Networking: Encourage Children to Learn and Participate

Networking takes on many shapes, sizes and forms.  We can, and should be, networking everywhere, every day, wherever we go.  We talk about ways to develop and attract new business, help others to build their business by providing referrals for them and generally  encouraging and supporting other business owners as they move on through their growing pains. 

 

Well, that’s exactly what I thought was happening this past week.  A very good friend of mine, Charly Leetham popped into our Skype networking room and was all excited.  It seems as though Jenny Smart, from Cash Smart Kid was running a contest for kids who own their own business.  You can read more about it http://raisingentrepreneurs.org/blog/2008/11/03/and-the-winners-are/

 

It’s important that you remember what the rules of the contest were as you read the rest of this story.  Jenny devised a competition where the kids had to develop a 2 minute YouTube Video or write a Hub Page about their business. Two winners would be chosen.  She was searching for two entrepreneurs under sixteen to be featured in the 2008 Charity Book Project.

 

The two winners would be profiled alongside big names like Ben Casnocha, who started a software business at 13, and was CEO of a Silicon Valley start-up, by seventeen.

 

Charly’s daughter was excited about this contest and got right down to work.  She researched her market until she found a product that she enjoyed reading about and it happened to be about psychic powers.  Charly and her husband, Stuart, encourage their children to be independent thinkers and to work smarter, not harder.  One of the Leetham rules was that Rhiannon would have to research to find a product she liked, she would have to spend her own money to purchase the product because she had to know all about it before recommending that anyone else purchase it.  This product cost $100 of Rhiannon’s own money.

 

Moving on with this story, Rhiannon built a website and titled it That Psychic Girl and entered the contest.  This week it was announced that Rhiannon was one of the winners!  Her family was ecstatic as they received word of her winning before she returned home from school that day.  As proud parents do (and I would have done the same thing), Charly immediately sent out a press release announcing the contest winning.

 

This was done in order to keep a positive spin on this activity.  It was written to show that parents worked with their child, allowing them to research and find a product they liked and wanted to represent, had the child purchase the product with her own money and then build a webpage to sell that product.  Wow, if only more parents would encourage that Young Entrepreneurial spirit in their children.  As long as the parents are overseeing the online activities, I see nothing wrong in allowing children to have the freedom to express themselves based on their interests.  Making money was NOT the primary objective here – it was the process that was important and to be announced as a winner in the 2008 Charity Book Project.  A percentage of the proceeds raised from the sales of this product are to go to the winner’s choice of charities. 

 

Rhiannon has a great interest in internet marketing.  She’s learning it from her parents, she’s developing it under her parents watchful eyes and she donating a portion of her proceeds to charity.  What could ever be wrong with that?  

 

It seems as though there is a group of cyber bullies in action at the moment.  These bullies have posted Rhiannon’s video and posted quite a lot of nasty comments, bordering along the lines of defamation of character and totally destroying the good this child did with her site.  Why would these “bullies” try to ruin the good name of the parents or tear down this important moment for Rhiannon?

 

Would psychic powers be a subject I would pick for my child to write about?  More than likely, not – but then again Rhiannon’s parents did not select it either.  I think it’s wonderful to encourage children to think for themselves, do research and find out as much as they can about a product or service and then make some informed decisions.

 

I have no idea why these cyber bullies are out to destroy anyone else’s work.  Perhaps they are simply jealous that they have to hide behind the printed word as they keep their identities hidden.  Perhaps it was a parent or two of children who didn’t win the contest.

 

But really, let’s keep this positive and encourage our young people to get involved in something they love to do.  Help them learn more about the dangers and the rewards the internet can provide.  Teach them good networking skills.  Allow them to ask permission to join some community forums and write blog posts.  What a wonderful accent to their education.

 

As networkers we can help to encourage these tasks.  Won’t you help me to recognize the great work that these kids are doing and help to force these cyber bullies to be quiet and leave hard-working people alone.

 

What are your thoughts about this?  As a networker, what would you have done to help in this situation?  I’d love to see your comments posted below!

 

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