Each morning, my husband and I get up to go to work and my two boys are very much acquainted with the routine.
They don’t think twice about the fact that we work to buy food, pay for our home and most importantly buy toys.
Of course there is the occasional groan when mommy or daddy have to work late. And, while those sweet sighs often break my heart, I realize that my husband and I are actually teaching them an important lesson; hard work now means more success and fun later.
My oldest son’s enthusiasm for wanting a job made us so excited that we told him his job could be making his bed every morning. Well, that lasted for about two days. And while we are not pushing him, we continue to encourage him to take on more responsibility by giving him small jobs to do around the house.
I certainly applaud his confidence as he requests $5.00 each time he feeds his fish. But, I also make sure he understands the reality of what certain jobs actually get paid; $5.00 per fish is just not happening.
As parents, our job is to help support our children’s dreams and therefore teaching them the meaning of working hard and success is a must at any age.
My son’s dream job is obviously not to make his bed every morning and he often asks me what different jobs entail and if he could make a lot of money doing them.
Want to better understand the current job market and explain to your child what it means to have a job? It is best to pay attention each month to the all-important jobs report.
If you are to follow one of the many economic reports which investors and the media focus on each month, this is it!
On the first Friday of every month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us how many Americans are out of work and how many found a job the prior month.
The Bureau releases the numbers at 8:30 AM Eastern and all look to see if the results come in better or worse than expectations.
Yes, I actually look forward to this report every month and you will too once you find yourself in the economic know.
Whether your child is ready for that first after school job or simply asks questions about working and making money, understanding the basics of this report will help you better talk to your children about the reality of the job market.
Want to take this lesson further? Give us your email and receive a free download to a story that you can read with your child about jobs called “Bode’s Car Shop,” educate yourself even more on how to explain jobs to kids and share a fun activity called “What Do I Get Paid To Do?”
