VideoGenTV is a brainchild traced back to 2019 when I was trying to help my then 12 years old son, Kayden to get into the secondary school via Direct School Admission (DSA) during his Primary Six Leaving Examinations (PSLE). The name only came out in 2020. And finally got registered with ACRA today, in 2021. Then, I realised that I might have been too late in wanting to help him with his grades. I panicked and started to think out of the box to see what options or “miracle pill” there is to help us with little or no money.

Kayden was 10 years old when he told me that he wanted to be a YouTuber. I was too distracted with my marital problems to pay much attention to him. He pestered me to help him with opening an account but I just brushed him off. Looking back, I am really sorry that I didn’t pay attention to him. All the lost time and what could have beens. ”Ok, too now too regret now. What should I do next? THINK, THINK, THINK!’ I asked myself one night. As I mindlessly scrolled down my Facebook, I saw Peng Joon’s 21 Days Videos Challenge ads. Suddenly, it gave me an idea that perhaps I could enrol him in that. It is amazing how fast you could do things when you are in an “emergency mode”, even more so for a self-professed Tiger Mum.

Kayden made 28 videos in 16 days; making him the youngest and fastest participant.

All I did was to go through the some ideas listed in Peng Joon’s Videos Challenge Workbook and see how we could adapt it for him. Then, off he went to shoot with my iPhone. After that, I would look at it and ask him to re-shoot with some adjustments.

Was it easy?

Well, it was not a walk in the park, but it was really not that hard either. One thing I can say it is definitely waaaayyyyy easier for him than it is for me. Like me, Kayden has this habit of talking to himself. I guess this helps. He has some stage experience and that helps too, I suppose.

Judging from past experience working with him, he has the ability to learn his line quickly and articulate them in his own words. Still, this experience opened my minds from observing him.

I think children generally have no emotional baggage and are less self-conscious. They are obedient and will do what they are told. (Most of the time, anyway.)

What happen to us during all those growing up years?

What happen to our superheroes inside of us where we think we are formidable?)

When did we start beating ourselves up and having this negative self-talk permanently planted into our heads like a a reflex action?

"I NEED TO PRESERVE THIS JUST DO IT ATTITUDE FOR MY KIDS!" I silently screamed to myself. It is such a beautiful realisation watching Kayden swang into action with ease while I procrastinated and struggled with my own filming.

Kayden wasn’t the best speaker or the one with the best content for June 2019 Video's Challenge. He wasn’t even lucky enough to win anything in the challenge. Needless to say we were very disappointed. But he caught Peng Joon’s attention.

About 3 months later, I received an email from his manager and a personal video from Peng Joon to say that he is sponsoring Game Changer Intensive for Kayden to give him a head-start in life. I was escatic! I was jumping all over the living room. I will never forget this feeling as long as I live. There is no greater gift for a mother than the love for her child.

Fast forward to 2020, Kayden did not get accepted to the school we wanted to apply for for. But the belief that I should preserve the natural ability to communicate and showcasing my kids were firmly planted. The following year, I enrolled my then 9 years old daughter, Kaylie, into Feb 2020 Videos Challenge.

Was it easy?

No. For her, it was much tougher. Kayden is a natural. He speaks freely and could remember his lines pretty well but not for Kaylie. I need to work hard during scripting to make it simple enough for her to remember. It is different for writing and speaking. It took us a long time going back and forth on the re-scripting and re-shooting. You need to tailor it according to the child’s speaking style for it to sound natural. I tried writing prompters but Kaylie started reading from it and wasn’t spontaneous enough. I tried signing with hand gesture but she sometimes forgot what the signs meant. We just kept trying many different things and doing it over and over again for the videos to look okay. I need to say though Kaylie has mega energy and a bright personality.

The thing that I am most grateful for is that Kaylie has a quick bounce-back mechanism. We could be sobbing one moment and all smiles the next. I need to admit that there were tensions and tears. Sometimes, I needed to coax her to go on after lashing out at her when I lost my patience. But just like any competitions anyone is in, if we want to win we need to put in gruelling hard work.

Kaylie became the youngest and fastest participant, beating her brother’s record, making 35 videos in 17 days. Although she did not win the big prize that we were eyeing, Peng Joon approved our affiliate marketing rights request even we did not have a huge social media following. By this time, I have understood anyone can do business in the virtual world. Peng Joon, a huge advocate for ClickFunnel exposed us to One Funnel Away Challenge through his collaboration with Russell Brunson. We saw many parent-child entrepreneurs stories.. During this pandemic, we also saw many Facebook ads featuring kidsprenuers. Another frequently used example would be Ryan's World, the little boy who makes millions on YouTube reviewing toys and many more.

You may think that we sailed right in making money after this. Nay… More set-backs kicked in our lives other than the pandemic, which was already causing so much insecurities and anxieties. But that is another story for another day. Though I need acknowledge our blessings that in the virtual world there was an influx of free online seminars and many were on sale. My children and I had the most mind blowing learning experience from renown names around the world from the comforts of our home.

2020 was a hard year of many lessons. It was one of resilience, courage and patience. It was one of learning acceptance, staying calm and remaining hopeful when the world feels bleak. It was the most most mind-blowing one on learning and mind expansion with my children.

As the dust settles, I am back again to work on our unfinished business.