Encouraging Enterprising Kids

My husband and I recently invested in a business venture for our oldest son. He just turned eleven, and expressed interest in earning money for a video game console. We were given the opportunity to purchase an ice cream vending bicycle from an acquaintance for a discounted price. Needless to say, we have begun our journey into being the parents of a little entrepreneur.

As you know, being eleven years old drastically limits your earning possibilities. You are unable to "formally" hold a job position in a company. Babysitting is one choice, but my boy says, "That's for girls!" I believe my son will learn so many valuable life- lessons in this venture and earn the money he needs for anything he should ever want (including college!). Listed below are some of the benefits of childhood enterprise:


Value of Money Nothing can be more beneficial to a child than the realization of how much labor earns a dollar. You will find your child unwilling to spend his money on frivolous things, simply because he knows how hard he had to work to earn the cash. When your child asks you to buy him certain items, he will likely be more aware of the value of the item than before the business venture. I like to explain to my children how many hours Daddy has to work to pay for the things we buy. If we go to lunch together, I will say, "Let's thank Daddy for working for one hour to provide this lunch for us, and thank God for providing Daddy's job." This helps to put the value of money into perspective for a child, and also stirs thankfulness within their hearts.


Social Etiquette In the business world, there are social do's and don'ts. If your child is to succeed, he will need to learn these right away. Being polite, respectful and learning to set boundaries with others are valuable lessons to be learned. These social skills will be priceless as your child enters the job market as an adult or even as a teen. Excruciatingly poor social skills have been a complaint among employers as they interview young adults of this generation. As an adult, excellent social skills can be the edge your child needs to land the job/account of his dreams.