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Lessons in Living Getting Children to Work Elma Allen Milano

1. Love
   The most important tip is for us to do everything in love. Have fun and enjoy our children: "Whistle While You Work" could be our theme song. Smile while we talk to them and look them right in the eyes. Praise them and enjoy their company. Work alongside them as often as we can. Treat them with respect; practice the Golden Rule and handle our children the way we would like to be treated. Look for good! Make them feel important. Let them know they are needed, just like the pioneer children were.
2. Envision
   Think through in advance how we would like each task to be done. Have a vision and help the children picture success so they can begin with the end in mind. Remember that Heavenly Father first created spiritually and then temporally.
3. List
   Periodically tour our home and make a list of tasks to be done, but do not discourage the children by letting them know all we have listed, just their current tasks.
4. Praise
   Find something to praise. If we have suggestions, try to wait until the next time the task is done and include the child in plans for improvement. Take the blame for not having taught better. Speak kindly; do not demean or belittle them. Show forth an increase of love after disciplining them.
5. Habits
   Once habits are formed, they are hard to change, so train carefully. Have them master one small step at a time. Use charts for younger children; let them relish little victories as they mark them off.
6. Report
   "Return and report" / "Inspect what we expect." Do not neglect these important facets of leadership. When God created the earth, He set the example for us. One step was achieved each "day." After He inspected and approved, He assigned the next "day's" work. He patiently followed this procedure even though He had done it innumerable times. Do as He does by keeping a clear, concise set of written rules (Scriptures). Review the rules regularly to be sure the family understands the work policies and procedures.
7. Time
   Try to assign tasks for specific times. This helps children establish fine work habits. Teach them to value their time and understand the "cost-of-talk." "Give me a boy, I've got a boy. Give me two boys, I've got half a boy. Give me three boys and I've got no boy at all." When youth get together, too much time can be spent visiting. We too should respect their time by not interrupting them while they are working. Some jobs may need to be broken down into small segments of time. Some family members may want to rotate once they master several jobs; others may want to repeat the same job over & over.
8. Reward
   After paying children, teach them to give 10% to the Lord and 10% to themselves (savings).
9. Share
   Give them the opportunity of being unselfish by sharing with others.

 

Note from Elma: Bear in mind that children have to want. Let them want and work for the same thing for a long time. Your reward will come when you see your offspring working well, succeeding, and blessing the lives of others.

Rules To Employees

Store must be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Store must be swept, counters and base shelves dusted, lamps trimmed, filled and chimneys cleaned, a pail of water, also a bucket of coal brought in before breakfast, and attend to customers who will call. Store must not be open on the Sabbath Day unless necessary and then only for a few minutes. The employee, who is in the habit of smoking Spanish cigars, being shaved at the barber shop, going to dances and other places of amusement, will surely give his employer reason to be suspicious of his honesty and integrity. Each employee must not pay less than $5 per year to the church and must attend Sunday School regularly. Men employees are given one evening a week for courting and two if they go to prayer meeting. After 14 hours of work in the store, the leisure time should be spent mostly in reading. Signed: The Management

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