More Than WE Know

Many Women Entrepreneurs are also Work at Home Mom’s. They started their businesses with a desire to integrate their work and their family life.  Having a flexible work schedule, and greater balance is one of their main motivations for running their own business.

But the reality is often a lot more challenging than the dream.  Many Women Entrepreneurs try to schedule their work around their children’s schedules. They work  before their kids get up, while they’re in school or after they go to bed. Some hire a caregiver to keep their children safe and occupied at home.

But we all know there are times when you need to get the work done, and your kids are home, and there is no one else to watch them.

Or else, you actually want your kids to feel included in your work, for which you have so much passion, and which takes up so much of your time and energy.

Here then, are some ideas for getting your kids involved in your business and keeping them occupied while you attempt to get at least some work done. 

I have categorized by age group. And while I have a friend who announced she was putting her 4 month old to work licking stamps because she was quite accomplished at blowing bubbles and sticking out her tongue - I started my list at age three – besides, stamps are all peel and stick these days.

3- 4 years:

• Sort paperclips, post-it’s, pens and pencils, etc. in plastic bins
• Color pictures to hang on the wall of your office
• Carry mail in from the mailbox
• Put mail in the mailbox
• Lick envelopes
• Put stamps on envelopes

5 – 6 years:

• Collate papers
• Stuff envelopes
• Sort home and business mail into separate piles
• Open mail
• Pass out business cards

7 – 9 years:

• Give opinions on business card designs, logos, brands
• Cut out pictures or cards
• Put labels on envelopes and packages
• Match sales requests with products
• Wrap products in bubble wrap
• Sort survey responses
• Add sales with a calculator
• Make change

10-12 years:

• Respond to routine emails
• Suggest slogans or headlines
• Transfer business card info into a spreadsheet or address book
• Proof-read write-ups for jargon or difficult words
• Give opinions on presentations and speeches
• Answer the phone

13-15 years:

• Respond to non-routine emails
• Do research on the internet
• Write blog articles
• Create design ideas
• Give opinions on products and sales ideas
• Program phone numbers into your phone
• Scan photos and other info into the computer
• Send faxes

16 and up:

• Create web pages
• Teach you about twitter, diggit, linkedin, myspace, facebook, stumble, instant messaging, etc.
• Most administrative and receptionist tasks
• Create powerpoint and slideshow presentations

Let me be clear, I am not advocating child labor. 

But most parents know that children, especially those under 13, enjoy helping their parents. This is even more true when they feel needed and they can work side by side with their parents. An hour here or there allows them to feel like they are part of the business.

They’ll be less likely to interfere with your phone calls and appointments if they don’t feel excluded from your life and your work. They’ll be more understanding of the work you do and more excited about sales and other successes.

And for many work-at-home mom’s, integrating work with the rest of their life, is what it’s all about.

How do your children participate in your business? Do you think it is important and helpful to get them involved in your work life? Why or why not?

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