If you want to know someone, to see what they are made of, roll up your sleeves and work along side them. Nowhere is this more true than with your family, especially your children!

Whether doing daily chores or working for pay outside the home it is your duty to train your children to work diligently!

Some Things to Think About

-When doing chores or anything else at home with your children it is easy to let things slide and not expect their best each time, but when someone else is paying you (and them) to do an excellent job, you can’t let anything slide.

-The first several months the girls and I were cleaning other people’s houses I would point out what they were missing, often they would act as if I was being too picky. I would make them go back and re-do it. One day I received an e-mail from one of our clients pointing out a few things that were not done completely. This particular day I was not feeling well and did not have the energy to inspect their work. I let the girls read the e-mail. The girls were embarrassed and felt bad about the whole thing. In response to the e-mail I took responsibility for the work not being done completely (the buck stops with me) and offered the client a reduced pay for the next cleaning. In the long run it turned out to be a great life lesson because the girls realized that it really does matter that they do the job completely and that Mom is not nit-picking for no reason! Since then they have really improved on their quality of work, which makes it easier for all of us.

- One day while tackling a big job, one of my girls had an especially bad attitude. She made the whole day misery for her sister and me. When we got home her Dad gave her a stern talking to and we docked her pay. From that point on her attitude 100% improved. When you are providing a service for someone else you can not have a bad day. Remember you are training them to be a responsible adult.

Life Lessons Learned from Our Cleaning Jobs

-To Appreciate the Service of Others- Anytime you do service work it makes you appreciate the work of others. After working as a cashier and waitress in my younger years I truly appreciate the worker on the other side of the counter. Cleaning for people will give that same appreciation.

-Learning to Deal with Difficult People- This has been especially good!!! Some people are very hard to work for, whether it is a personality conflict, unreasonable expectations, a gossiper, etc… I am able to take each situation as they come and help my daughters learn how to respond or when to overlook an offense. This takes a lot discernment that usually comes with experience. I am so thankful they are getting this experience under my watchful eye and from our world view.

*People are a Witness to How a Family Can Work Together- a sight rarely seen these days, unlike the old days when it was common for children to work in the family business as they grew up, learning hands on skills and people skills.

There are so many things that are taught in a family, but it all gets kicked up a notch when you have to work together to please a client, this is when your family’s true character comes shining through; the good the bad and the ugly.

 

Not everyone will be excepting of having young people clean their house even if their parent is present.

Our current culture views 14, 15, 16 years old as irresponsible and not capable of quality work. We have encountered this many times; but with time you and your children can earn their trust and respect, just as we have.

We NEED more families working together. We need to be expecting more from our young people and it all starts in the home, with the parents setting a good example!

Also posted at The Legacy of the Home!