Putting America to work? How 'bout them kids?

I remember my first job. Knowing that I'm female, you may be able to guess what it was. Ding, ding, ding! That' right. Babysitting. And I hated it. I was proficient enough to get called back frequently, but I often found reasons not to go, having decided that whatever I was saving for could not be worth several hours of toddler snot and baby poo.

Man, how my life has changed. :)

But anyway, my point is that kids are going to start thinking about ways to make money early on, especially when they see their friends with cool gadgets and whatnot. Next week, my blog post will cover how you can help your kids learn to save and manage money, but this week, I'm going to feature a few ways those youngsters can get more moola beyond the "Happy Birthday Princess" checks from grandma.

First off--the law. Quit your snoring and sit up. Here's what the federal government and the State of Oklahoma allow:

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets 14 as the minimum age for most non-agricultural work. However, at any age, youth may deliver newspapers; perform in radio, television, movie, or theatrical productions; work in businesses owned by their parents (except in mining, manufacturing or hazardous jobs); and perform babysitting or perform minor chores around a private home. Also, at any age, youth may be employed as homeworkers to gather evergreens and make evergreen wreaths.

Okay, so my little guys are probably not going to be making evergreen wreaths anytime soon (is that for real?), and I haven't had any television agents come calling (and Miley Cyrus really isn't making the case for my kids to have a future in entertainment), so let's talk about some of the top jobs your kids can do BEFORE they reach the magical age of fourteen.

Babysitting and mother's helper. This is probably going to be your child's--especially a girl's (sorry, it is what it is; at the present time, girls still do more babysitting)--best opportunity to make decent money per hour. However, a few things to mention. First of all, he/she needs to set a rate to avoid being taken advantage of by stingy parents (by the way, it is downright despicable to underpay your babysitter, so don't do it!). Also, check into baby certification courses. Oklahoma does not have a minimum age for babysitting, but you know your child and what he/she can handle. If your child is watching your younger kids or someone else's kids, and they are under fourteen, make sure someone close by is available to help them and that they are aware of what to do in an emergency. And starting out as a mother's helper is a great way to get experience for babysitting. (See more babysitting info on an earlier blog post.)

Landscaping etc. Weeding is an excellent source of income for any youngster (and bonus points for getting a hyperactive kid to spend that energy on something useful!). Raking leaves and other groundskeeping activities are good jobs as well. As for anything involving machinery, do your research as to what is legal and go with a "better safe than sorry" approach. I do not want to see a nine-year-old with a chain saw in my neighbor's yard. Just sayin.'

Cleaning. I'm not talking about your twelve-year-old going to people's homes alone and doing a floor-to-ceiling housekeeping. But if an elderly person or overwhelmed mom (or you!) needs a little extra help with household chores, this is an opportunity for your child to not only make money, but to take care of a home--something both girls and boys need to know before heading off into the world.

Neighborhood watch. Hah! You frowned when you read that, didn't you? I don't mean the real neighborhood watch. Instead, I'm referring to opportunities to help neighbors who are out of town feed the cats, clean the litterbox, tame the plants, collect mail, etc. And this is a great way to build strong relationships between your neighbors and kids.

Finally, what this all comes down to is making a parental decision about your children's level of responsibility and maturity. If they will be performing a job outside your home for a neighbor, let them practice it at home. Keep tabs on payment and job satisfaction (both for your kid and the employer), and not only will your child build up that bank account, but they will learn skills early on that will help them be the kind of people (and workers!) you want them to be.

Let's do homework! Teachers' wise words on getting the job done...

I don't know much about inspiring my kids to do homework (I mean, is anyone ever inspired to do homework?). However, I do know my parents' "take no prisoners" approach caused me to be meticulous about completing assignments, something I carried with me into my college years. An approach that worked well for me--that continues to work well with me--is delayed gratification. Once I get the hard stuff out of the way (studying, cleaning house, paying bills, etc.), then I can play. Simple, yes. But it doesn't work for everyone.

