When is too young, “too young” to teach business planning? So your kid want’s a new bike, or if a bit older, want’s his or her first car. Historically, we would teach them to save their money… Earn an allowance, do a few extra side jobs, and so on… But, let’s be honest, most of us did or probably will, buckle in and help them out more than they deserve. After all, these are our kids.
However, as we begin the slooooow exit from the “Great Depression – Take Two”, are there more than “savings” lessons we need to teach our children? When is it too early for someone to have a personal mission, vision, and goals? Why shouldn’t I begin teaching my children (at least my eight year old) some of the same, and quite simple methods that businesses use to achieve their goals? Can you teach an eight year old to strategize on the best way to achieve their short and long term goals – or identify them at a minimum? If my daughter want’s a new American Girl doll, how will she best utilize her resources to obtain that latest version of the same doll that’s been produced for decades?
Oh, come on,… who am I kidding. I thought I could author a crafty little blog entry on how we can begin teaching our children Strategic Planning Methodologies when they are eight years old. Am I nuts? Yes, I am! Let the kids be kids, and let us not steal their childhood by forcing the real world on them too early. I’ll wait until she’s 10, then the business books come back off of the shelf!