the young entreprenuer

there was once a boy, who did not like doing homework. he was very intelligent, always truthful to his mother and father. and was always thinking of others.

but he very much did not like doing homework.

he was enrolled in a chinese bilingual program and by grade two, he would have to face about two solid hours of school work when he got home that would take away from his beloved playtime in the comfort and security of his bedroom.

homework became stressful for the young boy. his father, an entrepreneur at heart, never did homework when he was young and had no other advice for his son other than to "just do it" and get it out of the way. his mother was always diligent in her school days and never had a problem finishing her homework and she could not understand why her son had so much trouble finishing his.

the young boy's homework sessions often ended with crying and frustration. both parents were at a loss and were feeling almost helpless and of course feeling the pain of their son.

they did not want school to be like this for the boy. they wanted school to be easy and fun, not filled with anger, pain and hopelessness.

they turned to their family for help and told the story of their treasured son's dilemma and begged everyone for insights to help him. even the teachers offered their "assistance" which was to give him more homework.

then the young son's uncle had an idea. he approached the parents and offered to pay for the son's good grades. meaning he would pay the son X amount for A's, B's and so on.

the parents thought it would be a good idea and the son certainly liked it!

the parents knew that it did not solve the homework problem though, but it was a good start. the young son did his best to get A's for Reportcard time.

when the report card came, the son was disheartened, because even though he put his best efforts to the test, he did not get as many A's as he would have hoped and more C's than he would have liked.

however, he got paid by his uncle and became animated! he realized what money could do for him. he began to save most and buy precious things for himself.

but it still did not solve his homework problem.

getting paid by his uncle was only teaching the young son to do "good enough" and still get paid.

after giving it much thought and watching the animated process of his young son getting paid, the father had an idea.

after one successful evening of homework completion, the boy now understood how doing the homework led to the a, on the report card. and the boy said to his father that he wished that he could get paid more often.

the father told hin son about his idea: he told his son that he never did homework. he only did the exams in school, but when the teacher was grading homework as part of the mark, he asked what teachers what he needed to complete in order to pass.

he asked his son if there were kids in his class who did the same thing? his son said yes there were a few. his father asked if there were more kids in the school who did not do homework as well, and the son said yes, that there most likely would be.

the father suggested jokingly that the son should sell his homework to the students who do not want to do it and to whom would be able to pay for it. because, the father said that he would have paid for it in his day and it would be a good idea.

they discussed lightheartedly how this could be done, mostly talking to alleiviate the often stressful homework drudgery. making up funny ways that this absurd notion could could actually work. even discussing the moral perspectives of the customer, the seller and the school.

then it was forgotten about by the father. this is why: the son began to have his homework completed in spare class time in school and started to come home with no homework. there was no more drama centered around the homework.

when asked, the son would say that the homework was completed in class. when the parents spoke with the teachers, they said that yes he does complete his homework in class now - what did you do?

the parents told the teachers that the son's uncle was paying the young boy for his grades. this was always met with disapproving looks, but the parents knew that it was working and they had a happy son at home.

six years went by and the son was now in grade nine. he is an honors student and all his friends are honor students as well.

the issue about the homework has faded completely until one day the son says to his father that he has some homework he needs to get done.

this surprises the father. his son almost never has home work and never does he tell about it. curious, he checks on his son and sure enough, he is in hes room completing a lengthy assignment.

when finished his homework the son exits his room in search of food as all teenage boys do. when he does his father is at the kitchen table waiting. he wants to know more about why his son made a point of mentioning the homework (and the odd behavior of bringing homework home).

the son sits and tells his dad that he needs to have it finished before first class. the father asks why before the first class? the assignment is not for the first class in the morning the son admits, the assignment is for the first class after lunch in the afternoon. the young son needs to get the homework out to his "customers" first thing in the morning so they can use it.

the son explains that there are three different grade nine classes in his school and they all get essentially the same assignments from the teachers. he completes the assignment, goes to his first class and electroncally mails it to his customers.

the father asks how many "regular" customers he has and four regular customers a week and more when there is a big assignment. this last one was a big assignment and he has 8 people waiting for his next installment.

the father asks the son how long has he been doing this, and the son replied since grade 5.

now, perhaps many would look on this situation with disdain. about how the young son is handicapping the "customers" from achieving their own academic success.

the father is an entrepreneur and businessman. he has given his son many opportunities to get a job to make money. he has always stressed to his son about how important it is to have a business and to help as many people as you can.

the young son figured it all out on his own. he solved a problem. people who need to have homework done and will not do it.

these skills are what will get him further in life than anything they can teach him in school. and if his customers are smart they will understand this too. perhaps in time they will.

however, until they figure it out, they will be paying someone else for their laziness and lack of foresight, as many who are now struggling in this economy are.

i am sure that many of the kids that my son sells his homework to, have enjoyed a new sense of relationship with their parents. i am sure that they no longer have to face the negative put downs about bad marks in school. i am sure they can now spend some positive time with their families and friends without having the weight of unfinished homework and nagging teachers at their back.

i know this because this is what i suffered.

i know this too, and it was difficult for me to motivate my son when he was having trouble with his homework:

good grades do not translate into good money, when you enter the adult world.

nobody cares about your report card when you grow up, they only want to see your financial statement. ask anyone with a university education and debt up past their eyeballs when they leave school and enter the workforce.