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My tip for I probably won’t come as a shock to anyone who has been reading my content for long. It’s to integrate your kids into your business.
Why would you want to do that? Well, when you integrate your kids you are:
- Teaching important skills to your kids.
- Showing them how to work.
- Inspiring an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Working together towards a common goal.
- Spending time together.
So many people share the importance of quality time with your kids. And that’s important. But, it’s not the end all. Your kids also need quantity time.
Integrating your kids into your business allows you to simultaneously spend time with your kids AND grow your business. I love working with my crew!
How to Get the Kids On Board
If your kids aren’t used to working, you may not immediately appreciate being asked to work. Here are some ideas for making it something they look forward to instead of something they dread.
Play on Their Strengths
Our kids aren’t cookie cutters. They’re all unique, and have been given special talents and abilities. Think about those strengths as you pick tasks for them to try.
Start Small
Start off with small tasks to allow your child to see some pretty immediate successes. That feeling of doing something important is special, and is often all it takes to encourage them to help even more.
Explain Your Business
Give your kids the vocabulary they need to understand what you do. Talk about your clients, your blog, your products, whatever it is that you do. Pull up websites and share.
Sometimes it’s hard for younger kids to grasp the concept of an online business, because it’s not tangible. Taking time to share frequently and discuss what you’re working on will help them understand.
Offer Pay
I don’t always pay my kids for helping me in my business. We are a family, and growing my business is a common goal. But, there are tasks I pay for, especially as the kids get older. Here are three tasks I’ve paid my teen for completing this year:
- Creating pins for me.
- Sourcing pictures I can legally use.
- Going through my course and testing each lesson to ensure it was working.
Highlight Why It’s Important
What do your kids want to do when they grow up? Can you find any tasks in your business they can help with that’ll bring them closer to that dream job?
My oldest wants to be a graphic designer. Creating pins and dealing with pictures are things she enjoys, but also tasks that are vital to her dream career.
This gets to the question of “When will I need to know this?” that kids sometimes ask.
What Can Your Kids Do?
Here is a list of ways your kids can help with your business.
- Proofread content.
- Source photos.
- Test components of your site.
- Judge usability on your website.
- Plan your social media schedule.
- Research hashtags to use.
- Take photos.
- Create pins and other social media images.
- Develop a style guide.
- Brainstorm topics with you.
- Read aloud blogs posts in your niche to you.
- Help develop content for books.
- Record videos for you or with you.
- Create slideshows to share socially.
- Upload posts to WordPress.
- Apply knowledge of coding to improve your site.
- Delete spam comments.
- Check social media messages and either delete or let you know if it’s one you should actually read.
- Resize photos.
- Test out headlines in the Headline Analyzer.
- Double check the math in your business books.
- Add affiliate links for you.
- Design a business card.
- Research businesses to pitch.
- Be your scribe when you’re cooking dinner or driving.
- Read aloud your posts for you to help you edit.
- Straighten and declutter your work space.
- Help you set up for local networking events.
There are so many ways our children can be a blessing to our business! We just have to let them.
How to Teach Your Kids a New Task
You can’t just ask your child to insert affiliate links for you (or whatever) and then walk away, expecting it to be done perfectly when you come back.
Before teaching your child a new task, first ensure that it’s age and ability appropriate. Then, have your child watch while you do it several times.
Be sure you take time to explain what you’re doing and why. Create a cheat sheet explaining your steps.
Using your notes, have your child do the task, while you’re right there watching. Catch any mistakes and ensure the process goes smoothly.
After several practice rounds, let your child try the task independently. Be nearby in case there is a problem.
Yes, this takes time and effort. But, it pays off, and it is worth it.
Do You Integrate Your Kids into Your Business?
I’d love for you to share what ways your kids have helped you.
J is for…
I’ll be back on Monday with the next post in this series. You’ll have to come back then to find out what J is for!
Until then, be sure to share this post with other moms who are trying to grow a business while raising their kids.
Lisa Tanner is a former teacher turned homeschooling mom with 11 kids. She's also a successful freelance writer. Lisa enjoys helping other busy moms find time to start and grow a side hustle of their own.
