Security Through Self-Employment – raising South African Homeschool Entrepreneurs is a solution for our children.
Currently in South Africa we have an unemployment rate of 26,7% which ranks us in a high unemployment bracket along with some of the most ravaged countries in the world. While we know unemployment is a complex issue, it is pretty simple to improve it.
Create jobs!
Raise entrepreneurs!
Sound too simple? Probably, however we have the unique opportunity to raise our homeschooled children with an entrepreneurial mindset. Some may still need to go to college or university to get a degree to follow their passion, but we should encourage them to do so, with the intention of establishing their own business, being self employed or being entrepreneurial in their outlook.
We need to raise them to be job creators, not job takers!
There is no security in having a job and being dependent on someone else for your income.
Working for a boss is like selling your services to one client. If he drops you, your business is gone.
Now if you sell your services to many clients, if one drops you, your business can carry on!
When our children are young it’s easy to get them to bake cookies, make goodies to sell or set up a food stand at the local homeschool market, but how do we keep developing them in their teen years and through college, when they are much more distracted by the world and it’s bright lights?
- Make sure they still contribute to the home by doing chores
- Do not pay for everything they want, make them work for it in your home business or by getting a job
- Encourage talks about the economy, local innovation, South African entrepreneurs and world events around your dinner table.
- Speak about their dreams, passions and desires and how they can become realities and what steps need to be taken to a realise them.
- Expose them to people who are carving out a niche for themselves by creating their own companies.
- Don’t be too quick to toss their ideas and really hash out their plans with them to see if there is a possibility that their concept has any worth.
One of the biggest benefits and blessings of home education is the precious time we are able to spend with our children – and time with them flies past so fast.
Giving them your ear, being emotionally available to them, and giving them all the time they want and need is a privilege. Effectively we only have a small portion of their lives to build their confidence in us and to win their trust as sound advisors.
It is wise to use their early years to develop deep bonds with our children by making time with them a priority, so that when they get to their teen years and beyond, they will value our counsel and share with us their dreams and goals.
Join the Homeschool Entrepreneur Kids group on Facebook to get inspiration and ideas from other entrepreneurial families.
Read our previous article Entrepreneurships for Kids
Homeschool Entrepreneur Success Stories
Concept Art Homeschool Success Story
A homeschool graduate who taught himself concept art and design skills during his teen years, was commissioned to create the artwork for the Springbok rugby team which was aired on national television in 2015.
Homeschooler Establishes Guesthouse
A homeschooled graduate has launched her own guesthouse business on their family farm.
(Send us your child’s entrepreneurial success story to inspire other families!)
Homeschooler Wins Entrepreneurship Competition
Read how Niah Malan, age 11, won the prize for the most innovative Afrikaans product in the Tinteltong Entrepreneurship competition with her range of homemade, natural beauty products, called Boeremeisie Beeldskoon.
Entrepreneurs in the School of Real Life
When a skill like maths, writing or typing is needed for a real situation, there is a real reason to develop it.
A business gives children motivation for developing new skills and most importantly, helps to build the confidence and experience that they need to succeed in life.