My Mom's Forced Trial and Error - or That Time I was a Stubborn 4 Year Old

3A – Entrepreneurship Story

This isn't really my story of entrepreneurship, nor is it one of traditional entrepreneurial process where a product is made and sold. If anything, I was the problem being solved by a creative innovator. Like most things in my life, the credit goes to my parents who dealt with my antics better can be expected. Even if this story isn't about making a product what group has to forge their own path and make something from nothing like parents? Most parents have to worry about teaching manners, communication, and love but few have to break the will of a stubborn four year old that goes on strike for six months. If that seems like a long time for toddler insubordination to last, let me just say my parents are kind and baby Paul was unreasonably hard to motivate.  

The problem started in the small room I shared with my sister, Emily - two years older, and the toys we left out after play. I say "we" but she cleaned up her share and then my messes too because I certainly wasn't. My mom seeing this began a long painful fight for equal room management not knowing that it would drag on for a full half year. Like any good problem solver she first identified the problem: the room was messy and my sister was frustrated at unfair chores. Seeing that I was the cause she took steps to press me into the housekeeping fold. Communication was the first step, but I remained unswayed with just explanation and reproach.  After ordering me to clean didn't work she began to take the toys and playtime from me so I couldn't make the mess in the first place. This would be enough for most kids, but not me. As will become a common theme later, Emily only had the one brother to play with and proceeded to let me play with her toys. 

With the first plan defeated by kindness, my mom was forced to scrap her approach and go back to the drawing board. Her next plan was to keep me on the bench at the park while my sister played with other kids. This one worked better because I wasn't keeping my sister from having fun anymore, but the problem was that, me being the unshakable little jerk I was, I continued to accept the punishment and wait until we got home so I could make more messes. Some time of this treatment goes on and soon the neighborhood moms are beginning to ask why such a calm "well behaved" little boy was stuck watching others play. I've always been good at talking to people so soon I had the other moms on my side and spent the time at the park happily chatting with the moms on the bench and mitigating yet another punishment. 

Next my mom shook up the approach and took my room entirely. That's right. I was kicked out at four. She said that since I wasn't being responsible for the upkeep, I didn't deserve a room at all and would be forced to live in the hallway in a mini tent. I wasn't allowed to bring any of my toys into the tent except for some books that I was convinced I didn't like (I love reading now), and would only be allowed to use my old room if invited by Emily. The problem was that Emily was still lonely when I was in the hallway and would always ask me to play. Baby Paul would then stroll over to her room and make a huge mess before just leaving and going back to my tent saying it wasn't my room and I didn't have to clean it.

Finally, my mom had enough and threatened to take away my birthday, which to the adult me sounds amusing, but to the four year old was terrifying. Seeing something I wasn't OK with giving up, I finally caved to her demands and promised to rejoin the room and clean up my share. It may have taken many tries and several months before I was under control but I think that my mom was willing to do that much to get me to learn the lesson is a great example of the perseverance and innovation that you need to solve problems. At my last three jobs I taught kids and know from experience that if you offer them a option or ask a question, you are giving them a chance to say no and throw off our whole lesson. when you get derailed like that, it really does take quick creative thought to get back on track and lead the to whatever you were teaching so I totally respect my mom using me as a stress test on parenting.

(Now with my rambling story out of the way) I am taking this class because I am a student in the Innovation Academy and enjoy thinking about how to solve problems. I am not sure if I will ever open up a business, but I plan to think for myself and find better ways to go about my different interests. Eventually my goal is to create a educational board game so I like the sections of this class for designing and putting a product out there.



As you can see, I was always a little monster...