Raise Great Employees

It's getting harder to find good, responsible employees. While a problem for employers, this provides a great opportunity for parents! If we can teach the following skills and attitudes, we can practically guarantee that our youngsters will become financially secure adults:

• The ability to complete tasks without reminders



• The desire to be proud of one's work



• Knowing how to cooperate and compromise



• The self-discipline to complete boring, tedious tasks



• Being able to creatively solve new and unique problems



• The ability to learn from one's mistakes

The single most important thing we can do to help our kids develop these skills is to expect them to complete chores without reminders and without pay.

• Instead of saying, "Take out the trash, now!" try giving your child a deadline, "Just have the trash taken out by six o’clock."



• This deadline gives you plenty of time to think about what you will do if your child forgets or refuses to do the chore.



• Resist the urge to nag and remind.



• If your child forgets or refuses to do the chore, do it for them.



• With great empathy, provide a consequence. "This is so sad. I did your chores. How are you planning to pay me?"



• Your child can pay by doing extra chores, staying home instead of being driven somewhere they want to go, giving you a toy, etc.

Dr. Charles Fay