I’m the last of 10 kids. 8 of us run our own companies. Though our business success could be dumb luck, I like to think it’s the result of conversations we had around the dinner table after long days of hard work on our farm. My dad instilled in us a sense of urgency and entrepreneurship by example and by parable. He urged us to think hard before we handed the keys to our time away to a large corporation.

Fast forward to 2012, and that urgency just wasn’t there for my six kids. They lived in the world of suburbia where they could finish their entire chore list in half an hour. Any talk of creating their own security was white noise. Frankly, I was disappointed in the sense of entitlement my kids had toward money. Something needed to change.

Kids learn by doing. I provided them with an ice cream truck and an initial investment. It’s hot in St. Louis. People like ice cream. Go figure it out. They own the problem. They own their solution. And they were responsible for providing return on my investment.

“Dad” vs. “CEO”

So, I put them in charge of a business. And, in so doing, I added another role. In my house, I am “Dad.” That guy is loving and caring and spurts lines like, “Yeah, that sucks. I’m sorry you’re going through that.” My other role — that of “CEO” — is not so understanding. That guy is watching his dollars, he expects a return, and he spurts lines like, “Oh, it’s raining today? This is why I told you to save. I guess you’ll remember that next time.” Tough love.

Keeping those two personas separate can be tough. Like, really tough. I want to raise six kids who, 15 years down the road, I feel comfortable having around my conference table. But, I also want to them feel loved and cared for. I want both sides of the coin, and so maintaining a healthy balance is important to me. I’m sure we’ve all read about what happens to the families of workaholics — depression, separation.

4 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Maintain A Healthy Work-Life Separation

I want my kids to be hard workers and self starters, but not at the expense of our family and not at the expense of their happiness. Here’s how I’ve worked to maintain a work-family balance.

1. Know Your Audience
   If you’re an entrepreneur, then this should be easy. If you’re talking to your kid as “CEO,” then trouble shoot. Solve problems. But, sometimes, your daughter will call you and all she wants is “Dad.” Make sure you know who you’re talking to. Ask “Do you want me to listen, or do you want some help?” Respond appropriately.
2. Plan Accordingly
   9 to 5, work comes first. But, if you’re at dinner with your family, put “CEO” — and his ever-ringing phone — away for awhile. Actively engage with your kids. Be present. If there is a call you need to take during dinner time, plan for it and tell your kids. They’ll understand as long as you treat them with respect, and this behavior is the exception, not the rule. If you never put up boundaries, they’ll never feel safe to engage you because work will always trump them. And, on that note …
3. Create Physical Boundaries
   If I’m in the house, I’m “Dad.” If I’m in the shed (“Shed Quarters”), then I’m “CEO.” There is no in-between. If a kid swerves out of his lane, I shut him down. Paint the lines on the road. Fast lane, middle lane, exit lane. Set the traffic rules. If everybody follows the rules, we avoid collision between work and play.
4. Skill Set Trumps Last Name
   If your reasoning for working with family is to interact more, I suggest a vacation. If you hire your brother as the sales and marketing guy, then at work, he’s not your brother. He’s sales and marketing. You need to make them accountable to their duties. If they’re not cut out for the role, don’t hire them.

Back to the ice cream truck. They’ve learned important lessons first-hand, like saving for a rainy day, and not hiring a ‘Hufflepuff’ for a position when you need a ‘Slytherin.’ (Hey, you have to relate best hiring practices to kids somehow, right?) They’ve returned my investment in spades, sometimes pulling $50,000 in a summer. Remember: they’re still kids.

And, because they’ve learned to solve problems on their own, they never ask me to bail them out. My kids that are in college call me once a week, updating me on problems they solved and things they’ve accomplished. They’re more mature than most full-grown adults I know. I’m one proud dad, and I can’t wait to sit around the conference table with them.

I wrote this piece as a freelance writer for Influence & Co. for Kevin Meuret, an St. Louis-based entrepreneur.