Last Updated on 2019-03-03 , 4:32 pm
We hear it all the time in Singapore: complaints about homework.
Especially parents‘ complaints about homework.
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In this kiasu nation where grades can literally translate to higher incomes and better lives, parents are constantly pushing their kids to focus and put in more effort into their school work.
It’s an endless, nationwide struggle, no matter where you look.
But what if the child is so motivated and so good at doing homework that she does way more than she’s supposed to?
Before all the Singaporean parents can say:
… this may not always be a good thing.
Wait, what?
A kid doing too much homework a bad thing? Are you sure?
Yep.
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Here’s Why:
A 13-year-old girl from Chong Qing, China, has recently gained internet fame after launching her own homework services for other kids during her Chinese New Year break.
A kid choosing to spend her holidays doing more than her fair share of homework sounds too good to be true, but it is.
This young business maverick used her mother’s e-commerce account without permission to gain customers.
Being extremely savvy for her age, she even provided samples as testimonials in order to gain the trust of new customers.
Her neat handwriting made her a hit with customers and the orders started flooding in.
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The result?
Nearly 10,000 yuan (about SGD$2,017) earned over the long school holidays alone… wow!
Alas, her winning streak was short-lived.
When the schools reopened, one of her customer’s teachers recognised the girl’s handwriting and found out that the girl had done other students’ homework.
The disgruntled “customer” asked for a refund. However, the girl refused, arguing that she had spent the entire afternoon doing the homework.
The customer reported the girl, resulting in her account being blocked.
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In other words, sabo lah.
Her mother noticed it, grilled the girl about what happened and discovered her little business venture.
Furious, her mother confiscated her earnings as punishment.
The girl responded by insisting that she had done nothing wrong by using her talents to earn some money. She even pointed out that she had earned more than her mother.
Whatever it is, you have to admit that the girl is quite the impressive businesswoman.
She isn’t the only youngster who has shown off her entrepreneurial side in recent years, although her methods are a bit more… how do you say it… unconventional.
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Other Kids Who Have Earned Money in Creative Ways
Mikaila Ulmer
Mikaila was stung by a bee when she was 4 years old, sparking her interest in bees and the dying bee population.
She took her grandmother’s flaxseed lemonade recipe and added local honey to it.
Then, she then managed to secure $60,000 on the TV show Shark Tank for her business.
And now? She’s a millionaire, after Whole Foods picked up her brand, BeeSweet Lemonade for $11 million.
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Lily Born
When Lily was 8, she noticed that her grandfather, who has Parkinson’s disease, often had accidents tipping his cup over.
Using mouldable plastic, she designed a cup for him that would not tip yet still be comfortable to hold.
After much innovation and support from Kickstarter and Indiegogo, she launched the ceramic Kangaroo cup.
She is now the proud founder and owner of Imagiroo, a company that seeks to inspire kids to problem solve imaginatively.
What About My Kid?
If you were impressed by the 13-year-old girl’s, as well as these other kids’ genius and want to encourage your kid to have the same entrepreneurial mindset but in (only) legitimate ways, there are platforms in Singapore that can help.
For example, two preschools here, DreamKids and Cherie Hearts have classes and programmes that teach kids entrepreneurship skills.
There are also entrepreneurship camps by organisations such as SmarterMe where older children can learn about the fundamentals of building a business.
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So yes… your kids can start earning more money than you sooner than you think.
Would you be jailed for being half-naked in public? Well, the answer will shock you. Seriously. Watch this to the end and you'll understand:
