One of the nicest parts of operating a small or home-based business is being able to incorporate your family, including your children, into your entrepreneurial efforts.  Some home-based business owners actually consider this to be a large part of why they choose to work from home. 

As a homeschooler telecommuting myself, I see all of the advantages, and disadvantages, to this concept daily.  As a parent and a business person you are able to teach your child(ren) your own business ethics first hand.  You are able incorporate older children in the running of the business, whether it be in customer service or fulfillment, or even web design or product creation.  On the other hand, you must figure out ways of keeping younger children busy in order to maintain a professional demeanor when dealing with clients or colleagues. 

Having grown up with a parent who owned and operated a home-based business, I happen to have been on both sides of the fence.  I can agree personally with the benefits of working side-by-side with a parent, whether in developing ad copy or selecting products to stock in a shop or catalog.  Gaining these skills at your side, whether as an apprentice or as a paid employee, will allow your children a foothold in the workforce that others their age will wait years to have.

How, though, do you deal with the rough days...the days when the baby is teething (and letting everyone know about it!), the toddler is feeding the dog something he shouldn't, and the preschooler wants to be included in each and every phone conversation (business call or not)?  What do you do when a child falls ill and you need to pack boxes for a shipment?  What happens when YOU are sick and you're the sole proprietor?

Here are just a few suggestions for making it through the tough days, so you can really enjoy the triumphs of the good days:

• If you have older children, recruit them to care for their younger siblings.  This may be just as helpful to the business as if they had their finger in the pie on the actual running of the company!
• If you only have little ones, try keeping an easel in your office, or creating space near you with quiet toys, books, and games.  Perhaps you've upgraded your computer system recently...consider allowing young school-aged children use of the old unit so they can "work" while you do.
• Even preschoolers can help out by carrying paperwork to the recycle bin, putting packing peanuts in boxes, or taping shipping containers closed with you.  Incorporate lessons such as weighing, measuring, and counting when shipping items or performing inventory counts.
• Older children's interests may well turn into something that will build the family business.  Let web-savvy tweens or teens help design (or redesign) your company blog or website.  Ask your budding writer to help with ad copy, brochures, and the like.  The child with an eye for color and design may be the one who is best to help create that new catalog you've been thinking of.
• When all else fails, use voicemail and email to your advantage.  Single parent entrepreneurs have to make the most of this one, as do those whose spouse is working outside of the house while you're running a home-based business.  If there's not another adult or dependable child to help out, it's time to remember these two words: Family First.  Let the incoming calls go to voicemail and kiss the knee with the "owie" on it or rescue the dog from the knight in shining tinfoil armor.  (The dog will thank you, I promise.)

Looking for more suggestions?  I enjoyed Working at Home While the Kids are There, Too by Loriann Hoff Oberlin (ISBN 1-56414-305-8).  As every small business operator or sole proprietor knows, there's a lot depending on you every day.  This includes your precious little ones...try to make the most of all your options so both your business and your family can thrive!

~Melonie K. Murray

Director of Public Relations

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC

Comments

Kids & Business

10:13 PM, Jan. 1, 2006, posted by FamilyBusiness

I wouldn't trade anything for the education my kids are receiving as they learn all about our family business. They know the day-to-day details, but are planning how to have more passive income themselves. Now, that is cool when your kids want to work smarter, not harder, so they can have more free time to serve God.

Kerry Beck
www.FamilyEbiz.com