Stop Hovering: The One Mistake That Kills Your Child’s Entrepreneurial Spirit
Every parent dreams of their child growing up to be successful, innovative, and perhaps even the next great CEO or inventor. We enroll them in the best classes, manage their schedules meticulously, and step in the moment a challenge arises. We do all of this out of love, but according to an insightful article in Forbes by Margot Machol, and echoed by experts in child development and business, our best intentions often lead to one major, common mistake that actively kills the very entrepreneurial spirit we hope to ignite. You can read the original Forbes article here: The One Mistake Parents Make If They Want Entrepreneurial Kids
The mistake? Over-involvement, or the ‘Helicopter Parenting’ style.
At Kids Arena, we believe in fostering holistic development, and a key part of that is encouraging independence and creative thinking. The drive, resilience, and creative problem-solving required for entrepreneurship are not taught through perfection; they are learned through autonomy, risk, and failure. When we constantly smooth the path for our children, we rob them of the vital lessons needed to become successful, independent thinkers.
The Entrepreneurial Paradox: Why Over-Nurturing Fails
An entrepreneur is, by definition, a person who manages and organizes a business, often involving considerable financial risk. They are problem-solvers who thrive on uncertainty. If a child is never allowed to manage a risk, solve a problem on their own, or experience a setback, how can they possibly develop the mindset to run a company?
The mistake of over-parenting breaks down three core pillars of the entrepreneurial mindset:
1. Independence and Initiative
When parents make all the decisions—from what activity to pursue to how a school project should be organized—the child never learns to take ownership or initiate action. An entrepreneur must be a self-starter.
- Tip: Let your child manage their own weekly chores, schedule a playdate, or design a solution for a household annoyance (e.g., messy toy storage). Give them a task and step back. At Kids Arena, our activities are designed to offer choices and encourage children to lead their own play, fostering this crucial independence.
2. Resilience and Embracing Failure
In the business world, failure is an inevitability and, often, a prerequisite for success. When a child fails a test, loses a game, or has their first lemonade stand flop, our natural instinct is to comfort, or worse, blame the system.
- Tip: Reframe failure as “data.” Instead of saying, “It’s okay, that teacher is tough,” ask, “What did you learn from this result, and what will you try differently next time?” This teaches a growth mindset.
3. Risk-Taking and Problem-Solving
If we intervene every time a situation becomes uncomfortable, we teach our children that risks are scary and best avoided. Entrepreneurship is about calculated risk.
- Tip: Allow your child to engage in unstructured play without a specific goal. Let them climb a tree slightly higher than is comfortable (safely, of course) or negotiate a small purchase with their allowance. Allow them to feel the minor consequences of their own choices. At Kids Arena, we provide a safe environment where children can explore, experiment, and take appropriate risks in their play, learning valuable problem-solving skills along the way.
Actionable Steps: Raising a Future Innovator (What to DO Instead)
Instead of being a helicopter, aim to be a “lighthouse parent”: shining a steady beam to guide them, but allowing them to navigate the waves on their own.
- Delegate Real Responsibility: Give them age-appropriate budgets to manage, or let them plan a family trip or meal entirely.
- Encourage Disagreement: Allow them to respectfully argue their case in a family discussion. This hones persuasive and critical thinking skills.
- Focus on Effort, Not Outcome: Praise the process, the effort, and the learning, not just the A-grade or the winning goal.
- Model Entrepreneurial Thinking: Talk openly about your own struggles at work or business decisions you’ve made, focusing on the problem and the solution, not just the result.
Conclusion:
If you want your child to have the grit and innovation of an entrepreneur, the best thing you can do is learn to step back. Give them space to fall, the time to pick themselves up, and the opportunity to realize that they are capable of solving their own problems. That independence is the true seed of success. At Kids Arena, we are committed to providing an environment that complements these principles, fostering capable, confident, and independent young minds.
