Working Teens

As my kids get older I've been thinking a lot about how to encourage them to enjoy working and feel the joy of being productive.

We have regular chores that are done daily and all of the kids have a part in this. These chores are directly tied to earning money and this seems to give them a sense of accomplishment and the understanding that money is not simply handed to you, it is earned. They are then allowed to spend this money as they see fit (within reason) and we don't buy them a lot of extras ourselves. They spend this money on everything from extra snacks and treats for themselves to spoiling their pets to movies to craft items.

I've mentioned before that I need to get them started with both charitable giving and saving. I've made some efforts but never followed through, although I know I really need to. It is so important for these habits to be established early in life.

This summer we are also planning to allow the two oldest (ages 13 and 15) to design, print and distribute flyers in our neighborhood offering pet and lawn care. They are both old enough and responsible enough to take on something like this and I think they would enjoy both the work and the profits. Knowing that you can earn some money with your own hands is a great source of job motivation and there is a lot of self growth involved in a venture like this.

I'm looking forward to watching my kids learn this summer and the adventures they will have in their own businesses.