What do Bill Gates, Jamie Oliver, Taylor Swift, and Beyonce have in common? They’re all multi-millionaires, savvy innovators, and successful entrepreneurs. But they also have another thing in common: they all had families who supported them in turning their big dreams into reality.
At GoHenry, our mission has always been to make every kid smart with money. Empowering children to follow their dreams is important to us. It's part of our brand ethos—the go in our name encourages our members, team, and partners to 'give things a go'; it builds traits important for financial literacy, such as goal setting, confidence, and resilience; and, in turn, developing key money skills can help turn dreams into reality.
Dreams have no age boundary
The good news is whether your child is six or sixteen, dreaming big has no age boundaries. Take Lamine Yamal, who, at 16, was the youngest player to score in Euros 2024 and was named UEFA Euro 2024 Young Player of the Tournament.
Or 16-year-old Luke Littler, who made history earlier this year at the World Darts Championship by becoming the youngest player to reach the final (he’s been throwing darts since he was 5!).
Then there’s Malala Yousafzai, who at 11 years old was already advocating for the rights of women and girls, and Greta Thunberg, who held the first "School Strike for Climate" outside the Swedish parliament at just 15.
And how about the 15,000+ entries we received last year in our inaugural GoHenry Dream Big competition, all from kids eager to turn their big dreams into a reality?
Take Matthew, who was one of last year’s Talent category winners, "The Next Football Star".
Matthew, 10, who has cerebral palsy, developed a real passion for football and travels twice a month to train and play for the Northern Ireland Junior Cerebral Palsy team. This is a 160-mile round trip, but Matthew needed the
£1,000 prize money to help cover his travel costs, football boots and expenses over the coming years as he develops and continues to play.
One year on, Matthew has had a fantastic football season. He and his teammates finished second in their league this year. This is an incredible achievement for them, as they were bottom of the table two years ago and second from bottom last year. It is a real credit to the entire team, coaches, and families. The support of the Dream Big prize has ensured that Matthew could still travel to his training and games and help the team move forward together.
The power of a support team
However, talent, resolve, and big dreams are just part of the equation. If you have a young talent or kidpreneur on your hands, you’ll already know that being their support system is the key to helping their dreams become a reality.
Louise Hill, CEO and co-founder of GoHenry agrees: “Pursuing big dreams is rarely easy and often involves overcoming obstacles and setbacks. That’s why parental support is crucial in helping children develop resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges. These qualities, alongside strong money skills, are vital for long-term success and achievement, whether your child’s dream is big or small.”
How to help your child find and fine-tune their dreams
Create an environment that nurtures curiosity
Encourage children to ask questions, explore new interests, and engage in various activities. Providing a variety of experiences helps them discover their passions and dreams.
Pay attention to what excites and interests your child
Whether it's a hobby, a school subject, or an extracurricular activity, support their interests by providing resources and encouragement to pursue them.
Hannah, now 16, was our Talent category winner "Master Chef" last year. Her big dream was to enrol in a cooking/bakery course, purchase equipment, and help take her dream to the next level.
Hannah recently sat her GCSEs, including Hospitality and Catering, for which a small amount of her prize money was used. She has now been accepted into college to study Hospitality and Catering, and she’ll use her prize money to purchase any necessary equipment so her dream is still very much alive.
Be a role model
Demonstrate a positive attitude towards dreaming big and pursuing goals. Share your own dreams and the steps you take to achieve them.
Show them how to set goals
Help your child set specific and relevant goals with a deadline. This will help them break down big dreams into smaller, manageable steps. Planning and organisation are critical skills for achieving long-term goals.
Foster a growth mindset
Teach your child that dedication and hard work can develop intelligence and talents. Emphasise that failures are important opportunities for learning and growth—and that even the most successful people experience them.
Share inspirational stories
Share stories of people who have achieved great things through hard work and perseverance. Introduce your child to role models in various fields who can inspire them to dream big and demonstrate that big dreams are attainable.
Sawyer, 10, was our "Born to Drive" winner in the Talent category. He lives and breathes all things racing, but last year was challenging because he needed his own kart to participate in official championship-karting leagues. Sawyer has been raising money via a GoFundMe page, selling old toys, doing odd jobs, and saving all his birthday and Christmas money. Winning this competition helped him make it onto the start line in January in his own kart. He currently sits in 2nd place in the championship and is loving every minute of it. He is literally living his dream! One super happy kid!
Share their excitement
Provide a supportive and nurturing home environment where your child feels safe to express their dreams and ambitions. Encourage open communication and listen to their ideas and aspirations.
Talk to them about resources
Resources include everything from time and money to opportunities, some of which may cost money. This is a good place to discuss fundraising, saving and budgeting.
Encourage appropriate risk-taking
Allow your child to take risks and try new things, even if it means they might fail. Risk-taking is an essential part of growth and discovery. Support them in their efforts and help them learn from both successes and failures.
As with everything parenting, supporting your kids’ dreams is a continuous process that requires patience, listening skills and understanding. By being a pillar of support, you’re not only helping them achieve their goals but also teaching them invaluable life skills that will benefit them in all areas of life.
If you want to help kick-start your child's dream, why not get your child to enter our second Dream Big competition coming this month? Whether your child’s dream is to maximise their talent, start a million-pound business or change the world, we want to give them a chance to win £1000 to make it happen.
