Teaching Children Work Ethic
I see so many young people these days that seem to have no sense of purpose beyond the next phone, app, game, gaming platform, "reality" show, etc.. A lot of them don't seem to be connected to, or invested in any way, in their families, much less the community they live in.
I have seen many in my former role as a restaurant manager who have no idea of how to DO a job much less take pride in said job. Work ethic seems to be sorely lacking and a sense of entitlement taking its place.
I am no "expert" in child rearing, I have no degrees in Early Childhood Development or Early Childhood Education. What I do have is experience, both success and failure, raising three children, fifteen years of childcare, three years as a Head Start volunteer and another two years now of helping to raise my grandson.
I have found that children learn good work ethic at a very young age. They are little sponges and they absorb everything in their environment. The entire world is their school and everyone in it, their teacher. I believe that to deny a child the feeling of community and belonging, that helping with chores and other jobs or hobbies can bring, is a cruel thing to do to a child. I believe it can have far reaching consequences in their lives.
Children naturally want to do what their parents, siblings and caregivers do. It is part of learning and socializing. When a child wishes to help you, please don't discourage them. Yes, it may be inconvenient or just quicker for you to do it yourself but sometimes convenience needs to take a backseat. A one year old child with their little broom will definitely make a mess and there will be a bashed knee (or chin) to be endured but they are learning to be a part of the household team.
By the time a child is two years old most can be relied on to put away toys, put their laundry in a basket or hamper, feed family pets, and do other little jobs that give them a sense of pride in doing. Remembering to reinforce the good they are trying to do can sometimes be difficult when you are picking up the clothes you just folded that the child tried to put away, or you walk onto a kitchen floor barefoot that is strewn in kitty kibble, maybe three or four times a day until they learn it only needs to be done once or twice. It is far better to have them help you clean up, show them how to do things neatly, than to get angry or frustrated over the mess. It's not easy, by any means, to teach children but the rewards are worth it.
Don't underestimate what your child can do. A very young child can do and learn many more things than some people believe. And on that note I also want to stress that children develop at different rates, but given the chance to explore and try things out a child might surprise you.
Size appropriate tools are wonderful items to have for youngsters. Real versions of items we use, like brooms, gardening tools, wheelbarrows and the like, are conducive to allowing a child to help out without them coming to harm trying to handle the adult size and weight tools. When they finally get distracted, and don't wish to help any more, it's a good time to remind them to put their tools away properly before they run off to the next thing to explore.
We are lucky enough to live on a small farm where there are plenty of things for a youngster to learn to do and help with. These are just a few of the things that my grandson likes doing.
Helping his Mooma with building is a good time to work with numbers and to learn important safety lessons. He walks around saying "no touching Mooma's saw" about five times before he starts measuring or hauling in whatever he thinks I need for building. I think I spend as much time grinning and shaking my head as I do getting work done.
Helping to put up firewood. He really enjoys feeling like a big guy stacking the small pieces of firewood or bringing me pieces when the stacks get too tall. Of course he gets plenty of encouragement and praise for helping.
He also likes helping mommy with cleaning up around the place and feeding the goats the branches from trimming trees and bushes.
Helping Auntie with the chickens is something he really enjoys! Anything to get into the chicken pen!
When he is calm enough Auntie even lets him gather eggs..... he has learned not to pre-scramble them by dropping them into the basket.
Everyone of these things children do as play is learning. It is also the chance to teach other things as well. Counting with a child as they gather or put away. Teaching descriptives such as color, shape, texture, size and weight. But I will go into that more another day.
They are only children a short time. Enjoy their childhood as much as they do! Play is learning and learning can be playful and enjoyable to the child as well as the many teachers in their lives.
