This is a sponsored post for Aviva Life Insurance's #EarlyStartersInitiative and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com
The pursuit of economic stability and financial freedom
is what keeps the world going. And we have, as a nation, contributed towards
this goal by churning out many a doctor, engineer, CEO and chartered
accountant! For decades, these have been the most respected vocations in our
country and every parent has aspired to have their children pursue one or more
of them.
But times are changing. Today, India is the fastest growing and the 3rd largest start-up
ecosystem globally, and with the availability of this new career
option, we parents now have our task cut out for us. Conforming to the norm of
our country, we all now wish to raise little entrepreneurs in our very homes!
But this is easier said than done. With so many qualities
required for an entrepreneur, where do we start?
I'll tell you where, we start at the very beginning with our
little bundles of joy. Young children are like wet clay, ready to be
moulded in the shape you desire; and qualities instilled at a young age, can go
a long way in helping our children in their entrepreneurial journey.
So for starters, lets begin with these 5 early habits that
we need to instill in our children to mould them into the entrepreneurs of
tomorrow!
1) Appreciate the importance of hard work
The road to success is uneven and our children are going to
have to compete fiercely and work very hard to make their space in this world.
How can we make things easier for them? By making things difficult for them!
Let me tell you how.
My second grader has recently been introduced to
multiplication tables in school. Every time I get a question like what
is 3 times 7 mumma? I retort with why dont we start from 3
times 1 and check what it is
Is it easier to just say 21 and move on
with my work? Of course it is! But that is the easy way out. And no one ever
ran a business taking a short-cut! Id rather she understand and appreciate the
importance of hard work and perseverance. how else will she understand how
sweet the fruits of labour can taste!
2) Appreciate the importance of why?
You say something and your child asks you why that is so.
You answer it and your answer is questioned againand this goes on and on till
you come up with because I said so!
Sound familiar? Well, if you plan to raise an entrepreneur,
forget the I said so. Get in the game! Dont let the questions stop. Instead,
encourage them. Try and answer all the questions and where you cant, tell your
child you should both check for the answer and get back to each other. (Dont
let her Google it, send her to a library.)
By answering her questions patiently and by making her
understand things in simple terms, you are encouraging a habit and her ability
to be able to question everything she sees around her. Constantly questioning
the norms and finding better ways to do something that is already been done
will go a long way in helping her for a better tomorrow.
3) Appreciate the importance of respecting others'
opinions
Can people flourish if they do not pay heed to others
happiness? Well, neither can a business. Questioning the norms does not mean
one should defy other people. Teach her to respect other peoples opinion and
have a healthy debate as to why something can or cannot be done in a particular
way. The foundation for this has to be laid at home, of course. No child will
respect others, if shes not respected in her own home. So parents need to
ensure that they ask her opinion frequently, give her choices, let her take her
own decisions where practicable; and let her feel her opinion matters. Rest
assured, she will treat others the same way when she grows up.
4) Appreciate the importance of responsibility - Know
that choices have consequences
Letting your child make her own choices is a good way of
teaching her to take responsibility for her actions. Give her choices and let
her know, no matter what choice she makes, she will be the one facing the
consequences. She wants a puppy? Do not deny her that pleasure, but make it
clear that she needs to be the one attending to it. Detail everything out for
her. Not to put her off, but to help her understand what she is taking on.
5) Appreciate the importance of self-reliance and
independence
The road to success is full of obstacles and no one can
fight your battles for you the sooner your little one understands this, the
better equipped she will be to face her future. Parents are the best support
structure for a child, but they need to be just that the support. Dont
spoon-feed your child, that wont help her at all. Instead, encourage her to
explore things on her own, encourage her to spend some alone time, encourage
her to do simple everyday tasks independently, encourage her to take risks and
see her confidence blossom!
By teaching our children to appreciate the importance of
these 5 things at an early age, we can raise confident, independent,
hard-working entrepreneurs, who respect others and are ready to take on the
world but dont forget, start them out young!
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