I don't give my 7-year-old an allowance. Instead, he runs a neighborhood business, where neighbors pay him to take out their trash.

"After listening to my son try and convince me that he absolutely needed whatever the latest toy was that he was fixated on, I replied with, "That sounds like a want, not a need. You can use your money to buy it." He told me he didn't have enough cash. At 6 years old, his only sources of money were birthday gifts and the tooth fairy."

"In order to get clients, we helped him prepare a marketing flyer and a short pitch. But when he realized that he was the one who would have to go door to door, he almost gave up before he got started. This led to a talk about facing your fears, understanding that getting a "no" is simply part of the process, and that you can only control your actions - not another person's."

"After gathering his courage and multiple practice sessions, he was ready to go. He knocked on the doors of neighbors he had never met and was rejected more than a few times. But those first few neighbors who said "yes" gave him the confidence to keep going. Now he has nine clients, but more than that, he has gained skills that most kids don't learn"

A six-year-old wanted a new toy but lacked money beyond gifts and the tooth fairy. Parents refused to pay for chores and suggested the child earn money instead. The child chose a neighborhood service taking out trash and recycling bins and created a flyer and pitch. Door-to-door outreach provoked fear and several rejections, prompting lessons about facing fears and accepting 'no' as part of the process. Repeated practice and early positive responses built confidence. The child now serves nine clients, earning money while gaining business habits, communication skills, resilience, and community connections.

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