That's the way the cookie crumbles

A dad's thoughts on baker-man and entrepreneurship in South Africa

Before I ruffle any feathers or get told to shut my cake hole here, let me just point out the "hidden curriculum" being taught in our schools. Schools unconsciously seem to be preparing students to take a position in society as workers or to take up a position. Would it not be more beneficial if schools balanced it out and taught our students how to create positions and see and solve particular issues within society, rather than just take up desk space. Of all the possible solutions to our countries economical gaps- Look with me that perhaps "baker-man" could be a potential catalyst for economic change.

I am not suggesting we throw the baby out with the bath water here, my article purely is suggesting that schools and families add a few more ingredients to their recipe and deepen the learning for the baker-man experience. It's my hope that my suggestion helps teach our children business and financial concepts from age 3 and start teaching South Africans the much needed entrepreneurial and financial concepts earlier in life.

Once a month my 3 year old son's nursery school invites him to be baker-man. Its a super great day! He takes cupcakes, treats or snacks that mom made the night before and sells it to his peers at school. He wears the baker-man hat, he receives the 4 Rand and places it into the money box and all the kids eat and enjoy and celebrate the wonderful treats delivered by baker-man.

When I get home, my son runs, greeting me; "Daddy, I was baker-man today!" "Yay!" I say, celebrating in the excitement- holding my tongue, I say to myself; "how much did you make?" Not wanting to ruin the amazing highlight in the month for my boy. - But every month I wonder, where is baker-man's profit share in all of this?

This learning opportunity I'd like to propose can be awesome.

Currently this baker-man lesson is only teaching my son and his peers to exchange goods for cash just like at the supermarket till. Reinforcing this archaic industrial production line mentality. My son brings the cakes, my son sells the cake and the school keeps the money. More-so, my wife buys the ingredients, mixes them up, bakes the cakes, cleans up and delivers the goods and is also excluded. I totally get that this is a fund raising activity for the school, but can we not play this exercise out as it would in the real world!

My suggestion for change is this:

Schools Facilitate and Create a win-win situation.

Schools: You are the platform, the market place/venue- You charge baker-man a rent for selling goods on your premises.

Parents: You, (keeping in mind the target audience, who spends R4- R5 per treat), buy ingredients and create the treats. Hang onto your receipt, so that costs can be covered.

Baker-man: Keep doing what you do. Receive the money and together with teacher and the cost receipt, do an audit. Count the money received and separate money into profits and expenses. Give the venue their rent, pay your mom for the cost of manufacturing the goods. Then "bank" baker-man's profits. This will later create a new learning moment-"What do we do with baker-man's profits?"

How amazing would it be if your son ran to greet you saying "I sold all my cakes and I made R10!" These create teachable moments at home and opportunities to talk business, profits, loss, entrepreneurship, growth, finances, employment, work, and spotting/creating opportunities. I believe this is how we will close the economical gap in South Africa.

Let's work together to teach our children this stuff... Entrepreneurship and collaboration is the way of the future.