Is having your children work acceptable at a family business?

[Easo]

Depends. Are we talking full working day? Forced work or voluntary? Are they getting paid for it? Are they qualified to do the job (read, asking kids to operate heavy machinery is a no no)?
But no, kids should be able to be kids. I really do not want to see more zombies in young age.

[Weeps]

ROFL...

Oh, you young pups.

I had to start working at 14. It was legal at the time.

Zero problems with it. The alternative was to do nothing but play video games with my friends.


These kids should absolutely do work at family owned businesses. Without a doubt. We're all pitching in to survive, your ass included.

But working 12-14 hour days? Nah. That's not right.

4-5 hours a day for kids is more than enough. During summer.

2 during school days.

[MikeBogina]

Obviously if the children are being forced, it's never a good thing, but sometimes even children/teens should help contribute if the family is in poverty. If we're talking about say a chinese restaurant, this isn't like some drunk/drugged parent is wasting away and the child is taking care of them. They're all contributing and pitching in for the betterment of their family and though it does suck that this happens, most often the kids understand that this is how they make a better future for them and their children down the line.

I personally spent most of my childhood and teens(up till 15) working every weekend with my father, to help get some extra cash into the house. Now that I'm older, I wish I could have done more :/

[deceptacon1]

I have my kids "work" for my own business. It's amazing from a tax perspective.

I get to write off the income against business revenue and they pay virtually no tax. In essence, you can shuffle money from the business to your own hands while mitigating taxes. You can also take that tax-free money and shove it in a Roth IRA in the kid's name and let it sit for 15+ years.

I plan on doing this for all of my kids.

[Underverse]

Yes, as long as it's by choice and the parents aren't the only ones profiting from the work.

I did some work for a small family business when I was a kid. It was a positive life experience, I made some money, and got family bonding time.

[MikeBogina]

Not wanting to work is why so many millennials still live in mommy’s basement.

Shhhh you're not supposed to say that! Haven't you heard, millennials are the hardest working generation ever xD

[Jonnusthegreat]

As an adult who works, no. Absolutely not. Working fast food or taking orders isn't a life skill. You can be trained how to do that by any restaurant within 8/hrs. You can get other jobs that wont even use that. Heck, wont even take orders the same way.

Cleaning dishes and mowing, you'll literally use in life regardless of your job. See the difference? One, you may or may not need. The others, you absolutely will need.

It seems you are conflating your opinion with fact. Because you can literally switch around your entire argument and it still has truth to it.

[PC2]

I have my kids "work" for my own business. It's amazing from a tax perspective.

I get to write off the income against business revenue and they pay virtually no tax. In essence, you can shuffle money from the business to your own hands while mitigating taxes. You can also take that tax-free money and shove it in a Roth IRA in the kid's name and let it sit for 15+ years.

I plan on doing this for all of my kids.

Yeah it's also a great way for the parent to save up a lot money for the kid so that they could use it later as an adult, such as for buying a house. Without running into any gift taxes and without it being deducted from the lifetime exemption amount.

[exochaft]

My kid was bussing tables at 10 because he wanted to, not because he was forced to. Due to labor laws in the state, he was not supposed to get paid, but the owner paid him under the table as a sign of appreciation (especially since he put more effort into it than your average bus boy).

Now, the child labor laws are in existence to prevent children getting exploited, but a child voluntarily working is not exploitation by default. It used to be around the 8th grade level, children would have to determine if they'd start learning a trade or continue with education for a more skilled profession, both being a sign that the child has grown up and is taking more responsibility in life. In historical context, it's rather odd how much we coddle kids nowadays, as we're actually delaying their progression into fully-functional adults by almost two-fold. My formative years really aren't that secret, but I basically followed the historical development model, where I was making choices and decisions at age 13 that even some 18-26 years old haven't made yet in this day and age. Due to the laws at the time, I couldn't get an above-the-board job at 13, but that didn't stop me from working of my own free will and accord, and I was thankful for the opportunity.

[Varitok]

Are they getting paid a legal amount? That’s all that needs to be asked.

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Not wanting to work is why so many millennials still live in mommy’s basement.

Says the Millenial who thinks he's Gen X reading some info chart from Baby Boomer News Network.

[Zantos]

It seems you are conflating your opinion with fact. Because you can literally switch around your entire argument and it still has truth to it.

Except I'm not. A life skill is just that, a skill that you use for life. Taking orders is, in fact, not a life skill. So no, im not confusing any opinions. It is fact. Unless you can refute it. A child should not be forced to do work. I don't care if its for a family business or not. If the parents cannot provide for their children without forcing them into slave labor, then that is a parenting failure.

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It took me all of 5 minutes to learn how to mow and clean dishes... Dealing with customers/co-workers and doing a job when you don't feel like it are far more valuable life skills. Especially since my dishwasher does my dishes and I have sand and rocks for a yard.

If you're forced into it, it wont teach you that at all. It teaches you that some people are far too willing to elicit slave labor.

[Dethxx]

Says the Millenial who thinks he's Gen X reading some info chart from Baby Boomer News Network.

And the winner of stupid reply of the day goes to.....

