avalancher
Arboristsite Raconteur
I have done a lot of thinking on just this subject, namely because I find it so troublesome as a father of a 15 year old daughter. I love my daughter dearly, but sad to say when it comes to work ethic, she has none. And I wonder, how come?
Its not because she has no good role models. I work from the time I get up at five am, until an hour before bedtime, and during the summer months its often seven days a week. My wife is the same way, always working to make us a better life and can bake and cook with the best of them.In all honesty, I just cant see where we are not good examples of how hard work will get you anywhere you want to go in life.
But it doesnt bother her in the least to lay on the couch and text her friends, watch tv, or surf the net while the mom and dad scurry around cleaning house.Yes, I clean house, wash dishes,and do laundry. There is no such thing in our house as "womens work" or "mens work" I wash dishes when the need arrises, and its nothing to see my wife helping out on a tree job when I fall behind the eight ball.
But any requests for help from our teenage daughter is met with a pout, a scornful look, and if help is given its generally so poor in quality it needs to be done over again. Repeated efforts to make her go back and do it again until it is right nets nothing but a shouting match. And it truly makes me wonder, who is at fault here?
Several months ago, I had the occasion to lead our church youth group in an event to clean up an elderly ladies yard, and i was appalled at how poor the kids performed. My crew that works for me would have had that yard cleaned in six hours, and yet with 30 kids pulling brush we were there for 14 hours. And by late afternoon, I was slam wore out with the thought of having to come back a second day to finish the place. After conferring with a few other adults there, I was floored at their response to my frustrations.
"you dont make it fun for the kids Ed, you need to make it fun for them."
Are you kidding?Since when does work have to be fun? But to demonstrate, a radio was brought out, one adult started squiriting the kids with a garden hose, and within thirty minutes the pace of brush headed to the road picked up considerably. I watched and listened.
Back home, I decided to try this myself, and on Saturday I turned up the stereo, tickled daugher on the couch, and within minutes she was on her feet laughing and helping out. And deep down inside, I was seething. Work has to be fun.Really.
In retrospect, I realize now what is going on with kids these days. They are always bored, and must be constantly entertained. Mobile game, mobile phones, mobile entertainment. Life must always be fun. Kids have learned that every minute of every day must be fun. There is no more bust your hump with the idea to get a job done, and sad to say many adults have joined in on this thought process. Fun has never entered the picture in my mind when it comes to work,but it seems to be a necessary element these days to get anything done.
Kind of reminds me of Rome before the fall.
Its not because she has no good role models. I work from the time I get up at five am, until an hour before bedtime, and during the summer months its often seven days a week. My wife is the same way, always working to make us a better life and can bake and cook with the best of them.In all honesty, I just cant see where we are not good examples of how hard work will get you anywhere you want to go in life.
But it doesnt bother her in the least to lay on the couch and text her friends, watch tv, or surf the net while the mom and dad scurry around cleaning house.Yes, I clean house, wash dishes,and do laundry. There is no such thing in our house as "womens work" or "mens work" I wash dishes when the need arrises, and its nothing to see my wife helping out on a tree job when I fall behind the eight ball.
But any requests for help from our teenage daughter is met with a pout, a scornful look, and if help is given its generally so poor in quality it needs to be done over again. Repeated efforts to make her go back and do it again until it is right nets nothing but a shouting match. And it truly makes me wonder, who is at fault here?
Several months ago, I had the occasion to lead our church youth group in an event to clean up an elderly ladies yard, and i was appalled at how poor the kids performed. My crew that works for me would have had that yard cleaned in six hours, and yet with 30 kids pulling brush we were there for 14 hours. And by late afternoon, I was slam wore out with the thought of having to come back a second day to finish the place. After conferring with a few other adults there, I was floored at their response to my frustrations.
"you dont make it fun for the kids Ed, you need to make it fun for them."
Are you kidding?Since when does work have to be fun? But to demonstrate, a radio was brought out, one adult started squiriting the kids with a garden hose, and within thirty minutes the pace of brush headed to the road picked up considerably. I watched and listened.
Back home, I decided to try this myself, and on Saturday I turned up the stereo, tickled daugher on the couch, and within minutes she was on her feet laughing and helping out. And deep down inside, I was seething. Work has to be fun.Really.
In retrospect, I realize now what is going on with kids these days. They are always bored, and must be constantly entertained. Mobile game, mobile phones, mobile entertainment. Life must always be fun. Kids have learned that every minute of every day must be fun. There is no more bust your hump with the idea to get a job done, and sad to say many adults have joined in on this thought process. Fun has never entered the picture in my mind when it comes to work,but it seems to be a necessary element these days to get anything done.
Kind of reminds me of Rome before the fall.