Running a «business» when you’re a kid is a rite of passage. For some reason, all of us want to grow up way too fast and thus want to role-play all the parts of being an adult. We want to pretend to have weddings, have kids, and have jobs. I remember playing «teacher» with my friends on the weekends, making up worksheets and curriculum ideas. It’s a natural thing for kids to be curious about, and that curiosity should be encouraged. 

But where is the line between kid business and real business? What makes something tip over that line? I’m sure we could all agree that while letting kids explore their entrepreneurial spirit is good, they shouldn’t actually be working. We would hate for our kids to be saddled with unnecessary responsibility too soon. But usually lemonade stands never teeter over that line. It’s probably the kid’s idea to set up, they man it for an afternoon or two during the summer, and then abandon the idea after a while. This is what we expect to see. But what if that turned into a job?