It’s your duty as a parent to teach your children a thing or two, from how to tie their shoelaces to letting them know the importance of going to bed on time, but they can teach you a few things themselves. Seriously, consider the reasons why in this article, and then pay special attention to what your children do and say at home. You will be surprised at what you might learn as a consequence.
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Children can’t do everything
Your children will have skills and talents you can only dream of. But they aren’t good at everything. Some kids are great at sport; others have two left feet. Some children are wonderful with a paintbrush; others have no capacity to create more than an abstract blob. You can’t expect them to be good at everything they do, and the same is true to you.
Lesson: There will be times when your children will be reliant on you for help, and that’s okay. While you can teach them a few skills, you will also have to understand that no matter what you do, they will never be able to do everything. The lesson for you is this. You aren’t good at everything either. There will be times in business when you have to call in the professionals for help. This will help you get back to what you’re good at, without driving yourself crazy trying to master things that are beyond your talents.
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Children are curious
If there’s one word your child says that is guaranteed to drive you crazy, it’s ‘why?’ Why do I have to go to bed? Why can’t I touch the radiator? Why is the sea blue? Why why why??? Your kids are curious. They want to understand the reason behind what you tell them. They want to know more about the world. They ask questions, not because they want to infuriate you (not all of the time anyway), but because they don’t understand, and they want to learn more.
Lesson: Don’t take things for granted. Always have the mindset to learn more. Why should you try new marketing techniques? Why are profits low? Why do your customers behave as they do? Ask the important questions. Speak to your employees, customers, and other business professionals. Don’t be afraid to ask ‘why’ if the answer can make or break your business.
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Children like to be a part of something
Fitting in is important for children. They want to be accepted and recognised by family members and their peers. They try to fit in with groups at school. They create clans online when playing video games. They want to feel included, and they don’t like it when they feel isolated. It’s about having an identity, and it’s about having a purpose. It’s something we can all identify with.
Lesson: If you have team members working with you, ensure they feel included in your business. Don’t shut them out from important business matters. Listen to what they have to say. Ensure they are happy and part of the team, and not unhappy while sitting on the fringes. As your children create an identity with online gaming with clan tags and badges, do the same for your team with name and branded patches. Find out more about that here. It’s about fitting in, and your team will become more motivated and productive once they know you have included them in ‘your gang.’
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Children have fun
After the rigors of the school day, your children understand the importance of letting off steam once they return home. They chill out on the sofa and watch tv. They play games with their friends outdoors. They probably tug on your arm asking you to join in with their play and games too. Yes, they will have to do homework occasionally, but they don’t let that get in the way of that little word called ‘fun.’
Lesson: Once your work has ended for the day, make time for fun in your life. It’s about your work-life balance, as your life will be too dull and serious if you overbalance it with the work side of things. Let off steam by hanging with your family or friends, take part in hobbies you enjoy, and relax in whatever way is appropriate for you. You may not be as young as you used to be, but you can be young at heart, following your children’s example by having more time for fun in your life. You would be a very boring dad otherwise!
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Children take risks
Children show no fear, for good and bad. From riding their bikes down rough terrain to plucking up the courage to asking people to play games with them, they take risks on a daily basis. Yes, they might get hurt, and yes, they may face rejection, but more often than not, they don’t let these consequences hinder their risk-taking.
Lesson: Don’t confuse risk with recklessness. You see, your children can fall prey to the latter, especially when hurtling down hillsides on their bikes. But you can make calculated risks. Provided you have done your homework, you know what risks are worth taking for your business. It may be investing in a new piece of technology or trying a new marketing strategy, as examples. And if you do come a cropper? Learn from the experience, as your children do when they make mistakes. Sometimes, you need to take risks to grow as a person and to grow your business.
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Children are creative
Children are naturally creative, especially when playing. Making a fort from your laundry, or creating a rocket ship with the items out of your recycling bin, their creativity holds no bounds. They use their imagination by using what they have in front of them. And while video games have taken over in recent years, they are still no substitute for the world’s your kids can dream up in their heads.
Lesson: In business, you need to be creative. When you don’t have a lot of money to play with, you need to find creative ways to market your business on a limited budget. When you’re trying to outdo your business rivals, you need to be creative in the ways you attract your customers. You need to think outside of the box, use your imagination, and trust your instincts when coming up with ideas. Tried and tested methods are all well and good, but they are no substitute for what may come from your own imagination.
Finally
Business isn’t child’s-play. You do have to behave like a grown-up. But you can still learn from your children and the way they interact with the world. They can teach you how to run your business, and can provide an example on what not to do as well. So, talk to your kids, watch what they do, and consider what you might be able to learn from them. Then let us know what lessons you have learned as a consequence. Thanks for reading.
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