Book Review: Watching Seeds Grow

Every once in a while I manage to actually read a book. It honestly doesn’t happen that often. Jumping into my first year of home schooling with a 3rd grader, a 2nd grader, a 3 year old, and a one-year-old has proved to be QUITE the time consuming challenge. Therefore, any book that claims my time must offer something of value.

This book, Watching Seeds Grow, “a guide to entrepreneurship for parents and children,” by Keith Greer and Peter Greer, fit the bill. This book got me thinking about things I need to teach my boys, and even a few things I still need to learn myself. It’s also nice and short. I read it in two sittings. It is an easy, to-the-point, thought-provoking read, and that is what I LIKE in a book!

Peter Greer is the President and CEO for Hope International, and Keith Greer is his young son. Have you heard of this company? I was only vaguely familiar with Hope International, when they sent me a copy of this book. To put it simply, Hope International helps the poor by providing them with the resources they need to make a living. They empower people around the world to help themselves. You have to admire a company like this, and you can learn more about them at their website: http://www.hopeinternational.org/

“Give a man a fish, and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and feed him for life.” Hope International reminds me of that old concept.

Prior to reading the book, I had not given one second of thought to teaching business skills to my children.  I personally have never cared at all about going into business for myself, and yet now I actually AM in business for myself…(the blog…It’s sort of like a business.) Huh. Weird.  Accidental entrepreneur. I haven’t made enough money for it to matter yet–actually, I’ve made no profit whatsoever….but one day I just might! This book actually inspired me to think of more ways that I might do that! Don’t you love it when you read something that you think will help your children, but it ends up helping you too?

In Watching Seeds Grow, Peter’s young son tells the story of how, while in Africa, he found some leftover beans in a field. After checking to make sure no one owned these leftover beans, his son was able to sell them for profit, to vendors in town.

This book will tell you how to lead your kids through the business model so that they can sell a product or a service, using a well thought out business plan outlined in the book, to actually make a profit.

Why is this an important thing to do?

2 words: Financial responsibility.

Look at the gobs upon gobs of Americans of all ages who have never learned this lesson.  Do we want our children to end up like that?

The Greers encourage us to use our heads to find a way to gain a profit, and then learn how to use that profit wisely. Many of us have marketable skills that we could harness to go into business for ourselves.

You may be wondering if we have tried it yet, here in our House of Many Little Men? Have Joshua and Caleb come up with a business idea yet?

Well, no, but we WILL, so stay tuned. There will be a follow up post once I actually get the boys to put this into action. Business ideas were always hard for me because I’m sort of a squirrely-headed-creative-writer-dreamer type. If I mange to put a business plan into action and help my children to do so too, I guarantee you, anyone can.

The book provides brainstorm sheets, action plans, to do lists, and a financial planner. It is an excellent resource. This isn’t just for homeschool families. This is a book for all families. Be sure to check this one out! It might just help you come up with a way that your family could earn money and learn a whole lot in the process.