Happy Mariah Carey season, everyone!

Great news — our program directors have compiled a unique gift guide for all those last-minute shoppers out there. 

It’s full of board games that blend strategy, problem-solving, and fun. 😉

We’re not affiliated with any of these products, we just wanted to share some cool stocking stuffers to tickle your kid’s curiosity!

In today’s issue:

1. Tactical Tuesday: The three-step formula for raising fearless kids.

2. Something to inspire you: These child entrepreneurs are making millions and saving the planet — and they’re no different from other kids.

3. Ivy’s takeaway: Expose your kids to everything you can.

Three steps to raising fearless kids

Why is fearlessness important?

Without it, kids are reluctant to try new things, embrace failure, and grow.

Fearlessness is different from confidence.

👉 Confidence is self-assurance in their own abilities. Kids can be confident without being fearless.

👉 Fearlessness is the art of taking a leap into the unknown. It’s about caring more about what they might learn rather than how they might look.

A couple of weeks ago, I challenged you to tell your kids about a time when you were afraid.

Why?

Because before you can teach fearlessness, you need to normalize fear.

Kids can’t “face their fears” if they’re too afraid to admit that they’re… afraid.

Here are three easy steps you can start today to raise fearless kids.

Dismiss dismissive language

“Don’t be scared,” a comforting mother says to her child as she switches off the light at bedtime. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Nothing to be afraid of?

The kid could see one minute, and is seemingly blind the next. 

That’s pretty terrifying — and it needs to be validated.

Dr. Rachel Busman, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, says we must take kids’ fears seriously, even if our adult brains know better.

“We always want to start by validating their feelings,” says Dr. Busman.

Feeling comfortable admitting they’re afraid will help them recognize their fear trigger so they can move on to the next step.

Empower your kid with knowledge

Most fears exist due to a lack of knowledge and understanding about the thing that triggered that fear.

Afraid of snakes? 🙋

A little bit of research tells me that less than 15% of snakes are venomous, and most pose absolutely no threat to humans.

Ok, I’m still a little scared, but that little nugget of information does ease my fears.

Even just a small amount of knowledge can transform a limiting fear into a challenge that can be conquered, while opening up a world of opportunity.

Make a plan

Is your kid afraid about their first day of middle school because they’re worried they’ll get lost walking from class to class?

Make a plan to ease that fear:

Even when they’re stepping into the unknown,  some sense of control over the situation can be achieved.

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When you use language that validates your kid’s fear, empower them with knowledge, then work together with them to make a plan, you’ll ensure your kid:

1. Feels comfortable admitting they’re afraid

2. Can identify the components of a situation that triggered that fear

3. Is equipped to work through that fear

Don’t be afraid to raise fearless kids. 👊

These kids are running businesses and changing the world

Kids can achieve far more than we give them credit for.

They can identify causes they care about, solve problems, and frankly, think bigger and more imaginatively than most adults.

Today I’m going to introduce you to two amazing kids who own successful businesses that are changing the world — for the better.

How are they different from most kids?

👉 They’re not.

They simply gained exposure to different interests at a young age, and were encouraged to take action.

Your kid is absolutely capable of the same.

♻️ Ryan Hickman — Founder, Ryan’s Recycling Company

After a visit to a local recycling center when he was only 3 years old, Ryan Hickman fell in love with recycling.

With help from his parents, Ryan began picking up bottles and cans from his neighbors and taking them to the recycling center, collecting $.05 per bottle.

“The first time we went, I think I got about $5 so that was cool — but I also loved sorting the items and seeing them get crushed up at the recycling center,” remembers Ryan.

Ryan established Ryan’s Recycling Company in 2012, and through the simple business model of collecting recyclables in his neighborhood, he had soon earned $10k for his college savings.

Helping the planet while earning money?

Ryan was hooked.

Over the last decade, Ryan has spent his weekends on his business, recycling nearly 2 million bottles and cans.

I think it’s safe to say Ryan’s college is now paid for — and he’s only 14!

As if a recycling business wasn’t noble enough already, in 2020 Ryan branched out and founded a nonprofit that is dedicated to environmental awareness.

He also sells custom merchandise in support of his local marine mammal center (including some adorable Christmas tree ornaments).

One thing is for sure — Ryan isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.

And that’s a life skill you can only learn by doing.

🐝 Mikaila Ulmer — Founder, Me & the Bees Lemonade

When she was 4 years old, Mikaila Ulmer was stung by a bee — twice.

That unlikely coincidence gave her a curiosity about bees, and “bee”fore too long, she was soaking up knowledge about the role that honeybees play in our delicate ecosystem.

She also learned that honey bees are disappearing. 😞

When her parents encouraged her to enter a children’s business competition, she added honey to a family lemonade recipe (in support of her new bee friends), and Me & the Bees Lemonade was born.

But this was not your typical lemonade stand.

Mikaila had big plans, and refused to believe she couldn’t be a successful entrepreneur just because she was a kid.

Soon, Mikaila was busy putting her lemonade on the shelves at stores like Whole Foods and Kroger, winning deals on Shark Tank, and authoring an Amazon #1 bestseller:

Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid 

Mikaila is committed to doing well and doing good. She donates a portion of her profits to organizations that save honeybees, touting “buy a bottle, save a bee”.

To date, Me & the Bees Lemonade has earned over $10m in revenue, and donated $250k to bee conservation.

Now that’s some buzz worth sharing. 🤯

Exposure is the key

Exposing kids to different interests really does kill two birds:

1. It widens possibilities for kids to find their passion

It’s a pretty basic principle — if your kid has only ever eaten vanilla ice cream, how would they ever know that they love strawberry?

👉 If Ryan hadn’t visited a recycling center, it’s unlikely that he would have discovered his passion.

👉 If Mikaila hadn’t been stung by a bee —twice— she may have never put honey in her lemonade.

Without exposure, kids can’t discover passions, let alone act on them.

2. It reduces fear

You’ve likely heard of “exposure therapy” as a treatment for phobias. The science behind it claims that the more you’re exposed to the thing that you’re scared of, the less scared you’ll be.

So it makes sense that kids who are exposed to more are scared of less.

This is why our Apollo program is so near to my heart. 

Through real-world projects, we expose kids to different elements of business, technology, and leadership.

And it’s thrilling to watch them connect the dots.

Until next time,

Ivy

CEO Prequel, BETA Camp, Apollo

Follow my journey on LinkedIn