So, in order to seek out methods for helping today's kiddos, who carry technology around like a vital organ, I talked to a group of friends who-are-teachers to get their suggestions on how to motivate children to take homework seriously, as well as learn habits that will last a lifetime (or at least through college graduation). I found myself impressed, amused, and yes, even surprised at what they suggested.

Don't make it a fight. Kids buck orders. Really, I think most of us do, independent creatures that we are. Give your kid a choice: do your homework now, or give up something fun later (outside playtime, television, games, or an activity). If they choose to play outside first, say, "Okay," but give them a limited amount of time with the caveat, "If you did this now, you wouldn't have to worry about it the rest of the night."

Setting aside the time. Kids often have short attention spans. One teacher friend suggested setting a timer for homework in fifteen- or twenty-minute intervals and giving a certain amount of free time (or a "break") in between. She also suggests a rewards-based system, including sticker charts for younger children and changing the Wi-Fi password and giving it to older children when they complete their work.

Different strokes for different folks. And continuing on the rewards track...as adults, we're motivated by a paycheck and free time, am I right? Well, kids of all ages are also motivated by material rewards ("the paycheck"), as well as free time and autonomy. Find out what makes your child tick (TV time, computer time, privileges, special prizes, etc.) and then use it as a reward when they accomplish what needs to be done. Sometimes, this means balancing passions with challenges. For example, one of my teacher friends, Katie Scott, explains her motivation techniques for her elementary school class and her own children:

"Motivation is more about creating motivation within the child...what are they driven by? I try to motivate my own kids and students by finding their passions. I look at their learning styles--how do they learn? If reading is the most difficult, but they love together time, read with your child, take turns on each page. If writing is difficult, create some fun with a squishy toy to help keep their hands relaxed."

This is where your parenting skills and knowledge of your kid come in handy. And sometimes, like most things, the process may take some trial and error. 

And if all else fails...

Early bird gets the worm. If your kiddo didn't complete his or her work the night before, drag them out of bed early to finish. 'Nuff said there. I'm certain this would have worked for me as a kid too. I mean, who likes to get up early? The only con is that you have to get up early too...

And at the end of the day, tell your children why homework is important. Maybe they can't see the value in American History or Algebra II, but remind them what they can expect by working hard in school. And, if you must, pull out the M&Ms. :)

Discipline innovation - a mom's suggestion for addressing common misbehaviors

This week, I just have to share something...

Not long ago, I had been trying to come up with ways to deal with behavior problems. Currently, we're experiencing the "terrible threes" (which, if you didn't know, can be much more painful than the "terrible twos"), and I'd like to use something a little different from the threat of corporal punishment or timeout.

In fact, I wanted to get away from threats in general.

I hate the fact that my three-year-old has learned the value of threats--from me. After hearing me say things like, "If you don't put your shoes on in two minutes, we are not going to the park to be chased by the ducks," and "If you don't pick up Mr. Potato head and all his various limbs and sensory organs, you are going to have to go sit in your pink chair," my daughter got the hang of a good threat. (By the way, a comfortable time out chair is not effective--just so you know.)

In fact, just the other day my daughter warned, "If you don't get me some crackers, I am not going to talk to you." Okay, so maybe my first response was "Oh I'd like to see that happen," and maybe her wording needs some work, but I can definitely hear myself in that little voice.

The thing is, I don't sit in the anti-spanking camp, but I do find the irony in hitting a child to discipline him or her for lashing out. But the value of timeouts has started to fade, especially when my daughter chose timeout over helping me pick up the other day (who wouldn't want to sit in a big pink chair instead of cleaning?). What to do?

Well, two different moms suggested something with which we've experienced great success, at least over the past few months. The idea falls in line with a sticker chart for performing chores or using the potty, but it comes with a built-in consequence. Let me explain:

Step one - Find a jar or large glass (maybe something plastic if you have a monkey-climber, mischievous one-year-old like I do). Choose something transparent but fun.

