Developing the Autonomy and Entrepreneurship of Our Children at Home

Do you know that birthdays can be a good opportunity to develop autonomy and initiative in our children? Entrepreneurship must be a vital attitude and for this, it must be transmit in the family and encouraged from an early age.

 The development of autonomy and personal initiative is one of the Key Competencies proposed by the European Union, included in the European framework of Entrepreneurship competences (Entrecomp) and incorporated into the different Education Laws in Spain. They are understood as skills that facilitate our young people to be better prepared to face the challenges of the society of the future.

 “A person is autonomous when is able to set his own standards; when it is not governed by what they tell you, but by a type of norms that he believes any person should comply with, whether he or she wishes to comply with them or not. ” Kant.

 Autonomy is directly linked to the integral development of the person, an autonomous person and with initiative is prepared to imagine and undertake individual and collective projects from a creative point of view, with confidence and with a critical sense of responsibility.

 It is recommended that children learn to create their own initiatives, whatever their dimension. This is what we know as an entrepreneurial culture, and that if it develops from an early age, it will encourage a series of skills and abilities in our children that they can incorporate into their personality.

How can we develop these skills in my family?

 Can you imagine that when you were 5 years old, your parents would have given you the possibility of organizing your own birthday? This could be a reality for your children. It is surprising the enthusiasm and commitment that children can acquire in the face of this challenge… -“I have never seen my daughter so excited about something”- a mom thought while her daughter asked her please to help her finish choosing the songs of her birthday party …

 Creating environments that facilitate the assumption of responsibilities and decision-making, is one of the goals we can have as parents when we celebrate our children`s birthday at home. Let the children design their own birthday invitations, choose the decoration, even lead and coordinate the children’s workshops that all their friends will enjoy that special day, are small actions that will pose a series of challenges that  will help them build their personality.

 That child who is now designing his/her own birthday, will be the same child who will do autonomously the homework of the school, will have the initiative and self-esteem enough to create a youth association that represents his/her interests, can create a group of music, collaborating with an NGO, and everything he or she want.

People are autonomous and have initiative, when they are given the opportunity and all they are trusted. As we said at the beginning, it is a vital attitude and as such we must transmit at an early age and from our home.

One of those celebrates quotes from Descartes: “I think, then I exist”, that could be replaced by “I decide, then I am” in the families.