Work is something which is becoming less and less appreciated. Parents seem to think it is their duty to give their children everything they possibly can. Some parents try to compensate for the time they spend at work rather than in the home by spoiling their children with material things. The effects of these actions on both parents and children are negative and are becoming a real problem. If you have been handed everything all your life, consider some of the following points and maybe you can make some good changes in your life now which will affect the rest of your life.
Society is telling us that there are so many fun things to have. Technology is growing and developing at an unimaginable rate, and the media tells us that to be happy we must have it all and we must have it now. Parents are getting sucked into this. They buy lots of toys. They want to buy large houses and drive nice cars, but that takes a lot of work. More than ever before, both parents in the home are working full-time jobs to support their lifestyles. This means that more parents are spending the good part of their days in the work place instead of with their families. Who, then, is taking care of their children? Either daycare facilities or, if children are old enough, nobody. Either way, children are not being nurtured in the home as much as they need to be. Many parents feel that it is a greater obligation to provide new name-brand clothes, cell phones, cars, game systems, entertainment systems, and what-not than it is to spend time with their children, to teach them values in the home, to show their children love. If you can recognize some of your own experience in this description, think about changing it.
Work is an eternal principle. It has an amazing influence over us. The laws of nature say that you cannot have something for nothing. However, society is telling you that this is not true. We are encouraged to think that we are entitled to whatever we want with no thought of working for it. This is the very mindset which has driven the world’s economy to its knees. If you are ever offered something for nothing, it is a deal that is simply too good to be true. It may seem like a great set up for now, but there is always a price to be paid, whether that price is paid now or later. And if the price is paid later rather than sooner, it is always a higher price.
There is more than honesty involved in the principle of work. It is a fact that after you have earned your own money you value it more. You know how much work and effort it has taken to earn a certain amount of money. Once you yourself have put the work in, you will not be so likely to spend your money on frivolous things. You will learn that you cannot have everything and you will learn to set your own priorities. The value of hard work is one of the most valuable lessons parents can teach to their children. However, do not think that it is too late for you to learn the value if you have not been taught it in your home. Age limits for working are different in some states, but as a general rule, 14 or 15 is old enough to work at least part time. If you get a part-time job and spend only that money on the extras in your life (clothes, entertainment, cell phones, etc.), you will begin to appreciate the things you have so much more; and you will be happier.
The satisfaction that comes from earning your own way is indescribable. This does not mean that you should drop out of school to work, because education is also very important. The satisfaction of a job well done applies to far more than physical labor, though. If you have a good work ethic that principle will be applied to whatever you undertake, whether that is a job, school work, personal projects, or helping those around you.
Learning the value of hard work early in life will help you shape the rest of your future. Appreciation for what you have and for what others have done to provide for you can only come by working yourself. Parents certainly have the responsibility for providing the basic necessities of life for their children, and many would argue that parents also have a responsibility to provide what joy in life they can for their children, but children will never be fully able to appreciate the sacrifices their parents have made for them until they learn to work themselves.
The value of work does not necessarily have to be learned through a formal job. Children can be given responsibilities around the home to work for allowances or privileges. The principle of the matter is that you are not given everything for nothing. Your work ethic is something you will carry with you throughout your entire life and which will affect nearly every aspect of your life. If you want to be truly happy, then you need to make sure you have a good work ethic. Put your best effort in and gain an appreciation for the blessings of work.