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Working Hard

August 5, 2012 By 9 Comments

I took the youngest five children (Fletcher, Greyden, Hewitt, Indigo, and Jade) food shopping with me the other day.   I pushed a cart, Greyden pushed a cart, Hewitt pushed the “car” cart holding the girls, and Fletcher walked on his crutches.  I sent Greyden and Fletcher off to fill their cart with cereal, oatmeal, and other staples while the rest of us got all the fruits and veggies. 

Bagging Soap

When we convened at the checkout aisle, the children started unloading the carts.  Once the first one was filled with bagged groceries, I sent the oldest three out to start transferring it all to the Hulk, where Jim was waiting.  Meanwhile, Jade and Indigo kept unloading the carts.  The checkout guy (older teenager) looked at the girls and said to me, “They’re too young to be working.”  

I looked at him and replied with a smile, “They’re more capable than you would think.”

But it got me thinking.  

Is that really how most Americans think?  Are we really that unusual?

We teach our children to work hard and don’t use work as a punishment.  To us work is not something that magically starts when you hit a certain age.  It’s not something that is just for adults.  It is something that all children need to be taught.  If children don’t learn to work and work hard, they can easily become teenagers (and adults) who are always trying to avoid work and expecting other people to do the work for them.  

Oprah Winfrey once said, “The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.”

We’re teaching the children to believe that they can do anything and that hard work will help them achieve their dreams and goals.   They realize that very few people are handed success and lots of money, and those who are (such as lottery winners) often lose everything that they were given.  There are very few shortcuts to success.  

I have a Thomas Jefferson quote on the wall in my office.  It says, “I am a great believer in luck.  And I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”  We actively teach this mentality to our children.  After all, the tagline for Goat Milk Stuff is  ”Work hard. Get dirty. Use good soap.”  That’s our life.

What about you?  What are your thoughts on hard work?  Something to be embraced or avoided?

PJ

 

 

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1400620290 Deb Van Ness-Martin

    Dear PJ – I most certainly applaud the work philosophy that you and Jim instill in your children.  I believe hard work is very good for anyone and offers the opportunity to be successful and proud of what can accomplish.  I began working at a young age and have never regretted it because I can look around and know that I have earned the things that I have such as my own dream of owning my own home.  Keep up the great work with your family – you are very much on the ‘right track’.

    • goatmilkstuff

      Good for you, Deb!  It’s so important to have a dream and work hard toward it.  I think that brings so much more long lasting joy than pure recreation.

      PJ

  • http://www.facebook.com/heather.holmeslonergan Heather Holmes-Lonergan

    I think that in our modern age parents have come to regard schoolwork and scheduled activities as children’s “work.” Unfortunately that means they may go off to college without knowing how to scrub a toilet or turn on a stove, let alone perform real physical labor. We live in the country now instead of the suburbs and one reason for that is because we wanted our children to have a more balanced life with lots of time outdoors. Now if I could just get them to do their chores…

    • goatmilkstuff

      Heather – I agree with you completely.  We moved to the country for similar reasons.  We have a saying around here, “you don’t work, you don’t eat.”  The children know they need to do their animal chores and feed them first before they could eat.  It’s a great incentive!

      PJ

  • http://www.facebook.com/heather.holmeslonergan Heather Holmes-Lonergan

    I think that in our modern age parents have come to regard schoolwork and scheduled activities as children’s “work.” Unfortunately that means they may go off to college without knowing how to scrub a toilet or turn on a stove, let alone perform real physical labor. We live in the country now instead of the suburbs and one reason for that is because we wanted our children to have a more balanced life with lots of time outdoors. Now if I could just get them to do their chores…

  • http://www.facebook.com/heather.holmeslonergan Heather Holmes-Lonergan

    I think that in our modern age parents have come to regard schoolwork and scheduled activities as children’s “work.” Unfortunately that means they may go off to college without knowing how to scrub a toilet or turn on a stove, let alone perform real physical labor. We live in the country now instead of the suburbs and one reason for that is because we wanted our children to have a more balanced life with lots of time outdoors. Now if I could just get them to do their chores…

  • http://www.facebook.com/heather.holmeslonergan Heather Holmes-Lonergan

    I think that in our modern age parents have come to regard schoolwork and scheduled activities as children’s “work.” Unfortunately that means they may go off to college without knowing how to scrub a toilet or turn on a stove, let alone perform real physical labor. We live in the country now instead of the suburbs and one reason for that is because we wanted our children to have a more balanced life with lots of time outdoors. Now if I could just get them to do their chores…

  • Scott

    PJ,

    Good job. This concept of teaching the basic skills of life to children at a young age is very important. I have been a firefighter/paramedic for over 16 years and more than once I have had to actually teach a rookie firefighter how to mop a floor and scrub a toilet. I think the saddest thing I have ever heard a 21 year old man say to me is, “I have never cleaned a toilet before in my life!” and he was being honest. I asked him for his mom’s phone number so I could tell her what I thought about her job of rearing him!

    Keep up the good work. My two boys love watching the ‘Goat Milk Stuff’ videos and have plans for their ‘own’ goats at some point. We will see. They are still learning how to properly take care of 2 dogs and 2 cats.

    Scott

    • goatmilkstuff

      I’m so glad they’re enjoying the videos!  My children still need occasional reminders about their chores as well.  But overall, they’re pretty good.

      I agree, it’s very sad.  I always tell other moms, “Yes, you can do it better and faster than your children can.  But it is your job to teach them to do it as well as you!”  The “it” can be anything from washing dishes to cleaning toilets to doing laundry.  Parents are doing their children any favors if they do everything for their children.  I’m glad to hear there are other like minded people out there! :)

      PJ