (art director and writer). Although I believe nurturing creativity is good, I wish they taught us about business as well. Even in school, I don't remember business as a requirement to graduate (secondary or post secondary). I think a lot of people would be better off learning the basics, even if they decide to become an employee somewhere, but to know they have other options.
#
Hi Chris,
I don't even have kids yet but I know that among other things, like you, I will be teaching them the basics of business at an early age.
Both of my parents nurtured the creativity in me and my siblings: there was always music playing in our home, plenty of art supplies to keep the fridge door covered with our “artwork,” and enough crafts to give our loved ones as gifts for special occasions. It is understandable, as both my parents worked in creative fields (art director and writer). Although I believe nurturing creativity is good, I wish they taught us about business as well. Even in school, I don't remember business as a requirement to graduate (secondary or post secondary). I think a lot of people would be better off learning the basics, even if they decide to become an employee somewhere, but to know they have other options.
#
What a genius idea for a kid: reselling yard sale bargains. Was this originally her idea or did you present this idea to her?
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What a genius idea for a kid: reselling yard sale bargains. Was this originally her idea or did you present this idea to her?
#
I 100% Agree – here is a talk I gave two months ago at TEDx called “Raising Kids to Be Entrepreneurs” (originally titled that with …Instead of Lawyers) at the end 😉
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCar_sFfEf4
Hope it resonates.
Cameron
#
I 100% Agree – here is a talk I gave two months ago at TEDx called “Raising Kids to Be Entrepreneurs” (originally titled that with …Instead of Lawyers) at the end 😉
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCar_sFfEf4
Hope it resonates.
Cameron
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“our public education system is setting kids up to be employees, not entrepreneurs. ”
Amen.
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“our public education system is setting kids up to be employees, not entrepreneurs. “
Amen.
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“our public education system is setting kids up to be employees, not entrepreneurs. “
Amen.