If your kids are itching to “clock in” at the family business this summer, we have good news. That energy can be a win for both them and your bottom line—as long as you keep things fun, fair, and compliant.

Pair these ideas with the rules from the THRIVE magazine feature article: ‘Tis the season to hire your kids: Get schooled on the rules to keep everything above board.

Ground rules, then good times

Before you start brainstorming tasks, remember your kids need to be real employees doing real work that supports the business, not just hanging out, running personal errands, or getting paid for chores you would have given them anyway. Give them a job description, have them sign an agreement, and track their hours, just like you would for any other team member.

Ideas for younger helpers (roughly 11–14)

Aim for simple, structured tasks with clear start and finish lines.

• Front-desk sidekick: Greet customers, restock brochures, tidy waiting areas, or refill the coffee station.

• Mini merch manager: Fold T-shirts, straighten shelves, put labels on bags, or assemble swag packs of giveaways for events.

• Office organizer: File papers, recycle shreddables, restock office supplies, or assemble client folders.

• Digital tidy-up crew: Help rename and organize digital files, update photo folders, or clean up your Canva image library.

Tie each role back to a real business need, and explain why their work matters so they feel like part of the team, not just the kid in the corner.

Ideas for teens (15 and up)

Teens can usually handle more responsibility, especially with a little training and supervision.

• Social media assistant: Draft post ideas, pull photos, schedule approved content, or reply to routine comments and DMs using your guidelines.

• Content creator-in-training: Shoot short behind-the-scenes videos, photograph products, or help brainstorm Reels or TikToks that fit your brand.

• Event and promo crew: Set up for workshops, pack event materials, hand out flyers, or help at your booth during community events.

• Junior project helper: Do research on competitors, price-check suppliers, compile review snippets, or help maintain your online profiles.

Just remember: If they’re under 18, child labor rules still apply to things like hours and types of work, even if you’re the parent.

Make it feel like a real job (but still fun)

You can keep it light and still treat the job like the real deal.

• Give them a title: “Summer social media assistant” or “junior inventory clerk” sounds more exciting than “kid who stuffs envelopes.”

• Set goals: Maybe it’s “scan 200 documents,” “prep 50 client packets,” or “draft 10 social post ideas” by Friday.

• Pay real wages, not perks: Use actual paychecks or direct deposit, and avoid swapping free clothes and pizza for pay if you want the arrangement to hold up for tax purposes.

• Celebrate wins: Grab ice cream after a big project, give them a shout out in a team meeting, or let them help choose the next task they tackle.

Done right, working in the family business becomes more than a summer time-killer—it becomes a way for your kids to build skills, see what entrepreneurship looks like up close, and earn their own money—while you keep the tax and labor pieces in the “all good” zone.

For a quick refresher on those compliance must-haves, circle back to our full-length article, ‘Tis the season to hire your kids: Get schooled on the rules and use that as your playbook.