Instilling the Hard Work Ethic While They're Young

[Californiaman]

Many kids in this generation are unwilling to work hard for anything. Too many believe they're entitled to it.

Tonight my two boys, ages nine and seven, went across the street to help our neighbor remove a 20'x10' cobble-stone driveway. They worked hard as Randy, my neighbor, used a pick to loosen the bricks, with my boys moving the concrete bricks and stacking them in a pile 15 feet away.

I first told them that "Randy needed some help and that he does a lot of neat things for us—like buying you guys ice cream and candy last Saturday night. Or barbecuing food for us when we don't expect it."

Well they went willingly and worked hard for about 20 minutes clearing the entire section of driveway. They got the job done and each one even got to use the pick to loosen the bricks.

In the end Californiagirl and I were so proud of them! I told them so.

Then, as I gave them both hugs and praise for their hard work each one of them reached into their pockets and pulled out a five dollar bill.

"Look," each one exclaimed "I got five bucks!"

"That was prevailing wage for kids," Randy told me.

I'm so proud of my boys.

They're going to be good, strong, wise men.

[wicked1]

Good for you, Californiaman! I wish my 9-yr-old could focus long enough to be that industrious! He actually worked very hard last weekend on a school project. Was quiet for hours! Homz said "We should have him make diaramas all the time!"

[The Holy Hand Grenade]

You might add that it is American children that are lazy and have a sense of entitlement.

[DamienAzrael]

It's sad...most people from my generation and younger think that way...Then they go out into the real world and don't know what to do...I used to have coworkers that constantly came in late to work or didn't bother showing up because they were "sick"...I come from the mindset that unless you're about to die there's no reason to not show up for work...But that's me.

[Californiaman]

Good for you' date=' Californiaman! I wish my 9-yr-old could focus long enough to be that industrious! He actually worked very hard last weekend on a school project. Was quiet for hours! Homz said "We should have him make diaramas all the time!"[/quote']

 

Diaramas are so much fun.

My youngest boy just did one (with a little help from Dad).

It was for a book called Animal Magic Rescue Center if I'm not mistaken.

Anyway, it was a good project.

Yesterday he completed a "movie poster" for the book, Stop That Hamster!

[Californiaman]

It's sad...most people from my generation and younger think that way...Then they go out into the real world and don't know what to do...I used to have coworkers that constantly came in late to work or didn't bother showing up because they were "sick"...I come from the mindset that unless you're about to die there's no reason to not show up for work...But that's me.

There are some still out there, Damien.

We're that way around here. My wife and I are always telling our children "Work smart," or "Hard work pays good" and "Work when you can, play when the work is done."

We also have them do chores. They don't complain any more. They just do them.

[DamienAzrael]

There are some still out there' date=' Damien.

We're that way around here. My wife and I are always telling our children "Work smart," or "Hard work pays good" and "Work when you can, play when the work is done."

We also have them do chores. They don't complain any more. They just do them.[/quote']

 

Good...there should be more though.

[wicked1]

 

Diaramas are so much fun.

My youngest boy just did one (with a little help from Dad).

It was for a book called Animal Magic Rescue Center if I'm not mistaken.

Anyway' date=' it was a good project.

Yesterday he completed a "movie poster" for the book, Stop That Hamster!

[/quote']

 

Third grade does a semester-long project on endangered animals. Little Homz did his project on manatees (now he's all fired up to write Congress and call his aunt, the lawyer, to help the manatees). They did a powerpoint presentation a few weeks ago. Our daughter did a poster board thing back when she was in 3rd, so they're moving into the 21st century anyway. His last assignment is to make a diarama of a manatees habitat. He actually did a really good job of sculpting a manatee out of clay!

[TinFish]

Good on you Californiaman! My Son is a little young yet to be doing demolition work(16 months) but by the time he is 20 months or so I expect him to be removing my neighbors driveways and reinstalling new ones!

 

It's sad...most people from my generation and younger think that way...Then they go out into the real world and don't know what to do...I used to have coworkers that constantly came in late to work or didn't bother showing up because they were "sick"...I come from the mindset that unless you're about to die there's no reason to not show up for work...But that's me.

 

I agree there are a lot of people who take advantage of sick days, but it is more cost effective for your employer and the economy in general for you to stay home when you are actually sick as to not infect everyone else at your workplace with whatever sort of bug you are carrying.

[MReynolds]

You might add that it is American children that are lazy and have a sense of entitlement.

 

"You might add that it is SOME American children that are lazy and have a sense of entitlement."

 

Don't make generalizations.

[Californiaman]

Good on you Californiaman! My Son is a little young yet to be doing demolition work(16 months) but by the time he is 20 months or so I expect him to be removing my neighbors driveways and reinstalling new ones!

 

 

 

I agree there are a lot of people who take advantage of sick days' date=' but it is more cost effective for your employer and the economy in general for you to stay home when you are actually sick as to not infect everyone else at your workplace with whatever sort of bug you are carrying.[/quote']

 

By time he's 20 he'll own his own landscaping company and specialize in hardscapes and waterscapes!

[Californiaman]

As a high school teacher I see a lot of lazy kids.

We often mock them "This is our future?"

It is what it is, yes "some" American kids.

[wicked1]

Good on you Californiaman! My Son is a little young yet to be doing demolition work(16 months) but by the time he is 20 months or so I expect him to be removing my neighbors driveways and reinstalling new ones!

