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. :)