It’s terrible advice if you ask me, and it will probably backfire. The only life lesson you’re teaching in that case is that when you get robbed, the majority of the time it’s someone you know. Incentive is one of the best teaching tools out there. Don’t take it away after they did something good. Work can be enjoyable, don’t make it suck for them by bringing politics into it. They’ll get enough of that BS when the time comes anyhow.
Shawn, I agree with incentive being one of the best teaching tools. I understand where your coming from and also where lodgedtree was coming from. Some of us worked very hard for what we have, and it is not easy to watch others milk the system. I’m not talking about honest people who for whatever circumstances find themselves dependent. I normally try to steer away from politics here because that’s what keeps us friendly. Hopefully, I didn’t upset you or anyone else.
It was definitely that generation. My dad was born in 1918 also. He did everything, he wanted everything to be done correctly and worked his butt off. I helped, but still feel guilty I didn't help enough. He did teach me to work hard as we grew up... I think we all turn into our parents... Which in my case I would be proud to say I did a little of that.. He set a high bar.
I had it both ways growing up, as my father was a self-employed excavating contractor. When we helped cut wood for the house, painted the trim, cleaned, mowed lawn, etc.-no pay. If we worked on a job, he would pay us-not full scale wages, but something. When we got to be 18 or so, he would pay my brother and I a fairly decent wage if we did something on a job that he would have to do himself if we didn't-laying pipe, shovel work, some simple machine work. If we ran to get parts, fueled the machines, etc. no pay-we were his sons then.
I grew up in NY, the dairy farm Dad worked on was upstate some where. He worked the farm because all the "men" were off to war, when Dad turned 17 he joined the war effort.
If you remember, they called them The Greatest Generation. They got us through WWII and had sense of things much different than today.
When my boys grew up and moved away was when I started getting more mechanized..tiller, log splitter, garden tractor, snow blower..
I disagree because I think this answer is very short sighted. My children already see the result of land economics, and they are all under the age of 13. When they see feller-bunchers taking out forest that they have camped in, and hiked through, and ask, "why are we cutting it off Dad", they deserve an answer. They are as much a part of this farm as I am, or the sheep, or the equipment; maybe even more so. A school system, and television tells them "every tree has to be saved", but no one mentions who is going to pay for the property tax on that land. They need to know what that is because conceivably in 5 years time they are going to be considered adults and could start paying property taxes themselves. Shielding them from reality will only make the shock worse. They need to know why property taxes are absolutely essential to our way of life in this country, but also why property taxes are getting so high so that in 5 years time, when they begin to vote, they can parse out the difference between needs and wants. When a teacher started complaining about the lighting and acoustics of their school's separate, stadium seated theater in the most expensive school ever constructed in the state of Maine, my daughter said "but tax payers could not afford it", brought the teacher back to reality. Yes, Katie and I wanted a larger sheep farm, but higher property taxes pushed us over the edge in doing so because forest land declined in value at the same time property taxes skyrocketed thus forcing us into farmland conversion. I doubt my 4 year old grasps this, but my 10, 11 and 13 year old sure do. But this type of conversation does not come about just cleaning out a bunny hutch for $5, it comes about what others have eluded too, but have yet to say. My home is a throw-back to the 1950's where we gather around the dinner table as a whole family and inevitably discuss these issues. Driving to church, giving to charity, and putting on civic events are other venues, but then none of us have our noses stuck in smart phones, laptops or computers either. Cleaning out the bunny hutch; that is just the catalyst that starts the conversation, "Why can't I get paid the full amount that I worked for Dad?"... "Well, let me explain sunshine..."
My dad was born in 1918. Raised on a farm in rural Alabama. When I asked about growing up in the great depression, he just said we didn't have much, but we always had something to eat. He was a paratrooper, 82nd Airborne, North Africa. Fortunate to come home. Married and built his American dream, of which I was lucky to be a part of. They were the greatest generation. I was taught to work hard, make do w/what you had and appreciate it. As hard as I fought it, I live by most of those values today, and they have served me well.
I was never paid for making firewood, or mowing the lawn, or weedeating, or any of the other chores I was tasked with. Don't get me wrong, not a woe is me situation. I understood it as contributing to the Family upon which I was a monetary burden. With that said, we were not poor, but not rich either. Both parents worked full time jobs so we could have some nice things. I did not go without during my entire childhood, thanks to my parents. I wanted for things (what kid doesn't?) but had everything I *needed and then some. If a fairly big task was undertaken and completed, extra allowance was made towards a Birthday or Christmas present. Worked my butt off one summer for a new bike and another for a Nintendo that I so desperately wanted. Looking back, I would have preferred that my parents actually pay me for the chores, but make me responsible for some of my own needs and wants with the money. This would have been an excellent financial lesson early on. I remained completely dependent upon my parents financially until age 16 when I got my first real job. I then started paying for auto insurance and gasoline. I took over payment for my own lunches at school. Anything 'extra' beyond room & board I wanted was up to me at that point.
There is some amazing similarities to my situation. Dad was born in 1918, raised on a farm and always commented how they had food during the depression. Was in WW2 for 6 years, came back (barely) and started a small retail business, something that would be "depression proof" as he always said. He worked hard all the time...Said never to borrow money, strong Christians....etc.. You know the drill. Mom was raised on a farm and one of 15 kids. She told me that her dad wanted all those kids so they could work the farm. She started at 5 working the fields. She was another that commented at least they had some food during the depression because of the farm, but they had little else. And tying this into FHC, they both grew up with coal stoves and had farm houses with no insulation. They said it was so cold in their bedrooms they could see their breath. I sure miss them now...
This is what the American dream looked like. A dream and hard work......look at that smile. This is my dad, circa ~April 1951. I was a month old. He is standing by the new foundation of the house he built, I grew up in and live in today. All done by his own hand. He had the world by the tail. Thank you! for your hard work and sacrifice.
Here's dad coming back from WW2 ready to marry my mom. Probably glad he was not buried in France or someplace...
This is a tough topic, but I honestly believe you have to pay a kid sometimes so they can learn the value of a dollar and the ability to save money to get what they truly want. At the same time, household chores are part of existing in a house. I never got paid for dishes, cleaning, laundry etc etc. I did however have clean clothes, a clean house, you get the point. My daughter just turned 13, on her birthday she happened to break her iPod. She really wanted a new Apple product. A great life lesson was learned because she already went by her birthday. She really wanted an apple 6 iPhone. Which is about 400 something dollars. She only had 150 in savings. Then she got to make the choice whether she wanted to wait till she save the extra 250 or settle for an apple SE without phone service but Wi-Fi connection. That was a great life lesson. And she did have to earn the extra $40 over her birthday weekend for taxes and shipping. Furthermore with having no savings left, she wants to earn X number of dollars a week by doing extras so in case this one breaks. I'm very impressed by thinking to save for it before you need it. That will certainly help when it comes to cars cuz you better have the money to fix it when it breaks.
