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Children in the Home Business Environment
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home
Biz Guy
Operating a home business is seldom easy and interruptions come in all
shapes, sizes and forms.
Between the family, friends and neighbors who call or come by, and the
telemarketers who insist on ringing your number off the hook, getting through
the workday can be a real challenge.
When you introduce children into the home office environment, your
productivity and patience can be seriously tested.
For example, right now my three-year old daughter is pulling on my shirt and
begging me to read her a story. Clearly, I'm in the middle of something important
here, but how can I say no to those eyes? I'll be right back...
Ok, that wasn't so bad was it? She's happy, I'm happy (having bonded with my
daughter) and now I'm back to continue my conversation with you :-) What's the
lesson here? Flexibility is a major key to balancing your home business
priorities with your family's needs.
I can tell you from first-hand experience that maintaining a deep level of
concentration on work in a home business for long periods of time is next to
impossible. Naptime does offer some reprieve, but any break from the kids is
usually short lived.
Even with older children, summertime introduces new challenges with kids
running in and out of the house all throughout the day.
I would like to share with you some of the tips I have discovered to help
manage your home office with children in your midst. Since children of different
ages pose different challenges, I will present my tips in terms of age groups.
OLDER CHILDREN AND TEENS
We will look at older children first since they pose the least challenge to
our work productivity.
Children, who are old enough to understand the idea of schedules and chores,
are old enough to understand the needs of your home business. Explain to your
children that you do your work at home so that you can be near them when they
need you. But also be sure they understand that you must do your work so that
you will have the money necessary to keep your house, feed the family and to
provide them with money for entertainment.
Once your children understand the necessity of your work, then outline a work
schedule and explain it to them. Do make sure they understand that emergencies
are definitely an acceptable reason to interrupt your work. Then make sure they
understand that between hours x and y, you will be doing work --- and then hold
them to respecting your schedule.
INFANTS
Infants will never understand your needs for work. But fortunately, babies do
well under a schedule or routine. Instead of expecting your child to work around
your schedule, schedule your work around the needs of your baby.
It is simple. Babies eat, sleep and poop. Sometimes they play. Fortunately,
babies sleep more than they do anything else.
Naptime offers the best advantage for getting your work done. Get your baby
into a routine of eat, sleep and play, and you will experience unexpected levels
of productivity.
TODDLERS
If you have a toddler running around the house while you are operating your
home business, then you may find that your hair turning gray or disappearing
altogether. But, gray hair is a sign of character, right. ;-)
I am venturing to guess that the person who devised the door lock for the
inside of the house did so because he had toddlers in his own home. Inside door
locks should only be utilized when you are making that important phone call and
your toddler is screaming for your attention. At all other times, your door
should remain unlocked with your door open.
Develop a routine with your children for meal times, naptimes, and play
times. Work these times into your work schedule and adhere to them. If you fail
to keep appointments with your children, your children will have less respect
for your work and do more to prevent you from the completion of your work.
Don't be afraid to let your children sit in your lap while you are working.
It helps them to feel wanted and it helps them to be a part of your daily life.
There are times when it is okay for them to be sitting in your lap while you
work, and at other times you need them out of your lap. Don't be afraid to tell
them to get down and go play or read a book so that you can resume your work.
Permit your children to have their toys in your office. Often they will sit
contently and play while you work. Just knowing you are near is enough to keep
them happy.
Be prepared to take an hourly break to deal with your toddler. Try to do
potty breaks at your hourly break and to do drink refills. This can help your
child grow into a routine that will work well with your home business. At each
break, spend a few minutes with your child giving hugs and kisses and talking
with your child about what he or she wants to talk about.
Toddlers don't always do well with the routine, so be prepared to take a few
minutes when needed to give the attention that your child so desperately needs
in the moment.
IN CONCLUSION
I hope these tips serve to help you in the challenge of operating a
successful home business.
My home business permits me to fulfill my financial obligations *AND* see my
children grow up. I would never contemplate trading my home business for another
kind of business. Even with the added challenges of dealing with toddlers in my
home office, the upsides far outweigh the downsides.
Growing my own home business with children around has definitely given me a
new respect for all people who successfully run a home business with kids in the
work environment. I tip my hat to you... You deserve it!
Stone Evans,
The Home Biz Guy can help you launch your very own money making website today
that's 100% ready to take orders and pull in massive profits for you right now
... guaranteed! Visit:
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