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Amongst the many things that people strive to teach their children, a good work ethic is typically valued very highly as it is respected in most fields and walks of life. The hard part of teaching a good work ethic is defining exactly what it means, and then conveying that definition effectively to children. Regardless of your definition, teaching a good work ethic often requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are a few tips on how to teach a good work ethic.

Model hard work rather than just talking about it

Kids pay attention to everything that we do. Therefore, a major part of teaching a good work ethic to children is modeling behavior that matches verbal teachings. In other words, if you tell your children to work hard, then make sure they see you working hard yourself. This can be in a vocation, a household project, a community event, or a particular hobby. The important thing is to work in such a way that the child can witness the work. Plenty of people work hard at their vocation, but this doesn't necessarily model a good work ethic because they are away from home too much. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with working hard at a vocation, but make sure your children have enough exposure to your ethic and understand why and how you spend your time.

Get children involved in household activities and other projects

Kids love to be involved, and often follow parents around the house. Another good way to teach a good work ethic is to get children involved in household chores and projects. Granted, one doesn't want to just work children to death, but it is a good practice to give children responsibility such as chores, cleaning, or small projects around the house. Activities as simple as weeding the backyard, cleaning the house before people come over, or putting up Christmas decorations can be valuable opportunities for working hard together. These may not be favorite activities for children, but in the long run they may appreciate the habits and skills that they acquired while doing them.

Let them try things with your supervision

Part of getting children involved is letting them try things. It is tempting for parents to continue to do things because children do not have particular skills and the parents want it "done right". However it can be invaluable for a child to try out a handsaw, help paint part of the wall, or help assemble some piece of household equipment. This isn't necessarily backbreaking work, but it can help to engage children in a work-type process.

Teaching a good work ethic to children is somewhat of a subjective process, but it should be approached intentionally with a strategy that includes various methods of verbal teaching and active modeling. The most important thing to remember as a parent is that children are always watching. Behave accordingly.

Learn more about this author, Todd Pheifer.
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