How do you make sure your child gets the most out of their Children’s Business Fair experience?
It’s really simple… DON’T HELP!
We’ve seen it time and again. Young entrepreneurs who left to develop and launch businesses themselves without adult involvement, always get the most out of the Children’s Business Fair.
But goodness knows, stepping back is hard! It goes against every parental instinct. From experience, however, we know that if you are brave and become cheerleader rather than manager, you’ll enjoy watching your entrepreneur learn and grow like never before.
Here are five things you can do that will help your amazing young entrepreneur truly enjoy their experience.
- STEP BACK
Parents tend to add too much stress to children’s events. What is needed from parents are clear boundaries and backstage organisation. Then, watch them flourish. After all, this is not about you. It is about your young entrepreneur. - KEEP IT SIMPLE
Parents often make things too complicated. This is not Dragon’s Den or a business plan competition. Allow them to keep it simple. They can always come back to the next GCBF and improve their approach. - IT’S OK TO MESS UP
Parents tend to protect kids from failure. But we know that there is great value in your child not getting everything done in time or making mistakes. It will help them learn. Remember the adage that “there is blessing in a skinned knee.” - DON’T DO THE WORK FOR THEM
Parents tend to rob children of the joy of hard work. Don’t be tempted to do the work for the children. If the product or service looks messy, that’s ok; in fact, it’s great! - LET THEM BE THE BOSS
Encourage your children to make a good product or service, but never take the role of a business board, manager or owner. Do not rob the work environment of joy by prodding or criticism. Your child is Chairman, CEO, and owner. Let them be those things.
***During the fair itself, we actively discourage parents getting involved in selling to the customer or promoting the child’s product. Indeed, our judges have been briefed to mark down stallholders where parents engage in these activities. Please note that parents of younger children may sit in their booth, but the children are to be responsible for the setup, sales and interacting with the customers. This event is designed to give children a taste of selling a product. Please let them have that experience.
