Putting Some "Farm" Into our Kids

Pulitzer Prize winning author Thomas Friedman has said when he was a child his parents told him to finish his vegetables because there were kids in China and India who were starving. Today, Friedman tells his own kids to finish their math and science homework because there are kids in China and India who are starving for their jobs.

America has lost millions of manufacturing jobs to emerging nations. Now our higher skilled jobs and professions -- computer programming, accounting, engineering and legal services – are subject to outsourcing.

These are unnerving trends, devastating to those who have lost their jobs. It remains to be seen what role American workers will play in the global economy. For me today, I worry about what my kids and grandkids will do to provide for themselves.

Part of securing a strong future for our kids is certainly what Friedman suggests – better education with more rigorous science and math skills.

But I believe there is another value at play here that’s just as important as academics, and is likely contributing to the sluggish academic performance of our youth. It’s what sends me searching for a way to get my kids on a farm, not really to learn how to mass-produce commodities.

I want them to learn how to work.

Really work -- not just unloading the dishwasher, collecting household trash or dusting a shelf -- but working from dawn to dusk, learning how to fix machines, haul manure and pitch in when all hands are needed for harvest or round up.

People who live on a farm learn how to solve problems, be resourceful and innovative, self-start and work hard without complaining. These are not the lessons you learn playing video games, watching TV or even engaging in many of the organized activities that dominate our children’s schedules.

The problem is, I haven’t met very many (or any) farmers who are real interested in employing my kids even when they are old enough. So, short of abandoning our professions and joining an Amish colony, how can we instill farm values in city kids? Can we foster a rural work ethic in our urban children?

Here are three ways to try:

Every family member helps: Children are valuable helpers on a farm, and should be in our homes too. Ditch the cleaning and lawn services and delegate these chores to the kids whenever possible. Who are we helping when an able bodied teenager is watching TV while a paid cleaning lady vacuums under their feet?

Do it yourself: Rather than throwing broken items away or calling a repair man, let your kids attempt to fix the busted chair, unclog the drain, or change the oil in your car. Consider the extra patience (and even money) it may cost an investment in the satisfaction your child will gain in trying and maybe even solving the problem.

Work first, play second: Our culture places high value on entertainment and fun. As parents we are the only ones who can provide the healthy and necessary balance our kids need through a reasonable dose of work and responsibility. Free time is the reward for a job well done.

We might not be able to raise our kids on a farm. But with some effort and firm resolve to ignore their inevitable complaints, we can instill some valuable farm-like work ethics and ingenuity in our kids. Businesses will always be starving for that.