Gets things done!
If you’re like me it seems like it takes twice as long to do the things I used to do in half the time. I’m not sure if the days are getting shorter or if I am getting slower, or more easily distracted. I do know that things I used to do in a half second, now takes me a second and a half. That is the great thing about having a horde of little people around you, many hands makes work short. I am a firm believer in teaching children the rewards that work can bring, but there’s nothing wrong with making work fun, or even a competition.
We had four large oak trees die, due to a beetle infestation, over the past two years. We looked into having the trees taken down by a professional tree trimmer, only to find out it would be $1000-$1200 per tree. As this was not in the family budget we decided to save the money and knock trees over ourselves. This works remarkably well, except for the fact the limbs splintered, and branches were everywhere! Luckily we have a chainsaw wielding family, and my son quickly made firewood out of the bulk of the trees. That only left the million branches that broke and were all over the yard, to clean up. My grandchildren spent the first two weeks of their summer vacation picking up sticks, not for just a few minutes, but for hours every day. The result was the yard looks great, and we are able to mow again, and the children got rewarded for their efforts.
Teaching children to work builds strong bodies, strong minds, and strong relationships with one another. They soon learn that working as a team things get done faster, and better. When they bicker, and don’t work together, very little is accomplished during that day, only making the job drag on longer. They also learned, tattling, whining, and complaining about each other accomplishes absolutely nothing.
One of the rewards for picking up sticks was, the children got to paint fairy houses. Everybody enjoyed it, and it was nice to sit inside when it was too hot to work outside. There were no rules, I told him they could do whatever they wanted with the houses, so they let their creative juices flow. They absolutely enjoyed every minute of it, there was no bickering, and they shared the paints and brushes very well. Since it was all they talked about for days afterwards, we used it as a reward again for another job.
Work doesn’t always have to be backbreaking, or labor-intensive. Work can be made into a teaching experience, and fun. I let each child take the fairy houses that they had painted, and make their own fairy garden. Each child was taught how to prepare the ground, take out any weeds, dig the holes, remove the plant from the pot, and ease the roots, fertilize and plant the flower. The instructions had to be followed in order for the plant to live. Each child was intent on doing a good job, and making their fairy garden exactly the way they wanted. One of my grandchildren was absent during the planting, as she had a prior engagement at that time, so when she came back the littlest girl said, “I can teach her how to do it.” And that is exactly what she did, because she had paid attention to the instructions, and knew how to do it exactly right. We spent hours and hours in those flowerbeds, and the children never once complained, or tried to get out of the work that needed to be done. The end result of everyone helping and working together were a collection of garden masterpieces, which each child is very proud of.
As parents we do not do our children any favors by letting them spend the summer on the couch, with a Game Boy in their hand, or a Wii in front of their face. Teaching children to work with their hands gives them a sense of accomplishment, and pride when the job is done. Mark Twain is noted for this quote: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” While this statement may be true, it may not be a practical statement for life, but you can teach your children to make the best of every situation, and they can be proud of a job well done.
We as authors usually depict our heroines and heroes, as honest hard-working people. Why do you think we do that? I think it is because we either identify with that person, or we aspire to be that person. How much more gratification will we have, if we work for the Lord with all our might ?
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Ephesians 4:9
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 18:20
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
II Thessalonians 3:10
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Colossians 3:23
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psalms 133:1
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
I Peter 3:8