Just as there are rules to follow in teaching our children obedience, so there are rules we may follow in teaching our children how to enjoy work.
Some people go about their tasks in glum silence, all the
time disliking the work they are doing. Others fret and scold while working.
Still, others whine and cry about their work, complaining that it is too hard
for them. None of these people are happy people, for none of them really enjoy
working.
Others, however, go about their work briskly and happily,
always doing their best. They enjoy working and find real satisfaction in
accomplishing what needs to be done. Instead of fixing their minds upon
difficulties, they think of all the blessings that God in His mercy has given
to them. These are the people that accomplish the most in life.
When a parent learns to be the child’s friend instead of
merely his overseer, when he endeavors to encourage him in his work, trying to
keep him happily busy instead of watching only the amount of work he is
accomplishing, he makes the life of his child-pleasant. His children find their
greatest pleasure in helping Father and Mother.
Here are some of the ways that will make your child enjoy doing
any task:
Begin teaching them early to enjoy work. Because they think
they are doing the work of grown-ups, little children find it exciting to help their Father and Mother. Instead of sending them away from us because they are a
hindrance, we should be happy to have them by our side, trying to help us cook,
sweep, dig, or plant. We will praise them for any little helpful act and ignore
any unhelpful one. We may make the child a broom of her own to sweep with when the mother sweeps. If the little son uses his small hoe to help father dig holes
for trees, or if he goes with Father to cut sticks for the fence, or for the
grain basket, and helps carry a few homes, he is learning valuable lessons.
Father is teaching him how to find pleasure in his work.
Make the job fit the child. When the child is given a
suitable task, he is likely to perform it happily and well. A happy attitude
towards the work to be done is as important to the child’s development as is
the proper accomplishment of the task itself.
Give the child encouragement. Perhaps the children have
begun to play when they were supposed to be picking greens. Going towards them
we may say with a smile, “Your baskets need more greens in them, children. Keep
your play till you have finished.
Give an incentive for working. Even if the incentive is only
praise, it will still be effective. You may say, “Your father will be pleased
to see how well you boys can sweep this yard”. Upon their father’s return, a quiet
reminder from his mother will cause him to say. “How clean this yard looks, boys! I
know your mother is thankful for such helpful children.
Assign the task that can be finished in a reasonable amount
of time. It will help the children to keep their work until it is completed.
Even children gain real satisfaction from completing a task. Our part is to see
that the job will not take too long, nor too difficult for them.
Ignore failure when possible. Sometimes when the task is not
done and the children are tired, we may help them.
The task that we give our children to perform are those God
would have them do. He has given the angels a special task to perform. He has
given fathers and mothers their tasks, and even the children have tasks to
perform “unto the lord”.
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