As I focus my attention on the unique and interesting aspects of working from home, and more specifically running a business from home, there are moments where I am amazed that any business gets done at all. And I am in awe of parents who do not give up, throw their collective hands in the air and say "Forget it! This is just too hard!!!" But we don't. We just do our best to listen to each other in between cries and requests for water and snacks, at business meeting which may look, to the outside world, more like playdates.
Example #1: Two weeks ago, I had a meeting at my house with 2 clients, each of whom needed to bring their children. Of course, The Little One is at most of my business meetings, especially those that take place at my house. So, four children, ranging in age from 1 year to 7 years, played while the three of us tried to watch edited videos and discuss file format options. Amid "I'm thirsty." "I'm hungry." "I'm tired." and "That's mine.", we continued to move the meeting along because we all knew there was a time limit. Someone was going to need a nap, and at that point, we would be done. Amazingly, all the videos were watched, and decisions were made before any major child-related meltdowns occured. And none of the adults lost their cool, either!
Example #2: Yesterday, my husband had a business meeting with two of his clients, who happen to be Moms, and needed to bring their little ones along with them. It played out in a similar fashion to my meeting. The two extra children were younger than The Little One, so there was a little more child wrangling required, and the looming threat of naptime breakdown was more palpable. Nevertheless, the three adults watched edited video, discussed business details and made "moving forward" decisions, all while amusing toddlers and teaching sharing techniques.
So, what is the key to a successful business meeting/playdate? Well, like any meeting, the objectives need to be clear before you start. And you must have the priorities straight, you do not want to leave the most important part to the end, or you may never get to it. But I think what makes it work is necessity and desire. Entrepreneurs want to make their business work, and will do whatever it takes to make things happen. Sometimes that means bringing the kids to work.
"Here, play with this toy. Here is a snack for you. Can you share it with the other children? What is our marketing goal? How can we get that onto the website? Don't play on the stairs, please. Will this work for Windows and Mac? Oh, you're getting tired, it's almost time to go. This is the research I have. Great work, everyone. I will call you when the baby is asleep."
Let's see Donald Trump do that!
