We always tell our kids to save money and to spend wisely.
But what if there are more money lessons to be taught, ones that actually help generate actual income for you and your kids?
Well, what about doing some weekend side hustles with your little one to teach them a few things about managing a business?
After all, which parent doesn’t want their kids to grow up and become financially independent, right?
There are many platforms that you can use to help your kids market and sell what they make.
You can use Instagram not only to promote the products but also sell through the Instagram marketplace.
TikTok or e-commerce platforms like Motherhood.com.my are also good platforms to sell your goods.
Here are some side works that you can do with your kids to make full use of the weekends.
Baked Goods
If you and your kids have a penchant for baking, this side income may be for you.
But of course, it does require some initial capital to start with.
The most popular baked goods in Malaysia include cookies, cheesecake, brownies and cupcakes, etc.
If you’re a real master baker, you may even be interested in making some macarons.
But those are kind of fiddly and time consuming to make.
Not at all interesting or practical for a toddler to participate in.
So, stick with something that you know your kids can help with, like sifting flour, stirring batter, measuring ingredients, cleaning up, etc.
Slime
Slime has boomed in popularity in recent years.
While it’s died down since 2017, many people still love buying and playing with slime, especially kids.
They’re cheap, easy to make and easily customisable.
You can add different scents, colours and even use different ingredients to create different textures and effects, like glitter and sequins.
There are also different types of slimes you can make.
There’s the typical translucent slime or glass slime, flubber, silly putty or clay slime, cloud slime and many others.
Many creators also center their slimes around certain ‘themes’ like animal, plant, fantasy, food, and even holidays.
Photography
If you’re okay with your kids being models, and if you have a really good camera, then why not sign up for a stock image account as a Contributor?
It probably won’t hurt to have a photography background, too.
A stock image contributor can stand to make a lot of money if your stock images are professionally shot and widely desired.
The world is always in need of stock images and you’ll definitely get paid doing it!
You can earn between 15% and 40% worth of commission every times someone downloads one of your images.
Reseller
Reselling is probably another popular side business that you can do with your little one.
You can order items in bulk from China suppliers and then resell them locally for a significant mark-up.
Now, you may be wondering how your kids can help you with the business.
Well, they can help with inventory, storage, packing and labelling.
It’s quite labour intensive, even if you’re just reselling toys or other small items.
So, this endeavour is probably better for older children.
Crafts
Last on the list is getting your kids to make incredible works of art that you can sell.
There’s a fairly large market for original children’s artwork and crafts than you may think. Especially if you know how to market your child’s artistic creations.
If your kids are exceptionally talented with crafts, paintings, sculptures and other similar projects, you can try selling their art.
All they need are recycled material, art supplies and a special place that makes for easy clean-up afterwards.
Raising the Next Generation of Business Owners
Some people may be against any financial endeavour that monetises children.
But if you and your kids are okay with it, then we don’t see a problem with it. As long as you don’t pressure them.
You can, of course, run the small business at home – many people do.
And registering your small home business with the government may get you some benefits too, like lower taxes and better funding.
Here’s how to do it if you’re interested and if you and your child’s little side hustle starts to make some real profit.
It probably goes without saying that you’ll likely end up doing most of the work.
Nevertheless, don’t forget to split the earnings with your little one. Goodness knows they played their part, too.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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