Teach Kids the Importance of Work

I am thankful for the hard work ethic my parents taught me, even though as a kid, work was not my thing -- I would rather play or do nothing.  There was plenty of time for play in our home, but we were also expected to work.  Two of the first jobs I remember were subbing for my brother Doug’s paper route (those papers were heavy!) and mowing people’s grass.  I couldn’t start the mower, so my brother Tom would go with me, start the engine, and then tell me not to stall it! No riders in those days only push mowers. Some of those days were unbearably hot and humid, but I kept going--and lived!  Later, I had my own paper route and worked on a farm on Saturdays and in the summer.  Some winter mornings the mercury would be down around 20 below, and some summers it must have been 150 in the barn mow- at least it felt like 150!  But we kept going and had fun too, because it was a challenge; and we could look back with pride at what we had accomplished.

But there were many times after school or in the summer when I just didn’t want to work.  I wanted to hang out with my friends or go swimming down at the river; but if I turned any work down, I would pay dearly, because my folk’s wrath would be fully unleashed upon my laziness. It was more comfortable to work! The funny thing is that I eventually began to like to work.  Hard physical work, like swinging a hammer with all my might as I forged decorative wrought iron on my anvil.  And working by a hot forge fire and hammering steel into whatever shape I wanted.  But steel is hard and stubborn, and even when heated white hot, it still does not want to yield.  It takes an equal amount of stubbornness to shape it.

Now, as a pastor for 26 years at New Life, I look back with appreciation that I learned to work hard AND also learned to be tenacious -- not giving up.  Little did I know at the time I worked professionally as an artist blacksmith that the Lord was using that time to teach me lessons with steel and iron that would carry on into my calling as a pastor.  He taught me to keep going no matter how discouraging circumstances were, how hot or how cold things got, or how badly people treated me.  I learned that even though steel is stubborn, people can be even more stubborn.  I also learned steel can hurt you, and so can people.  But no matter what comes our way, we don’t give up! 

Today, things have changed in America.  Hard labor is no longer a cultural value as it once was only a generation or so ago.  Americans have always been known as a hardworking, independent people who took great pride in their accomplishments.  But, this work ethic is becoming a thing of the past, and nowadays, laziness seems to be celebrated.  With all the affluence and all the labor-saving gadgets, many parents no longer make their kids work.  Yes, I said ‘make’!  Since many of today’s parents were either never taught the importance of hard work or don’t want their children to have such burdens in their lives, children have not learned to value or appreciate working; this then leads to a shocking number of able-bodied people filing for and living on disability and social benefits -- with NO desire to work.  Some of these folks even brag about being on disability or some other social welfare and are quick to tell others how they too can beat the system!

The Bible instructs parents to train their children, and all parents do this.  Some train their children by their own bad examples, and others by truly making an effort to train their children to do the right thing.  Parents do their children no favors when they don’t teach honest work habits which lead to self-discipline and a sense of value and accomplishment.  Those parents who give in to the intrinsic indolence that most kids are born with do them a great disservice.  Let’s face it, most kids would rather play or do nothing.  Because parents aren’t teaching the value of a good work ethic, many of our children are suffering from laziness, boredom, depression, drug abuse, obesity, and low self-esteem among other things – and it isn’t always their fault. 

Training our children for hard work and hardships in life may seem like a new concept, but it is as old as the hills.  For instance, the Shawnee Indians made their children fast once a week to prepare them for times of famine that were sure to come.  Rural kids have always been taught the importance of discipline through learning a good work ethic early in life.  In fact, to be labeled as ‘lazy’ was one of the greatest shames for Americans of the past and to some extent, today as well!  Please know that work is not a dirty word!  God had ordained man to work even before they fell in the Garden of Eden.  There is fulfillment in work, and those who shun it or avoid it at all costs may find their lives empty and without purpose.  Work has value for the human soul, and we need to learn this for ourselves, and pass it on to our children. 

If you would like to help your kids learn some valuable life lessons, here are some things you as a parent can do:

1.  Tell yourself that You are the parent.  Yes, YOU.

2. Say to yourself, “Parenting is not for cowards – I am not a coward.”
3. Train your children.  This takes ambition and discipline…and strength.
4. Don’t be lazy and a complainer about work.  Your children are being trained by you.
5. Make work a fun time.  Sing, whistle and be encouraging.  Like, “Hey, let’s go get that done!” and “Doesn’t it feel good to have that accomplished?”
6. Teach them that working up a sweat won’t hurt them.
7. Make your children get outside and actually play and get dirty…it’s OK.
8. Give them chores to do, and keep them accountable.
9. Let them walk some places; it releases endorphins which will make them feel better.
10. Teach them how working leads to rewards by giving them an allowance when they work,
    and how to save their money.
11. Teach them to be faithful to God by giving a portion of their money to God.
12. Remind yourself that you are accountable to God for how you raise your child.

I will always remember a lesson I learned when I was the marking boy at a clothing store, stuck down in a low-ceilinged basement all day.  I was looking for sympathy when I asked an older lady walking past if she liked her job.  She placed her hands on her hips and said in a feisty tone, “Well, if I always liked it, it wouldn’t be work, now would it?!”   Lifelong lesson learned!

Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

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Pastor Gary Smith

New Life Christian Fellowship