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Sep
29
Mini Entrepreneur Project For Little Hands
My oldest daughter has 5 little ones under 8, hence, little time for starting a home business. Instead, several times per year during our church’s consignment sales they make sweet treats that puts $50 – $100 each each time into their family’s “Fun Fund”.
Along with her 3 oldest daughters, ages 8, 5, and 4, they make fresh baked tollhouse cookies, package 2 cookies in a baggie, and sell them for .25 – .50 cents (depending on size). They put the bags of freshly baked cookies in a pretty cloth lined basket on the checkout table and they sell out fast! It’s a great way for your little ones to learn how much fun entrepreneur-ing can be! Trendy Tip: Rachael suggests selling some sugar-free goodies, because she’s been asked several times if she has any that are sugar-free! Chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies have been her biggest sellers so far.
Take your cookie biz to the next level by making a little 1″ x 3″ card (or use a business card you print on your computer) advertising your cookies custom baked to their occasion. Punch a small hole (use one from your scrapbooking supplies) in the corner and tie it onto each bag of cookies with a pretty ribbon.You will also want to make a nice little sign for your basket of cookies telling the price and why you are doing this. A picture of your little cooks on the sign is a delightful touch!
If they are old enough, you can show them how to figure out how much each package of cookies costs them by writing down all the ingredients and how much you paid for them. It gets a little tricky for them when they have to figure out how many cups in one bag of flour – and if you grind your own from a bucket of grain…well, if you need help, don’t call me!
Some other goodies other than cookies you could make and sell:
Rice Krispy Treats
Homemade Granola
Brownies (M & M’s on top look yummy!)
Caramel Corn
Gorp – mix those raisins and peanuts with melted chocolate chips
Bundt Cake slices
Granola Bars
Haystacks
I’m sure you can think of more ideas by going through your cookbook!
Also, if you have a good relationship with any local shopkeepers, ask them if you can put a basket of your cookies by their checkout. Bribe them with a plate of cookies for them to eat : ). Be sure to put put fresh ones out on a regular basis. Nothing will give your cookie business a bad name than someone getting a stale cookie!
Sep
29
Think Big TV Series Is Looking For Young Inventors!
Hurry, deadline is September 30! Think Big TV series is still looking for young inventors between the ages of 8-16 that have achieved some level of success with their invention to cast on their show. It doesn’t need to be a big success, simply recognized by your school or some agency as having some potential. Read all the details here:
http://bkfk.com/Modules/Corporate/castingcall.aspx
Watch a video clip from ‘Think Big’ here from SchoolTube:
Sep
28
8 Ground Rules To Teach The Art of Listening
Learning to be a good listener does not come naturally. In fact, it’s rather difficult. It is something that can be taught and is a rare trait in today’s ‘what about me’ world. Give your children this valuable life skill that will enhance their relationships, their leadership abilities, and problem solving skills. We’ve all heard that there’s a reason God gave us TWO ears and ONE mouth!
Families that do a good job homeschooling their children through high school are always attentive to covering all the academic bases. They know ahead of time what they will need to get into college even if their emerging adult is saying (now) that they don’t want to go to college, because they know that can change. They also have the foresight to insert the electives that will serve them through out any profession (like typing).
What about some of the social skills that sometimes are picked up in daily life lessons . . . but sometimes not? One of these lessons I believe is easily overlooked is the (lost) Art of Listening. ‘Looking out for #1′ as the prevailing attitude in today’s culture is not a revelation, I know, but has a strong undertow. Genuinely listening to others is a character trait that will not only please God but will most definitely set them apart in the business world. It’s a trait found in every good leader and good marriage.
I confess, I did not teach my kids to be good listeners. That’s not to say that they don’t listen well to others, but as they say. . . hindsight is best sight. There are some simple techniques that you can teach your children now while they are tied up in the chair homeschooling is ideal. They may file this information in the closet for a decade or so, but tidbits like these plant a seed that will sprout at the right time.
So……..HOW do you teach good listening? Here’s eight ground rules to start:
1. Empathize with the speaker. Somtimes people think that playing the devil’s advocate and helping whoever is talking see the other person’s perspective is helpful. Maybe in certain circumstances, but to be a good listener you want to try to completely empathize with who you are listening to and see it from their POV.
2. Listen, don’t think. The key to learning the art of listening is to do only that – listen. Most people are actively thinking about what they are going to say next, or formulating a response. Train yourself to listen and put yourself in their place.
3. Body language is key – Two simple things to remember that go a long, long way to communicating are eye contact and leaning forward just a little. Nodding in agreement and other body gestures are good, too. Learn what ‘mirroring’ is.
4. Fully understand what they are saying. At appropriate moments, ask questions to be sure you understand the situation. If they are not clear on the sequence of events, or if they are using “they” “he”, etc, make sure you know what they are describing. Attempt to re-create the experience they are relating to you in your mind.
5. Give them 100% of your attention. Never answer a cell phone during a ‘listening’. So rude. Even on the phone, you can hear if someone is doing something in the background.
6. Avoid any and all distractions. If you must attend to something like a crying child or the like, then say ‘excuse me for just a moment’ and remember where you were at in the conversation. When you return, remind them where you were in the story.
7. Be silent. This can be the hardest part. Resist the temptation to immediately relate a similar experience of your own, or tell them what YOU would’ve done in their situation. Right now, just completely understand what they are telling you.
