Do you want your kids to be Internet Marketers?

Neither of my kids are interested in IM. I would love it if they were and I've offered to get them set up and show them what to do, but they have no desire.

So I support them in whatever they're interested in (legal and ethical) and know that someday they may want a "website to go along with that."

Cheers,
Peggy

It's much better to show them all the options for what they can "be" - and let them choose their own path.

I disagree with teaching young children to "make money". I think there's a danger to creating a "money" mindset that ignores other qualities they need to develop.

Your children will grow up seeing how you work - if it appeals to them they'll let you know. As for education - I would encourage any child to become as educated as possible. The experience of higher education is not limited to book learning.

I've met many marketers who say they are glad they didn't go to college - or that they quit to pursue IM. I've never met anyone who said they were sorry they achieved a college degree.

kay

That's an interesting response.

That brings up another question - at what age do you introduce Internet Marketing to kids? Do you wait until 16 as butters suggests or do you not introduce them to it at all as someone else said?

In theory, that makes a lot of sense. At 16, most kids start to depart from their parents and listen to them much less so that can become more social, or learn more about themselves by doing things they want to do.

My stepson actually has a basic understanding of being frugal, and what I do for a living, which is buying foreclosed properties, commercial and residential, and either selling them for profit or turning them into rental properties which is more common. He actually understands this, and he's FOUR. This is something people in their 40's often don't understand. It's pretty damn amazing, he even understands working for something, and has a savings account of $27.14 that HE worked for by raking leaves (not doing a perfect job, but good enough)

Now he goes through a toy aisle and knows what he actually wants, if you pick up a crappy toy and show it to him, he literally says "So what?" and then he will tell you how he has $27.14 and he's saving it until he finds a 'super cool toy he really wants.' and he loves it. I was afraid that by teaching him about finances, I would be robbing his youth or something. Nope, not even close. He loves playing the money game, and I'm pretty damn proud of him. I don't know of any other 4 year old that understands how a credit card works, personally.

So everyone should be doing internet marketing and no one should go to college to become doctors, lawyers, engineers and teachers in 10 years?


Having/doing a 'job' is not all about money.

My son is 9 years old, very diverse, a LOT of interests, like every 9 year old.

This summer we are going to start building websites together. Every week or 2 weeks, whatever seems to flow best, I'm going to ask him what he wants to build a website about. We will then put one together, as we progress he will take on more of the responsibility.

I will also be setting up a corporation. All the proceeds from the sites we build will be paid to that corporation.

We will be accomplishing at least 2 things....

1. Teaching him about being in business and the power of residual income...set it up once, and make money. This translates to any business, and it sure beats getting a job.

2. A "nestegg" will be established within this corporation that will continue to grow over the next 8 to 10 years. He will learn firsthand the power of compound interest and other simple yet seldom understood or taught math principles.

When he gets to be 18 - Well, there will be some money there. If he wants to go to college (he tells me he's going to KU to play football), then there is money there for that. If he wants to "get a job", whatever that means 10 years from now, well, more power to him.

And, if he wants to live a life of freedom and explore his dreams, well, that foundation will have been laid for him to do that.

Personally, I think laying the foundation this summer of showing him how to build sites and monetize and manage a business and finances is just as important as teaching him when he was younger how to tie his shoes. It is a foundation that potentially offers him extraordinary freedoms as he grows into adulthood, and I can want nothing more for my child than for him to have the opportunity to explore and chase his own dreams.

Gently guide them, but let them choose what they want. Whatever makes them happy as long as it doesn't hurt anyone.

We should all be able to do what we desire within reason. You may have to guide them some when they are young, but don't impose your dreams onto them...

Lambert

If your cats are like mine, they're constantly running over the keyboard. Do you think that's a sign that they're interested in IM? I mean should we be springing for War Room memberships for them or something?

I don't have any children, so I can't speak from experience. I heard a radio show and on the show they had a guy who wrote a book about raising your children to be entrepreneurs. I don't remember the name of the book or the author, so I apologize.

When his kids were old enough to ask for allowance, he told them that they needed to come up with a way they can make money on their own.

Their son was 15 years old and started his own detailing business and was making $4,000 a month. He actually hired his friends to do the work for him while he found clients. Their daughter was somewhere around 12 or 13 and she started a part time job taking care of people's myspace sites while they were away. So if there was a musician that was touring, they would hire her to add updates everyday. She was making about $500-$1000 a month doing this.

I think teaching your children to be entrepreneurs is something you should do. The best part of it is they can use that knowledge in just about anything. That's something they don't teach in school.

I would introduce them to Internet marketing, but let them have their dreams aswell.

All I want for my kids is to have a job they are happy to do even if they don't feel like working. If it happens to be IM, I would be more than happy as I believe it to be an occupation that can provide rewards well beyond of what most people expect to get out of a University degree.

Yeah absoultly let them if that is what they choose. It's one of the
best lifestyles I can think of. A friends 12 yo daughter is making $$
online... Wish the internet was around when I was 12 ha ha

The problem with that theory is they'll likely turn 18 before they graduate high school. What happens when they tell you what to do with your college, hmmm?

Of my four kids, three graduated high school. The one who dropped out is the most financially successful, and the happiest of the bunch.

John

Congratulations and best of luck to you. Health is definitely the most important thing.

My son is learning IM and struggles with it like others do. It's lots of work but he has the IM bug and thinks it's fun.

He read 4 hour work week and this is his dream.

Wow, all of the above in 90 minutes! You are obviously a fantastic teacher and your daughter, judging by her website, an even better student.

Well done to both of you!

Will you take on more students?

I thought I'd just chime in here as my 2 daughters are absolutely at one of those decision points in life, being 15 and 16.

They both have subject choices to make that will affect the next set of choices etc etc until they hit university (and here in the UK, that will be pretty much determined by the choices they make now...2-3 years earlier).

It's a real dilemma....the oldest kept saying she wanted to be a doctor (despite a real genius for languages - and not such good science marks). Now it took a lot of gentle conversation to discover that what she really likes is the medical photography she has seen on some TV programs - and so becoming a doctor would have been a hugely wrong choice for her. Mind you, having a degree of any kind in the UK at the moment is no guarantee of finding a job at the end of it all.

I guess what I'm trying to say in my bumbling way is that I'd like her to get as much out of her life as possible. If she wants to hit university then fine...I'll make sure that she isn't saddled with a huge debt at the end and that she gets the chance for 3 formative years like I had. Along the way, I'll try to educate her in all the things that I am learning so that she has choices available when no obvious job is forthcoming

So, IM, yes if she wants it too, otherwise a load of principles from here that will see her right no matter what she does.