Work… that’s a four letter word!
Is that how you see it? Is that how your children see it …because that’s how you see it? …or because they see you work without expecting them to?
I have heard this said by men who seem to say it “tongue in cheek”… and often the man saying it is a “work-horse”… but the attitude that can be deduced by this statement, can be misleading.
Patrick Schwenk, in an article he wrote for thecourage.com says, “On average, most Americans will have seven to eight different jobs in their lifetime…” and that “Some 80% are currently unhappy in their line of work. ”
I have often wondered if my attitude when I get home, from a hard day’s work, is giving my kids the impression that work is a necessary evil, and that they should avoid it at all costs. We have recently had some difficulty getting our children to engage in chores and work around the house. It seems to me (and Patrick Schwenk agrees) that your attitude about work starts young.
I recall my parents work as the most important part of their lives. It was ministry, so as a young christian it was hard for me to argue, but as I look back I realize that the style in which they worked shaped my work ethic. Now this was only the foundation of that work ethic, as long as I take up the responsibility of shaping the structure that is built on that foundation, but there are pieces of that foundation that are not as firm as they might be.
I have recently asked myself:
What kind of attitude am I building in my kids lives, as a foundation for their work ethic? Is it a joyful diligent stewardship that pleases God? I would like it to be…
So when I came across this article I wanted to share it with you, and also give you another resource to edify you and your family.
So check out Three Truths Every Parent Needs To Teach Their Children About Work
…and then check out Kirk Cameron’s family edifying website, TheCourage.com.