A while back I was working on a web design project, and got stumped as to why I was having an alignment issue. I looked at the html code over and over, and was just not seeing the problem. My 13 year old daughter, who had been on another computer, comes into the office and says she has found my problem. She says “Dad, you forgot to close a tag on line 138.” I looked again, and sure enough, there it was staring me in the face. I had forgotten to close a tag. At that moment, even the family dogs were looking at me like I was an idiot, or so it felt. Once I made my daughter leave the office, then banned her from the computer for life, I began to realize something. Kids have access to every bit of knowledge that I learned from.



The Internet provides information to anyone, for anything. There is almost nothing that cannot be researched online. It is estimated that more than 75% of all homes in the U.S. have a computer, and nearly 99% of all school children have access to a computer. With these astounding figures, it is quit possible that most children can learn about anything they desire. The number of children under the age of 18, that know basic html and even advanced coding, is absolutely amazing.

When I was just a boy, computers were not available, at least not to the average person. If we wanted to make extra money, it meant asking my grandfather if I could chop wood, or shoveling snow for the neighbors. These days, children can actually make high incomes on the Internet. The rate of small businesses online that are actually run by children under the age of 18 is climbing higher every day. Children are running large web hosting companies, and designing professional looking websites. The have eBay stores, and make money from link ads. The options for children to make money from the Internet are almost endless. They are creating new ideas, and using them to profit.

What does this mean to those of us that are “Slightly older?” It means that we are not just competing for business against other adults. It means that we cannot just think like an adult, and we have to compete against young and ambitiously creative thinkers. It means that we, as adults, have to continue to educate ourselves, or we will be the ones asking for lessons, and they will be the ones doing the teaching.

I envy the youths of today. They have so much to look forward to, and the educational possibilities for them are endless. The idea of becoming an adult and then being successful is long gone. They have the ability, and the resources, to become successful long before the reach adulthood. Some could even retire by the time they reach adulthood. Imagine growing up and being able to do anything you wanted to do with your life, simply because you were financially set even before you became an adult. I admire those who take advantage of the opportunities that await them. I just hope that I can keep up, so that my kid isn't buying me better Christmas gifts than I get her.