Photo by Steven Depolo
Kids need to be kids and enjoy being young. They want to grow up fast but that will change when they realize what’s in store! Owning responsibility is a stressful tightrope to walk. Still, they can’t get to their adult years without the right skills. Otherwise, life will get very real very quickly and it won’t be pretty.
A career is a perfect example. No one is going to offer handouts and mom won’t be there to hold their hand. To be successful, they need a strong work ethic to pull them through. Below are tips on how to instill one within your children.
Let Them Loose
Early on in life, kids will beg and plead to help. They want to be part of the process and have an impact on the result. Because they are young, parents often say thanks but no thanks. Let the adults take care of this one, sweetie. Apart from being patronizing, it’s not a wise move. Kids tend to learn habits, good or bad, from an early age. Therefore, letting them loose on the dinner will impact their drive and work ethic in the future. Peeling potatoes is a small job but it contains plenty of teachable moments.
Support Their Dreams
A parent’s role is to support their kids when they have an idea. Think about the humble lemonade stand. Lots of small children want to sell refreshing drinks in the summer and make a couple of dimes, but they need help. Without a parent pitching in and facilitating their entrepreneurial spirit, they will find an easier way to spend their time. So, rather than becoming a businessman or woman with a Bezos-like fire in their belly, they turn into a lazy teenager. When kids ask for assistance, don’t dismiss them out of hand. Try and help where possible and spur them on.
Teach Them The Love
Success people don’t work for the sake of bragging about their insane schedules. It doesn’t impress people that they spend 150 hours in the office. What’s impressive is that it’s a means to an end, usually a ton of money. Through it all, they love their jobs, sometimes as much as their families. Without a sense of passion, the work ethic won’t stick. So, point them in the right direction. Do they play video games? Then BuybackExpress.com will take the old ones off of their hands. Are they sporty? No problem because writersincharge.com has a list of publications that pay. If they love the work, it won’t feel like a job.
Show The Value Behind The Scenes
Everything that kids do work-wise has got to do with money. They work because they are broke and want to be rich. A wage is an important part of a job but it isn’t the only facet. Love can bridge the gap as you already know, yet it might not be enough. With that in mind, show them the value associated with work. For example, take them to a shelter to volunteer.
How do you plan on raising kids that aren’t work shy?
