As a parent, I want my children to be happy and successful.  As they were growing up, I wanted them to experience the real world with part time jobs where they would earn spending money, learn new skills and build their resumes.

As an employer I want my employees to be successful, productive and love their jobs.  The sparks fly when these two worlds collide.

Both my daughter Michelle (aka @minipeg)  and my son Harrison have worked at Roundpeg in high school and college, and even once after Michelle graduated for varying lengths of time.   For Harrison it was always just a part time gig, to fill hours between other jobs.  He brought his sense of fun which always made me laugh, even  if he never would acknowledge that Roundpeg had become a real company.  The customers always loved Michelle, but she didn’t always love the job.

Sooner or later, they would quit, or more likely I fired them. We laugh about it now, but it wasn’t always easy along the way.  And I learned a lot in the process:

• Don’t talk about work at home – leave the office at the office
• Have your kids call you by your first name just as your employees do – and no special treatment.  They have to work the same hours, same deadlines or your other employees will resent them
• Leave your baggage at home. I was often harder or more critical of Michelle when she made a mistake, because we had so much history unrelated to the office.
• When possible have them work directly for someone other then you. They are more likely to treat it like a real job
• Don’t be afraid to fire them if it isn’t working.  In the long run, it isn’t fair to you, your company, your other employees or your children