[Monster Hunter]

Wait, was the question "is it legal?" or "ethically oK?"

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Mowing the lawn or washing dishes hardly compares to even a 4-6 hour shift.

say that to the dudes from the council that mow grass 4-6.

i agree with what the UK has it at, 13 for part time work and 16 for full time work. though discretion is key, if a 10-11-12 yr old wants to do summer jobs for money no one should give a damn or if parents want to get that started in the family business fair enough, i was scoring cricket matches for £10 a day at age 9 Saturday and Sunday for my dads team. having £20 a week disposable income at that age in summer was amazing (1990's prices ofc)

[Jonnusthegreat]

Except I'm not. A life skill is just that, a skill that you use for life. Taking orders is, in fact, not a life skill. So no, im not confusing any opinions. It is fact. Unless you can refute it. A child should not be forced to do work. I don't care if its for a family business or not. If the parents cannot provide for their children without forcing them into slave labor, then that is a parenting failure.

Being able to talk to people is more of a life skill than mowing your lawn. Being able to remember things is a life skill.

Also, for 99% of people on the planet, being able to take orders is a job description.

[Tabrotar]

Wait, was the question "is it legal?" or "ethically oK?"

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Mowing the lawn or washing dishes hardly compares to even a 4-6 hour shift.

Pls kids help their parents all the time in the fields and with the animals if they´re farmers.

[Ech0544]

My father is on his 8th Porsche, works as a High End Bespoke Cabinet Maker etc for Posh/Rich people, pretty much works his life away to point of nervous breakdown 5-7 days a week 12-16 hours a day depending on how busy he is (He aims for being so busy he has to work those insane hours) when including drawing designs up and machining lists.

Was forced to work for him as a child (11/12+) after parents divorced when staying every other weekend, no scenario when I went to stay at his and wasn't made (guilt tripped if I didn't) into working for him, cleaning shavings, doing sanding, holding shit steady etc.

Totally destroyed my outlook on work in general and relationship with him for best part of decade due to how much I hated it, yet would feel guilty if I didn't.

That said, I also worked for my Grandparents in their woodturning shop on the till / doing wood turning demonstrations at the events they held (to encourage kids into the craft) at the same time and I loved it, all depends on the scenario I guess.

[Zeek Daniels]

Guess what. I had to work around the house and outside the house. If i chose not to i wouldnt get the things i wanted as a kid. Its a trade off. Your parents are not obligated to provide you with anything other than a meal and shelter if they have it. Working as a child is not some evil thing. Its a good thing.

[Pooti]

My father is on his 8th Porsche, works as a High End Bespoke Cabinet Maker etc for Posh/Rich people, pretty much works his life away to point of nervous breakdown 5-7 days a week 12-16 hours a day depending on how busy he is (He aims for being so busy he has to work those insane hours) when including drawing designs up and machining lists.

Was forced to work for him as a child (11/12+) after parents divorced when staying every other weekend, no scenario when I went to stay at his and wasn't made (guilt tripped if I didn't) into working for him, cleaning shavings, doing sanding, holding shit steady etc.

Totally destroyed my outlook on work in general and relationship with him for best part of decade due to how much I hated it, yet would feel guilty if I didn't.

That said, I also worked for my Grandparents in their woodturning shop on the till / doing wood turning demonstrations at the events they held (to encourage kids into the craft) at the same time and I loved it, all depends on the scenario I guess.

I am not defending him, but I would guess that he probably thought he was teaching you a work ethic.

[Wiyld]

My father is on his 8th Porsche, works as a High End Bespoke Cabinet Maker etc for Posh/Rich people, pretty much works his life away to point of nervous breakdown 5-7 days a week 12-16 hours a day depending on how busy he is (He aims for being so busy he has to work those insane hours) when including drawing designs up and machining lists.

Was forced to work for him as a child (11/12+) after parents divorced when staying every other weekend, no scenario when I went to stay at his and wasn't made (guilt tripped if I didn't) into working for him, cleaning shavings, doing sanding, holding shit steady etc.

Totally destroyed my outlook on work in general and relationship with him for best part of decade due to how much I hated it, yet would feel guilty if I didn't.

That said, I also worked for my Grandparents in their woodturning shop on the till / doing wood turning demonstrations at the events they held (to encourage kids into the craft) at the same time and I loved it, all depends on the scenario I guess.

Ditto bro.

Had to spend summers with my dad on the farm as indentured servant. He would save up projects for me to do for him. Now I do know how to do a lot of shit...but it ruined our relationship entirely...been estranged for like 21 years now I think.

[Zantos]

We’re all forced to work for the most part. Have you not had to pay your own way yet?

I have for awhile. Your point? A child is not the one who can, or should, be expected to pay their own way. They are a child. They can't even legally own a home or be on their own. They don't need to help bring in money. That is a failure on the parents if they cannot provide for their child.

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Being able to talk to people is more of a life skill than mowing your lawn. Being able to remember things is a life skill.

Also, for 99% of people on the planet, being able to take orders is a job description.

You mean everything you learn in school? And by taking orders, I mean on a drive through at a restaurant. But, if you mean by getting orders and following them, well, they learn that without even working from a parent.