 

I said long ago that our son would grow up to be an engineer. By the time he was a year old or so, I noticed that he always eyed the toys in his playpen in a strange way. Then he would stack them up so he could climb out. By 2 years, he was taking everything apart. Now he actually tries to put it back together after he figures out how it works. Of course, he also wanted to build a time machine out of Legos....

[Californiaman]

Of course' date=' he also wanted to build a time machine out of Legos.... [/quote']

 

What you guys don't have one yet???

My seven year old's been there done that and has the T-shirt.

Brag, brag, brag, brag, brag.

Really though, they love the Legos. Indiana Jones, Star Wars and anything else they can build.

[wicked1]

 

What you guys don't have one yet???

My seven year old's been there done that and has the T-shirt.

Brag' date=' brag, brag, brag, brag.

Really though, they love the Legos. Indiana Jones, Star Wars and anything else they can build.[/quote']

 

LOL I told you he had trouble staying focused on one task!! The only thing he does consistently is practice his "Jedi mind control." If you ever see the littlest Homz staring at you with his eyes kinda squinted together, just know that he's trying to work his voodoo on ya!

[MReynolds]

Of course' date=' he also wanted to build a time machine out of Legos.... [/quote']

 

When he figures out how to do this tell him to pick homz and me up a pair of '59 Les Pauls.

[TinFish]

 

I said long ago that our son would grow up to be an engineer. By the time he was a year old or so' date=' I noticed that he always eyed the toys in his playpen in a strange way. Then he would stack them up so he could climb out. By 2 years, he was taking everything apart. Now he actually tries to put it back together after he figures out how it works. Of course, he also wanted to build a time machine out of Legos.... [/quote']

My boy likes to stack, he also likes to knock down what he has previously stacked... he also likes fire engines.

He really likes music though and I mean anything, from Raffi to Death metal and he just starts dancing and spinning around.

I like to think he gets it from me, I plan to encourage him to take up an instrument. He already owns a 3/4 size acoustic I bought him for his first birthday.

 

 

I'd also like to encourage him to play a more traditional instrument like the piano or violin, mainly because I wish I was able to play those instruments better haha. Whatever he decides to play I will support him though. I just think people who don't play an instrument are missing out on such a beautiful part of life.

[Californiaman]

My boys from time to time pick up one of my guitars, usually the stratocaster and try and make it work for them.

They also bang on the old family piano in an attempt to make something musical. But it's my daughter who has the guitar. She's four and plays a pink First Act acoustic. She really wants an electric guitar though.

We were in a music store once and she said, "Dad if you buy me that guitar I can take it home, plug it in and blow up the house."

[The Holy Hand Grenade]

We are all gonna die!!!

[RichCI]

Very cool, Californiaman.

 

In defense of the younger folk, I think every generation thinks the following generation is soft. Reading callen3615's thread shows that there are young people who are industrious just as there always have been.

[The Holy Hand Grenade]

Very cool' date=' Californiaman.

 

In defense of the younger folk, I think every generation thinks the following generation is soft. Reading callen3615's thread shows that there are young people who are industrious just as there always have been.

 

I think the reason America is getting allot of lazy children is due to the Labor laws you guys have, If you can put them to work while they are Young you will have more Working Teenagers but the Government has more control over your kids than you do over there.

[Blackened]

You might add that it is American children that are lazy and have a sense of entitlement.

 

Yeah that is a pretty crappy thing to say actually.

 

Stop getting sucked in by what your news media is telling you because they only want to show you the 1% that will keep you watching/listening/reading and on the edge of your seat instead of the whole picture.

 

"Gee golly what will those awful Americans do next?!?!"

 

Sweeping generalizations are typically reserved for the less intelligent. I implore you to aspire to a better standard.

[RichCI]

 

I think the reason America is getting allot of lazy children is due to the Labor laws you guys have' date=' If you can put them to work while they are Young you will have more Working Teenagers but the Government has more control over your kids than you do over there.[/quote']

 

I don't think they should have to work any younger than they have to already. A job that requires just a few hours (4 or 5) a week is fine for a kid who is 13 or a little older but they should first and foremost be concentrating on school and still at least have some free time to be a kid. At 16, if the kid wants to go get a job working 15-20 hours a week and can still keep up with their school work, then that's up to the kid but I'd still hate to see him sacrifice too much of his social life. You get to be a kid only once.

[vagabond]

You old people ever stop to think that children don't have work ethic because their parents were shitty and spoiled them? I'm 20, I work 20 hours a week (40 during the summer) while taking a full schedule of college courses. My parents taught me that I don't get things for free, I get them because I deserve them, and to deserve something you have to have done something other than sit on your ***. It's nice to see a case of good parenting, but it's too bad it was served on a platter of generational generalization and ignorance. This post would've insulted any one of my friends, who are all doing as much work as me at the same age (some doing more, like the guy pulling a 4.0 as a mechanical engineering major at Purdue :/).

[RichCI]

You old people ever stop to think that children don't have work ethic because their parents were shitty and spoiled them? I'm 20' date=' I work 20 hours a week (40 during the summer) while taking a full schedule of college courses. My parents taught me that I don't get things for free, I get them because I deserve them, and to deserve something you have to have done something other than sit on your ***. It's nice to see a case of good parenting, but it's too bad it was served on a platter of generational generalization and ignorance. This post would've insulted any one of my friends, who are all doing as much work as me at the same age (some doing more, like the guy pulling a 4.0 as a mechanical engineering major at Purdue :/).[/quote']

 

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