8. Share your opinion AFTER you are asked for it. Sometimes people don’t really want an opinion, they just want to someone to listen. When asked for your opinion, check back on what they are asking an opinion on. Sometimes it’s not what you think.
There is much more to learn on the subject, but it’s not rocket science. It’s creating an awareness of a social grace that is often overlooked in today’s “What about me?” world. It’s a rare trait in the competitive business arena, but it’s also vital in talking with your teens or spouse. If we can think of being a good listener as a part of having good manners like remembering to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, the world would be a better place. It’s definitely one that I needed a refresher course on!
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2009/09/master-art-of-listening-and-watch-all.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Listener
More From HomeschoolEntrepreneur
Sep
20
How a Night at the Holiday Inn Teaches The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Many of you out there will wonder if I’ve gone a little looney, and others will know exactly what I’m talking about. After a few years of homeschooling, it starts to become second nature to see learning opportunities in everything you do, and developing the ‘Entrepreneurial Mindset’ is no different.
Teaching the entrepreneurial mindset is often as simple as noticing when a business is doing an exceptional job. Pointing out many of the details you might take for granted trains them to see how things are run from an owner’s point of view. This was an excellent example.
Last week we took a trip to my son’s college to watch him play soccer and spend a little time with him. He happened to be playing on a Tuesday night, and we returned home the next day. That evening we learned that my oldest daughter’s 2 year old, who has a rare condition called MPS1, or Hurler’s, had been approved for a bone marrow transplant. I’ll spare you all the details, but it involves a four (4) month stay in the hospital and the best hospital to do this procedure is 18 hours away (Minneapolis, MN) from our Tennessee home. This will put their family (my oldest daughter, her husband and MY 5 grandchildren) 18 hours away – in a hospital – over Thanksgiving AND Christmas.
Like many homeschool families, we are very close, and all live in the same area in Tennessee. Josh is the farthest away in college, a little under 3 hours away. So the thought of everyone being separated at the holidays was hard, but if it gave little Josiah a longer life, it was worth it, of course! Immediately we tried to plan a time the entire family could get together before they left for Minnesota.
So when the prospect of everyone getting together at Josh’s college, the only weekend that worked for everyone was the coming weekend. Yes, only 3 days after we had just visited. Sparing you all the details, it was the only time it worked for everyone before they had to leave for Minnesota. But there were still lots of details to work out… and it depended largely on if the hotel would work with us or not.
Long story short, we contacted the Holiday Inn in Dayton and explained the situation to them and made our requests. They replied promptly and were extremely gracious in their accommodation. I mean really gracious. I don’t want to tell you everything because I don’t want them to have to deal with all the extra requests they might encounter as a result, but I wanted to make a point that customer service is truly the commodity of the century-and they get an A+.
I know that hotels are supposed to be hospitable, but we have stayed in several places in the area, and that isn’t always what we have found. If you have stayed in many hotels, you know that quality varies widely – even in the same chain and star-rating. There were 12 of us that stayed in 4 rooms, and everyone noticed the service, the cleanliness and the AMAZING breakfast. However, the most outstanding feature was how nice and helpful ALL the staff were. It was definitely one of the best run hotels we have stayed at.
My point is that not only have they secured all of our families’ loyalty, but we’ll tell everyone. So they invested a little time, gave us a small discount and, IMHO, received a great ROI in return. One of my (grown) children even commented that they wouldn’t mind owning and/or running a hotel like this.
So next time you experience a company giving you extraordinary service and you have your children with you, point out to them how that makes you feel. Then ask them how that kind of service might affect a business. One of the best ways to teach the ‘Entrepreneurial Mindset’ is to make it a habit to notice how different businesses are run, and how it might be improved, and why. Sometimes exceptional experiences in certain establishments have even inspired young (and old!) people to go into that particular business.
By the way. . . that Holiday Inn is in Dayton, TN. Tell them the Maubach’s sent you. (They might even leave the light on for you…)
Sep
18
The Winners of The Summer Blogging Contest
I’m getting more emails every day asking about the winners of our Summer Blogging Contest, and wanted to officially explain why I didn’t post them sooner. I wanted my newsletter subscribers to get the ‘scoop’ first…afterall, there has to be some advantage to being a loyal subscriber! The other reason was, well… uh, umm…it’s been CRAZY around here! Now you know.
Here are the winners:
The Youth Category – Sweet Tea {Jesus} And Me. She won a custom hula hoop from Hoops For Healing!
The Homeschool Blog Category – Katie’s Homeschool Cottage. She won $35 worth of books from Benjamin’s Book Shoppe!
The MOM Blog Category - For Such a Time As This. She won the much coveted $40 Gift Certificate from Mere Minerals!
The MOMPRENEUR Blog Category – Homeschooling WAHM. She won the ebook from Generational Cedar, How to Make and Sell Your Own Skin Care Products!
The New (Baby) Blog Category – Gardening For My Family. She won Darren Rowse’s (ProBlogger) new book, 31 Days to a Better Blog!
Already announced, but wanted to have it all in one post….
The winner of the Reader’s Choice Award was Katie’s Homeschool Cottage.
The winner of the draw from everyone who commented/voted for their favorite was Crystal Gilliam.
Congratulations to all! Everyone will be receiving a badge to display their award on their blog soon.
A sincere thank you to our sponsors, and every one who took the time to enter their blogs. Anyone have any ideas for variations of the contest for next year?
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