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When your Kids Complain About your Business
Copyright 2009, Lemon Aid Lady, Christie Northrup
Earlier this week I was working with one of my vendors whom I hired
for a new book project. As often as possible, I hire professionals who
have their own home-based business.
While I was explaining the deadlines to her, she expressed some
concern about fitting the project into her kids' schedules. I
reaffirmed that I know exactly how she feels (I don't like it when
people say those trite words and they've never been in my position)
because I raised three sons as a
work-from-home mom.
My thoughts took me back to a time when I had just picked the boys up
from school and explained to them that I needed to run some business
errands; I was probably delivering product, a task you might not have
to do with ship-to- host/customer service. In unison, they began to
complain that they wanted to get home to play.
I wisely used this opportunity to teach them how blessed they were
because I was able to work from home. As you read the words I shared
with them, please know I understand that
not all moms, even party plan parents, are in a full-time,
work-from-home position:
WHAT I SAID:
"No problem guys. If it bugs you that I do some business errands after
school, I can change things. I will just give up my position, go find
a job like dad's where we all have to get up an hour earlier so you
can get to day care before I have to drive for an hour to work at a
skyscraper downtown. And then you can join your friends after school
when they get on the day care van--no more business errands with me.
And, since I'll have hours until five or six and a long drive, I won't
have snacks waiting for you after school. In fact, each of you will
have more responsibilities fixing and cleaning up dinner because it
will be late when I get home. And you know the favorite meals you
love, I'll be making those only on the weekends when I have more time.
Remember, I get grumpy when I'm tired and stressed, so I might not be
as fun as I am right now. Oh...and remember all the trips we take when
I attend convention and dad takes you to the local sightseeing places
while I'm in meetings, and then we do lots of fun stuff after? When I
travel now, my company will only send me, so you don't have to worry
about packing your suitcases.
You all enjoy earning some extra cash helping me with some of my
business tasks. Well, you won't even be able to come and visit me at
my new office unless you have security clearance and the right
credentials, let along do any work with me, so there goes your extra
income.
One more thing...I know you love to come home for lunch on Tuesdays
and Fridays, but I won't be there anymore so those will be two more
days you can pack a sack lunch."
Of course, by the time I painted this picture, my guys were saying,
"Okay, okay...we won't complain!"
But one day, I was ready to give my business up and got another job.
Wait till you hear about my son's reaction to that!
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