Step two - Get something to fill it with. Suggestions range from marbles (also a problem with the one-year-old, who eats everything, and I mean everything, including still-alive, squirming, larger-than-life beetles) to colored pom poms (look in the craft section of the store) to cotton balls (easy and costs a dollar-ish).

Step three - Buy a swoon-worthy prize, nothing too expensive or fancy, but that gets those little eyes to light up like Christmas.

Step four - Reward good behaviors (talking/playing nice with siblings, helping Mom pick up, doing chores without being asked, finishing veggies, etc.) with a cotton ball.

Step five - And here it is! Take away a cotton ball (or whatever) when your child misbehaves. Yes, this may mean you threaten him or her once. But don't do it over and over--just take the cotton ball out. I have found that when I tell my child I am unhappy with her behavior, she automatically knows this means she will lose a cotton ball, and her behavior overall has improved. Becky Scharf, mother of four and administrator for Stepping Stones Mothers Day Out, takes it a step further: "I have them put the marbles in and take them out themselves so it is more concrete for them to see their reward or consequence," she explains. Can you say "effective"?

I mean, it's not magic. I haven't found the Holy Grail of discipline or anything, but it has made a difference, and with kids at any age, that's all you can ask. 

For more ideas about how to discipline without losing your cool, check out these ideas.

What a chore! Getting things done around the house - Mary Poppins style

"With every job that must be done there is an element of fun."

Well, Mary Poppins, you try telling that to my kiddos, who, try as they might, have not been able to get their beds to make themselves at the snap of a finger. I too have tried that particular trick on the dishes and laundry and can safely say that no matter how big my smile, the result of snapping fingers is a big, fat nothing.

Yet, I do believe that getting stuff done around the house can be fun. For myself, I've implemented a few techniques that have had relatively positive results for me. This includes playing boogie-worthy music in the kitchen (downside being that the boogying becomes a distraction), timing myself (downside being my frustration when I realize spaghetti sauce has emblazoned itself on the microwave, and I won't be beating that timer any time soon), and talking to my mom/sister/friends on the phone (downside being that my Bluetooth has disappeared into the bowels of my mini van, and the cell phone doesn't fare so well after being dropped in the toilet).

But I have kids! Yes! Free labor (do not tell DHS I said so). Of course, two kids under the age of four do not good helpers make. I mean, yes, they like to help, but I'm going to be honest and tell you they're not so good at it. The only thing my preschooler wants to Windex is my toddler, so I've decided to keep their chores strictly to picking up. But that didn't keep me from hunting down ways to get kids interested--and even excited--about lending a helping hand.

1. Chart it. Visit Goal For It, where you can design a cute, free chore chart. Not sure how to get the kids going on it? Erin Griffith, Edmond mom of four kiddos, gave me the following helpful advice:
"Our oldest three kids have "Responsibility & Commitment" charts. THEY choose three age appropriate, task oriented chores (i.e., read book, make bed, empty dishwasher, feed dogs, brush teeth, practice instrument, etc.) and WE choose two character oriented (shared toys, serve others, positive attitude, be helpful, etc.). At the end of the day, we place magnets according to performance. These charts never have to be perfect, but rather, we are trying to instill a strong work ethic and sense of family responsibility. They also serve as a good tool in earning their weekly activities."

2. Ready, set, go! My timer idea is not original, as I found out while searching online and conversing with Griffith,  the super mom of four. Kids love to compete, especially when prizes are involved. You don't have to pit them against each other; just give your kids a goal with a prize in mind. And prizes don't have to be big deals either. Ice cream, popsicles, or "we get to go outside and play family basketball when this is done" is all that's required.

3. Do it together, and don't forget to take a break. Nothing says family like accomplishing things together while having a fun time. So turn up the music or talk while you do dishes, fold laundry, or clean windows. And don't overdo it! From my own experience growing up, keeping up with chores throughout the week felt so much better (and doable) than a four-hour cleaning extravaganza on Saturday morning. Remind those kids if you can get the work done during the week, they will have more free time available for the weekend. This is a lesson that will stick with them for years to come.

Want more ideas? Check out a great ehow.com article here.