The thought of trying to do anything besides merely survive when raising kids can be the source of laughter among friends. However, kids and business are the perfect mix and I’m going to tell you why! It’s time to stop blaming your kids for ruining your homestead business and start including them in your adventure.

The motivation of any business has to reach beyond making money. Without a specific purpose, you will quickly lose energy focus and desire to reach a certain outcome. That is why you need to have a big WHY when running a homestead business with kids. Now this isn’t a must, but most mothers who run a homestead would pick their children as a Why. When the success of a business is built on the desire to give a child a beautiful joy-filled life, you bet there will be some fuel left in the tank when it’s been a long day, and that dough needs to be kneaded or the weekly newsletter must go out.

Cultivating a sense of family and belonging are crucial in rearing well balanced humans. Often times meltdowns are just a result of the power struggle between parent and child. That is one reason running a homestead business with kids can feel overwhelming. Including the kids on important decisions that affect them can shift the energy from contracted to aligned. They might not have the choice of you actually running a business, but you can give them choices about what happens to them around the business.

For example, mommy needs to make the soap, but little Lucas wants to read books together. You might say “Would you want to stay here while I make the soap or go to Grammys? If you listen really well, I’ll read you three books afterwards”. An older child might have quality feedback on a customer’s perspective such as which scented soaps seem to sell the best and what new designs you can put on them for the coming holidays. Kids often have brilliant ideas because their minds are less tainted by outer influence. They might just surprise you.

Here’s where it tends to get tricky for many homestead moms. You need 10 hands but were only gifted with two…on your body of course. Lucky you, you created 4 other humans with 8 hands total. Often, having kids help with any task makes more work for you, so I can see your hesitancy. But giving kids small manageable tasks in the business will not only give you time and the bandwidth to do other things but gives them pride in what you are accomplishing together.

For the last Memorial Day parade, I asked my 5- and 7-year-old to help put business cards with caramel “cow tails” in snack bags to throw to other kids during the parade. We made an assembly line and what would have been a tedious task turned into fun for all.

Kids are quick learners and given time and patience will eventually be even better than you.

Sometimes it’s a difficult mission to explain to Jr why you are in front of a computer on a beautiful day. And yah, sometimes it’s just the way of it (refer to your Why). In those times you can become frustrated with their whining OR take the time to explain what you are doing and why.

Creating packing slips and shipping stickers Looks super boring but if they are told that these are orders for customers and that this money is paying for the new farm quad, they might not see it as so boring. You can even include them in on shipping. The point is not to close down just to get the task done. Take the opportunities to teach kids aspects of your business which they will use in other areas of their lives.

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How often do we pay attention to and implement something when we’ve put a little money on it? I know my son broke the car his grandparents gave him but kept the truck he built in pristine condition. Find opportunities in your business for kids to invest. If they attend the market with you, give them space at the table to sell their homemade bracelets. Give them a wage for working the table and say you’ll double it if they reinvest half towards the business (or better yet their own business). Find ways to let them OWN it and they bring more energy and creativity your way.

Kids are natural money magnets

Children tend to know exactly what they want. They want you, love, a story, a doll, a goat, a bike. They even want money. And even a quarter makes them feel rich. They are grateful for the little things and that energy naturally brings more goodness in their wake. Realize the abundance that having children brings to your life AND business. Know what you want, enjoy the little things and bring them on your homestead business journey together.

For Practical tips for the time poor Homestead mom check out:

Batch cooking and How it Will Save Your Homestead

With Love

Kelley