Is there a Virtual Assistant In the House?

You just might be living with your very own virtual assistant

If you are a mompreneur your immediate response might be “no”. More and more business owners are talking about hiring a Virtual Assistant to take on various tasks they either can’t do or don’t like to do. There are articles and webinars even dedicated to helping you find the perfect VA (virtual assistant). Then I came across a site while doing some research on the topic.

It was a video from a school. This school was working on using some of their computers with various software to spark creativity in their students. What was so interesting was what all these children (around 12 years old) had to say. It was almost like watching a testimonial video.They were all singing the praises of their teacher. He was expanding their minds using technology.

As each of the students said their piece I became more and more enthralled with what they were saying. These children were learning to use Evernote. They even talked about creating web surveys and collecting the data from them.This wasn’t the only program they were learning. There were other programs as well.

It was at that point that I realized many of us might be living with our own VA’s. Children are learning at a young age how to work computers.These children know more than many adults. Why wouldn’t they? They are being spoon fed this wonderful knowledge on a daily basis. Their young minds are absorbing this information like sponges.

When my daughter was growing up she was always looking for ways to make money. I wanted to make sure she knew money doesn’t grow on trees. By finding “jobs” for her it instilled in her the value of money. At that point I realized she needed to know what it was like to actually manage and control money. Creating “fake” bills we gave her a set amount for the month and helped her figure out how to balance a checkbook and pay her “bills” on time. It was one of the best lessons she could have learned. That really prepared her for the real world.

She grew up to also be an entrepreneur. According to her it was by following my lead and the way we raised her that made her the success that she is. Had computers been as popular then as they are now I would gladly have paid her for her computer knowledge. Let’s face it I was training her to have the same work ethic as I have.

Now, I have discussions and “meetings” with my grandson. He is a wiz when it comes to computers and I am more than willing to pay him for his help. You may have children within your home that actually have this knowledge and ability. What better way to build their self-esteem then by having them perform some business tasks for you?

Their brain is wired for today’s technology.

Maybe it’s something as simple as creating a survey. Perhaps they could learn how to create drip campaigns in Aweber, mailchimp or other sites.

Could you imagine training your own child to be the entrepreneur you know they could be? Helping to expand their minds like this has a two-fold benefit. First they have the ability to make some extra money. Children always love that! Second you get to train the best VA ever!

Many families create businesses where they all work together.

Recently I was discussing this topic with a client whose husband is thrilled at the idea of creating a business and having the children involved in it. When he was growing up his dad owned a car washing business and the whole family was involved.

At this point you may be wondering how do their children feel about a family business. They are more than eager to get started! All of the children have a great attitude about it and the possibility of earning their own money. Imagine the life’s lessons you’ll be able to teach your children.

I know when I started my business over 28 years ago I wanted to make sure my daughter didn’t feel like she was being left out so I made sure I included whenever I could. I can tell you from personal experience that when my dad let me start answering his business phone it was the best feeling ever. I felt not only like I was contributing but like I was really part of the family business.

Here are several questions for you to ponder:

Had you ever thought of having your children become involved in your business like this?

Do you have children that are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to computers?

Does this give you any ideas?

Finally, do you live with a VA?

I would like to hear your thoughts and comments below.