"Workers for Hire" - Viatouch

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Workers For Hire
by Geary Smith

One Saturday morning while I was washing the car, my 8-year old daughter asked if she could help. I had just finished rinsing off the soap and was about to dry the car. Before I could respond, she picked up a cloth. But despite her efforts, she was making more work for me.

"Hold it, Somer," I said. "You can best help me by cleaning the windows, while I finish drying off the car." I got the window cleaner and showed Somer how to do the job correctly.

So many times, parents and teachers fail to teach strong work ethics to young children. It's easier to assume that a child or a student can't do a task. Adults go ahead and do it for them, instead of letting children use their own talents to do the work.

It's important that children learn how to apply themselves in order to be successful not only in school, but in life. In the article entitled, "A Nation of Wimps" by Hara Estrano Marano, the author describes how children go off to college or work in an attempt to gain their independence, only to return to the safety of their parent's house. The article explains that many times children don't have the work ethics to handle the pressures of studying in college and working in the "real world."

So how what can you do? Here are some strategies for building good work ethics.

Build Responsibilities Allow children to assist you with your work. Teachers can ask their students to take books back to the library or to clean the chalk board. You can ask your students to dust shelves and to clean desks and tables. Parents can assign chores around the house, such as drying the dishes, taking out the trash, and cleaning their rooms.
Know Your Students/Children Every child has unique skills. In school, get to know your students. Ask them to write a letter about themselves addressed to the teacher. Another way to get to know your students is to have them come to the front of the class to describe the activities that they enjoy doing. At home, avoid comparing siblings. Change your expectations based on the child's abilities.
Teach Persistence Parents and teachers should encourage each child to continue to work until the job is completed. I have often witnessed children getting let off the hook or getting a reward before the job is completely done. Reinforce completing tasks occasionally with some treat or a special privilege. Give praise for a job good well done.
Foster Volunteering Teach children to give back to others in need. Helping others goes a long way in building a good work ethic. Students can tutor others or help teachers grade papers. Children can help around the house or in the neighborhood or volunteer for community service at places like the Humane Society or local businesses.
Be a Role Model Parents and teachers can show as well as tell. Children need role models to learn a good work ethics. If possible, take your children to work one day. Show them what it takes to get the job done. Teachers can use a university course catalog to show students the kinds of classes required to earn a college degree.

There's the old saying, "Rome was not built in a day." And so it is with building a work ethic in children and students. It's a process that takes constant effort and dedication of concerned parents and teachers. When you invest in building good work ethics, your children or students will gain independence. Moreover, they will have acquired the tools to succeed.

Geary loves to read, write, run, and play golf. He is married Tonnette and has two daughters, Jessica and Somer. Geary has been writing for children for about 21 years, with published stories, articles, and quizzes for Highlights for Children, Child Life, McGraw-Hill, Viatouch, and ECS Learning Systems. Currently, he is working as a QMRP Coordinator and as a motivational speaker and associate pastor.

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