” Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
Albert Einstein
I conceptually understand the point some people make about the economic nonsense of having children. We are too many on earth, not everyone has enough food in their plates, square meters are costly, the time dedicated to raising children prevents their parents from working or producing value, childcare is a serious financial challenge, education is dreadfully expensive etc… Points taken and well noted.
Nevertheless, I always wanted to have six children, I love every stage of a human being’s life, I value family bounds like no other, and I believe that we were created to build wells of love and rich cells of human support. Am I a dreamer? It does not matter. Our next life will be made out of pure love only anyway.
I’ve been parenting my children alone for years and abroad, without any family around, and the point I want to make here is that despite the daily challengeS and exhaustion that I will not deny, raising children is a powerful business booster. Yes, it is. Here are ten reasons why:
1 * Managing a full household requires to be extremely organized. It somehow turns a part of you into a robot: you need a system, programs, processes, budgets and routines that make the whole thing functional and let you act humanly when facing your offspring. The more robust your structure is, the easier the machine runs, the more satisfactory the daily flow feels, the more fulfilling your family relationships are.
2 * It’s no secret that children use up a lot of your time. A L O T. Here comes your chance to be extremely efficient during the limited hours you get to spend on your business. You want to become a high achiever? You want to learn to focus under time pressure? Wait no more, become a parent!
3 * Children are the best negotiators you will ever find. Therefore, if you don’t want to end up psychologically, physically or financially bankrupt, you’d better work on your negotiation skills, which will of course help at home, but not even as much as in your professional life. Any testimonials?
4 * Children are a super powerful antidote to laziness. Whatever and however you feel, you are their provider, so no matter what, you have to provide care, love, time, activities, support, ideas, plans, cuddles, meals, inspirations etc. No attempt of laziness fits in a family life frame. Or maybe only if you have household staff, but that’s not even guaranteed.
5 * The older they get, the more they cost you financially. You therefore have to make sure the business you build, grow or run is lucrative, and does not stay at the dream or plan stage. Indeed, dreams unfortunately do not make money, but invoices keep on piling up. Can you relate?
6 * Raising children forces you to work on yourself. A lot. Constantly. Recurrently. Your daily relationship with your children as well as each of their specific challenges, reveal deep things in you. It’s beautiful, powerful, transformational. Children are amazing triggers to their parents’ personal development.
7 * The only education model that proves to work is to lead by the example. Seize the opportunity that raising children gives you to be aligned, truthful and reliable! They will do what you do, not what you say. They will copy-paste you, mimic you, play your role, until the day they separate from you when maturity comes. Being the role model in acts is also what works in business, so you’ll be equipped to be a source of inspiration and respect for your professional followers!
8 * Facing your children’s questions every single day and being expected to give them precise answers forces you to do your readings… You are given daily opportunities to sharpen your knowledge in areas that will be useful in your business life before you know it. I believe this is even more applicable nowadays because at school, our children do not learn texts by heart anymore, they learn to think, reflect, understand and question. We as parents, are therefore sure not to be short of intellectual challenges at home anytime soon…
9 * When you look at your children in the eyes, you know you cannot give up. Those [little] things keep you up and running. They place their trust in you as much as they support you. It’s moving, it’s touching and it’s enough not to renounce. Read their faces that shouts: “keep going”, it’s a free and sustainable fuel.
10 * Raising a family forces you to leave a meaningful legacy. Your family members turn you into a builder. They stimulate your questioning about what you want to leave after you and what you want to be remembered for. How beautiful is that?
Even if this is a humoristic note, you’ll no doubt recognize its elements of truth. I am honestly thankful to my daughters for being my best business partners, balance providers and success enablers. My life journey would not even be close from what it is if it was not with them, for them. Eternally grateful I am.
Tell me how it feels, I love to hear from my readers 🙂