Involving your kids in your business can be a powerful bonding experience that teaches your kids valuable skills for future success

As mom entrepreneurs and coaches, we’re constantly juggling our work and family lives, hoping to find some semblance of balance. The ultimate hack for managing this juggling act is combining the two. Involving your kids in your business can be an an opportunity for bonding and quality time, while also teaching them valuable life skills, and instilling that entrepreneurial spirit. Let’s dive into how you can make this work for your business and your kids, depending on their ages.

The Benefits of Involving Kids in Your Business

One of the most awesome benefits of involving your kids in your business is the quality time you spend together. Rather than keep your business and your mom life separate, and feel the frustration of the inevitable overlap, when you show your kids how to help you, you not only get help (albeit in sometimes small ways) but you make them feel important and valued, while also creating together time of time you would have otherwise spent working.

Imagine your child helping you put together welcome packages for new clients or brainstorm ideas for a new project—it’s not just about getting help, it’s about creating memories and facilitating a deep connection.

Beyond bonding, involving your kids in your business teaches them invaluable lessons. They learn responsibility, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. They get to see why you care so much about what you’re working so hard to create, and you get to model the perseverance it takes to build something you really care about for them. This is an incredible way to teach them the kind of life skills that will serve them so well when they’re grown.

Involving Kids by Age Range

Toddlers and Preschoolers (Ages 2-5)

At this age, kids are naturally curious and love to be involved in whatever you’re doing. Simple tasks like sorting supplies, organizing, or even just “helping” with small projects can make them feel included. This stage may be less about getting actual “help” but it sets the stage for teaching them that they can be involved in helping mom with her business, which will pay off later when they become more capable.

Early Elementary (Ages 6-8)

Kids in this age group can handle slightly more responsibility. They can help with stuffing envelopes, helping you take photos and videos, or even assisting with social media posts. Turn these tasks into learning opportunities by explaining the basics of business and marketing in simple terms.

Upper Elementary (Ages 9-11)

As they grow older, kids can take on more involved tasks. They can manage small projects, contribute to marketing ideas, or assist in event planning. This is a great age to encourage creativity and responsibility through more complex activities. You may even start to see their own ideas begin to spark as they become more aware of what they love to do.

Middle School (Ages 12-14)

Middle schoolers can handle tasks that require higher responsibility, such as managing social media accounts, assisting with customer service, or handling simple finances. This is also the time to introduce more advanced business concepts and leadership skills.

High School (Ages 15-18)

High schoolers can be involved in your business on a more skilled level. They can manage projects, develop marketing strategies, and handle logistics. This real-world experience can prepare them for potential entrepreneurship or future careers, giving them a head start on their professional journey.

*Pro-tip: Hire your kids as an employee and save on taxes

One of the significant benefits of involving your kids in your business is the potential tax advantages. By employing your children, you can make them exempt employees, effectively creating a tax-free employment scenario. Here’s how you can make this work for your business and benefit both your financial planning and your children’s future. Beyonce and Jay Z have done this masterfully with Blue Ivy since she was just a baby.

Setting Up Your Kids as Exempt Employees

First, using a payroll system simplifies the process. Most payroll systems will require you to sign a form to designate your children as exempt employees. This classification means that their earnings are not subject to federal income taxes up to a certain limit, which is a considerable tax advantage for your business.

How I do this in my business

In my business, I pay each of my kids $500 a month. This money is then deposited into their savings accounts. To ensure that they are learning financial responsibility and the value of money, I allocate a small allowance from this amount for their personal use. The rest goes towards expenses that they “pay” to me, such as rent and other household costs. This method teaches them about financial management and makes sure they are not receiving an excessive amount of money they aren’t ready to handle.

How I involve my kids in my business

To make this arrangement work, your kids need to be genuinely contributing to your business. Here’s how I integrate my children into my business operations:

• Finance Assistant: My son, who has a knack for numbers and finance, assists me with our Profit First system. He helps allocate funds and reviews both personal and business expenses, giving him practical financial management experience.
• Creative Assistant: My daughter loves to be creative, so I’ve given her tasks like stuffing envelopes for mailers, typing up documents, and even using Voxer to send messages to clients. As she grows older, her responsibilities will evolve, potentially including video editing and content creation.

There are so many creative ways you can involve your kids in your business

Other practical ways to involve your kids include:

• Administrative Tasks: Helping with inventory, cleaning up your Canva designs, categorizing blog posts, and other administrative duties that are essential but manageable for children.
• Special Projects: For instance, children can help with tasks like putting up signs for real estate properties, baking cookies for client meetings, or any creative project that fits your business needs.
• Media Involvement: An interesting example is utilizing your child’s voice for a project. I know of businesses that have used their children’s voices in products like CDs, allowing them to be paid as talent.

It’s important to be sure that your children are genuinely involved in business tasks in order to legally pay them and benefit from the tax advantages. This approach not only helps in managing your business more efficiently but also instills valuable work ethics and financial literacy in your kids from a young age.

When we do what we love, we show our children that anything is possible

Involving your kids in your business is more than just a practical solution—it’s a way to bond, teach, and inspire. When you integrate your mom and business life, you can create a rewarding experience for both you and your children. It’s not about having a perfect setup; it’s about making progress together and instilling values and skills that will benefit them for a lifetime.