Raising Future Entrepreneurs

This is a tongue-in-cheek blog. Sort of.

In May, I was picking my grandson up at school and noticed an interesting phenomenon. As children streamed out of the Pepin School in Easthampton, Massachusetts, a good number of them ran to a waiting parent, gave a quick hug or a peck on the check and then handed over their backpack for mom or dad to carry.

And those moms and dads took the packs. One father had his two children’s backpacks, one on each shoulder.

These children aren’t toddlers. They range in age from six to 11, and I think taking on their weight does them a disservice. We should encourage children to be strong and independent.

My grandson Eli has, a time or two—or 20—handed me his backpack or water bottle or his sports bag to carry for him, and I’ve said, “Nope, sorry Buddy. I’m carrying my own gear, and you need to lug yours.”

I can bet you those children who hand their packs over to a parent Sherpa without getting any push-back or protest will never grow up to be entrepreneurs. They won’t know how to work hard enough. (This is the tongue-in-cheek part. Sort of.)

Entrepreneurs work double time because they have to constantly find work as well as do work.

And entrepreneurs need experience in carting things around. They need to tote around materials such as business cards, brochures and other marketing materials and have them at the ready. That means carrying some kind of vessel to stow it all in.

Kids who foist their packs off on parents might be good candidates to become CEOs who excel at handing off jobs and delegating while running the show and providing direction. These kids could make good royalty too.

But seriously, though, today’s youth has it too easy, I think. They don’t have to walk to school in three feet of snow, uphill both ways. They get driven everywhere. They have cell phones and iPads and all manner of apps and software and videos and DVDs.

Let’s teach our kids that accepting life’s gifts brings responsibility, and that they should eagerly shoulder that responsibility to make them better, stronger and more equipped to take life head on.

Raise a kid who will have a shot at being a hard-working weight-puller. When they hand you a backpack, just say no.