Why you should teach your kids entrepreneurship at an early age??

Times are changing, Parenting is a natural call that comes with love and discipline lessons. No parent that wants his or her kids to grow aimlessly. One being a parent at this century requires modern ways to guide kids. They have to grow with care and vision on their lives as they age.
Sometime back I had this parenting conversation with a friend. It was a different. One, I was young in college and not married. Two, our talks whenever we met majored on business, current affairs and fun chatters. You know having married friends while young some topics seem hard, weird or not necessary to talk about. On that particular day it chanced he decided we talk on the topic. Him being of age and experienced made me
more of a listener to it. He never hesitated to ask me my view. Just in my early 20s I had only opinions to it. My facts and explanations relied on how my parents brought me up. The discipline I received, beatings, threats etc… We laughed hard as I told him stories on the growth of an African child. The wrath that one could receive. More so on being canned with cooking sticks, slippers and thrown ‘sufurias’ at. Any African given an opportunity to express his or her childhood memories; you’ll be left wondering how they survived to grow! Long before, a lot of happenings shaped a whole lot of children. To their now mental, spiritual and physical growth.To be adults.

He laughed at the chronicles, Each time he’ll pose and ask me. Will you do that to your kid? I would answer, Yes.As long as it instils discipline. Since he is Indian, He narrated on his being brought up too. How they were beaten; Him being naughty. His parents always canned him daily. Talked him out on behaving well. I really laughed at how his memories were funny.We went on and on sharing memories.Taking few breaks in between to sip whiskey tots. In our talks I realised almost everything in growing as a kid was almost the same except business-wise. Which is a thing that is never talked
about in parenting. I asked him why he always tagged along his under 18 years son to his office. I had noticed most times when I visited. His son would accompany him to his company meetings. He gave a simple and direct answer. ‘I want him to learn how money is mined.’ I was dumbfounded. Introducing a young kid below 18 to business? Had never seen it happen elsewhere. Despite naivety of my age. Lots of parents are even to this era, He noted my amusement. He had to give me 101 on continuous parenting. His view Of his father. And great grandfather. He took me through the succession of their family business. How his great grandfather thought of solving water problems in the village he stayed.
He gathered information on building machines that could enable make water available. While at it he shared the information to his growing son. Later on, he (great grandfather) passed on. His son(father) with time managed to practice on the fathers’ (great grandfather) teachings.

Since school education was now available to locals, he(father) managed to gather some formal education. He managed to open a business selling spare parts of machines that drilled water. He took his son (my friend) to school alongside enlightening him on basics of managing and running the spare parts business. At times he (father) could leave his son (my friend) alone to handle the business. Despite being young. The little knowledge he had scooped from his dad, boosted his aggressiveness. The business grew
as his dad also grew old. He (my friend) took over the management after his dad retired. Remember he (my friend) was working under his dad for all this period since young, till college and after completing his degree course.
Now him being the managing director he has already introduced the business to his older son and daughter. They are managing the company’s offices/outlets in different parts of the world. His under 18 son will be the next one in line after completing studies. This answer was of a rare version of parenting. Why? Most African parents believe only in school (formal) education. Kids study to university with zero survival or money searching skills. Later on, after college they are rendered unemployed without
any ideas on what next. Mainly because, the school education sharpens only for white collar jobs. Lets not focus whether our African education system is right or not. It’s a broad topic. The talk with my friend never ended there. He still instilled 101s on how well one should enlighten a son or daughter at young age. He advised me when I get kids. Teach them on how good to save, invest and make monetary priorities.

Let them know making wrong choice will cost them money or a thing. He gave me example on how he takes his son to a supermarket and tells him to decide on what to buy. Ice cream or bread. Shoes or a shirt. He makes sure he buys what the son points. If he cries to him that he does not have a shirt and has a lot of shoes. He’ll ask him why did he choose it. Next time he should choose what he really requires. With that he’ll learn on priorities. Make kids know how to make good choices mostly with monetary value. Let them learn to save, help and choose right as young as they are. As they grow introduce them on how you make money that they spend on. They should learn how hard it is to get. They’ll know to handle it. Suppose you do not have a business. Visit a relatives or friend who got one. Tag along your kids. Let them be taught on how to make monetary gains. Without all that your kids will grow null in monetary responsibilities. I was mesmerised with the great advice. It was a lot to ponder on. Our talk was expensive. The young self just nodded all along his wise teachings. Great insights they were. He finally advised me on supporting a fathers’ business or if not start one for the future generation. While at it introduce it to the young ones who will carry it on once I retire. I was thankful for these words with a cheers. Am looking forward to hold onto this word among the many to my future kids. I decided to share this with you to uphold it to your kids if you deem it necessary. I think with every parent applying this,unemployment will decrease. Empower the young minds. It starts with action. This is how Africa will develop.

By Manus Kiage.