Will work for chocolate frogs!

[MissieK]

Before I'm stoned, my kids work for me/with me in my business. I am a work at home Mum (WAHM) with 2 boys aged nearly 5 & nearly 7. They love helping me out, especially with putting stamps & stickers on envelopes for mail outs & shredding! Their reward is generally a chocolate frog It's cheap labour & we have a great time working together. I'm sure they'll be future soloists because they are seeing what I do in the business day to day.

Melissa

[staceybarr]

It doesn't just work for kids!

My sister is battling her way through the end of a PhD, and she does some design work for me - in return for Moleskine notebooks!! She loves them.

Bartering is a great way to get things done, and support the relationships you have with family and friends. I'm new to it, but so far love it!

[kathiemt]

All my girls got their work experience at home and were paid for it in cash. They were very obliging. In fact my youngest worked for me for over 2 years during her years 10-12 and then walked straight into a well paid office job with an insurance company at the age of 18 because she already had 2 years office experience.

Learning a work ethic and seeing it in action is the best thing for our kids.

[MissieK]

My 6 year old has realised that cash could be an option & now wants the 50cents instead of a frog - he's saving up for some leggo! Even at their young age, I believe they are learning about working

Kathie, I love hearing about how you employed your girls in your business. I'm looking forward to my boys being old enough to do that.

Melissa

[LucindaLions]

Melissa, can I please come and work for you? And if I work on Sunday will I get double the chocolate frogs?

[MissieK]

Absolutely Lucinda! hehehe

Melissa

[JohBD]

These sound like great solutions to skills shortages!

My two-year-old is little bit too small to work for me yet, but he loves drawing on my notes and to-do lists. He also has a thing for my red pens!

[MissieK]

When my boys were two they loved sorting - especially my coloured paper clips! lol

Melissa

[@HeatherSmithAU]

I am not in a position to give income tax advice - but the tax breaks for paying kids this year is quite significant - you should chat to your accountant about it before the end of the financial year, 30th June 2008.

It s around $2666 per child, previously it was around $600 - so it is well worth knowing about!

Tip
If the kids can use the computer (around 8 years of age?) they can search abn number - ABR - Home Page & print it off - you should make sure all your suppliers are properly registered for GST - otherwise you don't have to pay them that gst component of the invoice - more money in your pocket!

[MissieK]

Oooh, thanks for the tip There's another job to give Nat - he's nearly 7, knows how to use the computer really well. Then again, my 4 year old can also use the computer, he just can't read yet! lol

Also, I think my kids are a bit young to pay them more than chocolate frogs at this stage. I will definately look in to this as they get older.

Would you be interested in writing an article for teh Business Mums Magazine on this topic?

Melissa