If you want to survive in this world you must work & you must have air in your lungs.
In the book, "Smart Money Smart Kids" by Dave Ramsey & Rachel Cruz, chapter 2 (Work - It's not a Four Letter Word), explains how kids need to learn at an early age that working = money. Requiring kids to do age appropriate chores around the house is ok. They won't die, although they may try to convince you they will. Allowing kids to do nothing while you do everything to make their world a better place, is not okay! I am not raising boys. I am not raising teenagers. I am raising young men! That's my end goal as their mother & that is my #1 job!
Dave says, "Teaching children to work is not child abuse. We teach them to work not for our benefit, but because it gives them both dignity in a job well done today and the tools and character to win in the future as adults."
Growing up in Michigan a child learns early not to toss pop cans & bottles in the trash can or recycling bin. It's worth .10! (Why isn't there a cent sign on the keyboard, have we not arrived?) I digress..... anyway, we have large amounts of pop cans under the sink in the garage & under the sink in the basement. They gather at a rapid pace.
One day last Summer, my husband said to both boys, ages 11 & 13 at the time, gather the pop cans & bottles, count them, put them in boxes & bags and I will take you to the corner store to return them. You get to keep the money. Child B did all the work. He gathered the pop cans & bottles, counted them a few times for accuracy, put them in bags and boxes and then told his Dad he was ready to go to the corner store.
A while later they arrived back home & Child B had spent his money. He rewarded his work with a glass bottle of Mt. Dew & a steak, fresh from the meat counter at the corner store! Child A looks excited when he sees what his brother had purchased and says, "Where's mine?" His Dad looks at him and calmly explains, "I asked you both to gather the pop cans. Jeremiah hopped right to it & he got the job done. Since he did all the work, he got to keep/spend the money!"
Zakkery didn't have a fit, he didn't have a tantrum. He knew he should have worked if he wanted to benefit from doing work. He was bummed, no doubt! His brother had a cold glass bottle of Mt. Dew that he was carefully nursing on a hot Summer day!
This was a great teachable moment for both of the boys. I remember great conversation taking place that evening as we ate dinner. We didn't bash him for not wanting to collect the pop cans & bottles. He got the lesson loud and clear! We didn't overly praise that child that did do all the work. He got the lesson loud and clear too!
Since that day, there's been plenty more trips to the corner store to return the pop cans & bottles.