Work will reward children later in life
My first experience in the world of work came in the third grade when my father encouraged me to get into the school supply business. The satchel that I carried to school each day contained pencils, tablets, crayons, and other school supplies which I was allowed to sell to the other students in the small country school that I attended. I would return home each day and count the nickels and dimes that were in the satchel and place them in a bank in my room. Later the money would be transferred to the local bank. Several years later my brother and I sold soft drinks, candy bars, and other snacks to the workmen on the construction crews where my father was building homes. This transition, although a little more profitable than the school business, was divided equally between us, and my parents began to discuss the merits of larger markets.
While in high school I was a door-to-door salesman for a local photography company at which time I learned the meaning of a "cold calls" and frequent rejection. Persistence and developing a "sales pitch" entered the picture as I learned that communicating was important in reaching those I wished to influence.
In addition to these sales efforts, I had paper routes, was a busboy in college at local sorority houses, worked in a convenience store, and even filled grain sacks with wheat in Yukon, Oklahoma.
I look back on these varied experiences as a very positive part of my development. Learning to assume responsibility, take direction, cooperate with other individuals, and manage money were but a few of the principles that I took from these experiences. During these early work experiences, I also began to learn to prioritize, set goals, budget my time, and defer gratification. These skills would all be very important to me later in life. I feel that my exposure to many different kinds of work helped my decision-making skills and guided me in choosing my adult career. I gained competence through the many small successes and frequent setbacks. I also believed these helped develop my sense of who I was and what I wanted to become. Of course, early on I didn't realize what my parents had set out to do and only after adulthood did I see the pattern and plan they were using to prepare me for the working world. I do remember that at each stage of my growth and development, they emphasized the dignity of work. That all work when performed to the best of my ability was good. Those successes are causes for celebration and setbacks are lessons that teach that every venture may not be what we expect. That working with other family members meant sharing and cooperating and that becoming a member of the family team was part of the healthy process of maturing into adulthood.
Next week I will continue discussing the subject of preparing children for the world of work by looking at times and ways children can learn to earn and use money in their lifetimes.
Copyright c 1998 Harold H. LeCrone, Ph.D.
