The Value of Honest Work

The first time I set my feet to the pavement during my weight loss journey, I made it barely half a mile walking. I felt so discouraged. I remember my younger brother who has always been an athlete telling me that this was just the beginning of my change that there was a long road ahead and not to get so disheartened after one day. That was what scared me; I wanted instant satisfaction.

These days, we experience instant gratification so often that we can become impatient easily. I would cry when my scale didn’t go down after one day. I would expect my clothes to fit better after one small step and I began to believe that it was not going to happen.

This transformation of mine took a year and I am still working at it. When the changes finally came, I quickly forgot about the agony I felt while I waited to see results.

Now, running five miles and fitting into clothes I love is not a struggle. Still, I should never forget the work, the waiting and the sheer determination that got me to this point.

Working hard to reach a goal is one of the most satisfying feelings you can have. The payoff is not always apparent, but give it time and you may be surprised.

It seems my children instantly expect to be rewarded for nearly everything. I remember when I was a little girl my father had me help him in the yard one day. It was rainy and cold outside, but we worked hard together moving things into the garage. I told him I could not wait to get warm, dry clothes on when we were finished. He looked at me, smiled and said, “Yes, it’s one of the best feelings after being out in the cold rain, almost a reward for a job well done.”

At that moment even at that young age, I remember thinking that my reward was truly that I was able to spend that time with my dad. The hard work and the time with him made me happy. I did not expect to be rewarded the moment we went inside for doing a job that needed to be done. In fact, I didn’t even expect him to thank me. It was my job to help my parents when they needed it. I was happy to help, happy to work hard and to be a part of something. My own children do not seem to know the value of this.

My oldest daughter has informed us that she needs to be paid to clean up her toy room. I will not give in, but the fact that this is expected by a seven year old worries me.

The satisfaction of a job well done does not stand much these days. Some kids must be bribed get up from their video games to carry out the garbage. While it is good to show your children that they are appreciated, it is also important that you show them that sometimes hard work does not come with instant reward. I want my children to see that the payoff is not always immediate or sometimes even visible.

As Christians, we work daily at doing the things we feel will please the Lord. When we pray to God for something to happen in our lives, we understand that He cannot just hand us our desires immediately.

To teach my children about honest work versus reward, I have been having them do their chores for a week with the possibility (not the guarantee) of getting a little something.

We know our reward is in Heaven at the end of our journeys here on Earth. If our children do not understand that sometimes the finish line and reward are not seen with our earthly eyes, it can cause them to stray.

How do you teach your children about honest work and following the rules without instant reward?