Kid Power - the Ultimate Renewable Energy!

If I had to bet on any form of renewable energy, it would be kid power.

We've all heard people say about kids "Gee, I wish I could bottle some of that energy for myself." If kids learned to harness their energy to create meaningful change, imagine what kinds of real, significant changes they could make in their own communities!

It's no secret that kids are one of the 3 pillars of advertising - people are interested in hearing stories of kids who are doing extraordinary things. We love to root for the little guy, the underdog. Seeing kids successes inspires us, perhaps in part because we adults feel that "hey, if a kid can do it..." That's just the thing though - kids enjoy some unique benefits:

1. They get less criticism - Really, who wants to publicly be seen criticizing a child who is trying to make a difference? The saying "using kid gloves" comes to mind.

2. They're better at getting what they ask for - Similarly, who wants to be seen publicly refusing to help a child who is trying to make a difference? Girl Scout cookies would never so successful if they weren't sold door-to-door by little girls.

3. Kids have the art of surprise - Kids are generally seen as being somewhat lazy, so adults never expect kids to do amazing things. Word spreads quickly when they do - parents tell their kids in an attempt to use some competitiveness to motivate them.

For the most part, kids are unaware that they have this ability to get people's attention and create meaningful change. It's not a message that is generally heard in school. The stories about kids we see in the media are usually examples of extremes: exceptional athletes, musicians, artists, actors and actresses. These often reinforce the idea that unless you have extraordinary talent, you're incapable of accomplishing extraordinary things.

That's it for now, check out Kid Power, the Ultimate Renewable Energy Part II next week.

Be well,
Colin