We all know the benefits of a home business. Working at home means that you can avoid traffic jams, forget about office politics and benefit from lower overheads. How does it affect the children? I believe that they benefit from hearing mum or dad discussing business on the phone or meeting business people at home.
Think about it - whatever business you are in, if you were working in the office they would never hear a word of your business language. Most children are not even aware of the type of business mums and dads do when they work away from home.
Normally when most parents speak to children they tend to use smaller words and often talk down to them. Then the phone rings and all of a sudden the kids are introduced to new words and a different manner of speaking.
How often do children ask you "what are you doing?" Even by answering this simple question they are learning. "I am working on a strategy to generate more sales". "Why are you doing that?" "So that we can make more money. Then I will be able to afford to buy you your new trampoline…."
Even a simple conversation like the one above teaches children the value of money. They realise how hard you work to earn a living.
Children also tend to learn simple tasks like how to answer the phone and take messages. They know that when the rings they should be quiet because mum or dad might be talking business.
Children as they grow older can also assist with basic tasks like proof reading a new article or inputting data in a computer. This means that they receive slightly more pocket money and again teaches them the value of money.
Working from home also means that you get to spend a lot more time with the children. Often people in employment leave the house before the children have even woke up. And sometimes they arrive home after they are in bed.
However it is not all a bed of roses. Children can get in the way and become a hindrance. Imagine for a minute… you are on an important phone call and the six year old starts crying because he has hurt himself.
This is where having a separate room as an office helps. At critical time just lock the door! When you leave the house for a meeting and the door is locked you know that everything will be in the same place as you left it!
