Children who are smart could work at the earliest possible age. There is really no age requirement when a child should start work. children especially from the low income bracket families start working very early. The children start to help at home as soon as they learn how to hold things properly. They could wash dishes, fix things at home, and do a little cleaning and they could also help take care of their younger siblings.

In the country where I come from, children of poor families are often given responsibilities as young as six or seven to take care of their younger siblings while the mother and father are at work. They could not afford to hire help and the older children are responsible for their younger siblings. As soon as the child could be trained to do household chores, children are taught by their parents to help in every way they can to make life easier for them.

When I was a child, I started selling fruits, candies and other foods to my classmates and the students in the school where I went at the age of seven. I was then only in grade one. I was already a business minded person as young as seven. I had many responsibilities as a child. I helped in the household chores, took care of my younger siblings and went to the farm with my older siblings. When I grew older, I was twelve at that time, I and a younger brother often went to the farm to harvest corn and bananas that I sold in the market place. It was fun and I was a big help to my family. All of us children were taught the values of work at a young age. In school during my high school days, I and my friends had a business selling home cooked snacks to our teachers and co-students. Every week, we divided the money we earned minus our expenses. And we had money of our own.

Children who start working young are more independent and responsible than those who are not taught to work when they were young. Some parents think that it is an abusive attitude to let children work at a very young age. I don't agree with it. Working doesn't necessarily mean, letting your child work for a factory for an eight hour shift. No, that is not the case. Children must be taught to help in the household chores not necessarily all the works but letting them help is very beneficial. They are taught how to be independent and how to live right. It is not right to do everything for your child because you will be teaching them to become lazy and dependent children.

As long as the child has the ability to work, let your child help you and make him see how life is going to be when he grows older. Teach your child the values of working.

Learn more about this author, Rich Rivers.
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