Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.

~ Theodore Roosevelt

I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. 

~Thomas Jefferson

Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it. 

~Author Unknown

My youngest got a cell phone today.  An amazing

milestone!  He didn’t have it given to him though. 

He’ll be helping with the bill. And he’s been working

hard.  He babysits and walks dogs.  He has just spent

the last three days running a preschool camp with his

older brother, too.  He’s tired from all that hard work

and very happy, too.  He now knows that hard work

equals results.

Kids may not act like they like it but hard work is a good thing for them. No matter how old he or she is! 

I see it at preschool all the time.  I have many little hands to help if  when I’m moving something heavy.  If we have a kid who loves to hit, we give him a hammer or a hoe with a patch of dirt.

Older kids say they don’t like hard work but they feel great afterwards.  It’s very important to have an after school or summer job.  It gives them independence and satisfaction with themselves.  This attitude spills over to other areas of their life.

Hard physical work feels good to everyone!

The Benefits of Hard Work for your children:

Kids will eat and sleep better.

Better moods

Tired at the end of the day

You will have family teamwork

Kids will learn that hard work equals results

Healthier kids

There is a link between activity and cognitive development - memory and exercise.

So what activities should you with you children this summer?

Summer Activities for Young kids:

Yard work with the family like raking, hoeing and planting a vegetable garden.

Washing the cars

Shaking small rugs

Indoor chores likes carrying plates to the sink and making your bed.

Summer Work For Teens:

Besides summer jobs, teens should work at manual labor.  I love this quote from  a Businessweek article: “Just think about it. Manual labor uses up all that energy teens seem to have in abundance. And the kids immediately can see the fruits of their labor—be it a well-swept garden or a lamp that actually lights up—so there isn’t the problem of delayed gratification. For both those reasons, manual labor is a great mood enhancer for teens.”  I really rely on my teens to help with emptying the dishwasher, cleaning their bathrooms, making their bed, helping with weeding and other jobs for “love”.  They know there’s no way I could work and get everything done.  They’re an integral part of the family!

So get to work as you relax and enjoy your summer vacation!  You’ll have a happier family!!