Starting Young

Kids and the internet has been a difficult subject for many people and I have discussed it in other posts so my view should be known. Just to get on the same page, I believe in education about the perils of the internet but I do not believe in shielding my children from the realities of the world. That said I also do not want to see my children have to work in job that they dislike. As any parent, I want something better for my kids.

So, I was pretty impressed when my 11 year old expressed an interest in wanting to start an internet business. I have a budding online empire of my own and my daughter has become interested in what daddy is doing. So, we sat down and had a talk about it.

The options that I see for kids on the internet, and I am sure that there are more, are ebay, any type of freelance work, internet marketing, and blogging. I realize that there is quite a learning curve with some of these business models so lets take a closer look.

Ebay is probably the easiest way for kids to get started on the internet, but it does take some initial upfront investment, but most businesses do. Helping your child invest in a business can be one of the best investments you will ever make. Buying and selling is about as simple as it gets.

When I say freelance work I lump a lot of different things into this category. Really anything contracted out on the internet that I do not understand. This could be article marketing, coding, WordPress template design, SEO, or any other variety of different things that kids are often very good at. This business model can often be started for little more than the time it takes to learn the essentials of the trade. For many kids this knowledge is almost inherent.

Internet marketing is a pretty straight forward business model that can also be started relatively cheaply or even for nothing. What this requires is an investment of your child’s time. If you can convince a kid to invest time into their future then you will have accomplished what many other parents only dream of.

Blogging is very similar to internet marketing and it can also be a very profitable venture if it is approached with a mindset of patience. There are many successful bloggers out there that have reached stardom in a relatively short period of time. This approach takes some skills and a good head for writing but it can be a great fit for some.

Getting a homeschooler started on an entrepreneurial road can be one of the most valuable lessons you will ever teach your child.