Most housewives start a home based business because they want to stay home with their young children. And I was no different: I quit a great corporate job to be around my two kids.
But then, you do a lot of work in your business, and it works! Yeah, Al. that sounds pretty crap to me, looks like BT ain't for me either. So, how do you balance your time? Do you still put your children first? Or you "Honey just a minute!" Why go for it! Line and hope they can't tell time?
Here is what happened to me: One day, during the first Christmas season of my business, I was busy ordering 150 gift baskets. It was hard work, and the stress was high. The deadline was approaching, and I didn't have time to wait to straighten out the room.
There were boxes with products everywhere, there were empty boxes and there was excellent food everywhere: a real disaster area! And just then, my 4-year-old daughter (now 11 years old) with her big brown eyes came to me with tears: "Mom, I'm bored and, I'm alone ... shall we play a little?" What can I do? I was alone at home with her and if I stopped playing I could not fulfill my order in time.
So, I quickly thought, on my feet, how I could play with her and work at the same time. And out of the used / damage box, I came up with the idea of building an office next to mine. She was enthusiastic! And she did it all! I told her where to go and bring the box and made room for her at my desk. She built a desk, repaired a chair, and had items for sale in her store.
At that point, I was able to continue my work uninterrupted most of the time. She likes to watch me and copy: When I picked up the phone to talk to the customer, she picked up her imaginary phone. When I wanted to make a basket, she made one of her own. When I calculated the value of my basket, she picked up a pencil and calculated her own.
Over time, her office evolved: old, damaged boxes were replaced with real wooden drawers. The list I couldn't sell became her store list. She also got a connecting machine and a bed. Now, her office is her favorite place to play. And it's no longer just an office: it's a whole building with a variety of shops. She owns a restaurant, a bath and body store, a bookstore and a toy store.
The store has helped her in many ways:
- She learned how to maintain and order inventory
- She learned phone manners
- She learned addition and subtraction
- She learned organizational skills
- She learned to be creative (small pieces and ribbon pieces, irregular baskets, empty bins have become a big asset of her business)
Are you using your business to teach your kids the basics of business while having fun? I'm sure you can. Take a moment and think about how your situation could be used to plant some business seed in your child.
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