The Value Of Kids Working
Let Them Get Their Hands Dirty
As summer approaches, many parents face the same question:
How should my kids spend their time?
Should they go to camp, dive into sports, or relax with friends? While these are all valuable options, there's one alternative we often overlook—one that provides long-term growth and life skills far beyond typical activities.
What if the best answer is work?
For some, it may seem like a big leap. For others, it’s an obvious expectation. But work offers so much more than just a paycheck. It shapes kids' futures by teaching them responsibility, resilience, and self-discovery.
Whether our kids are in elementary, middle, or high school, work presents opportunities to uncover strengths and push boundaries. It's not just about completing tasks—it’s about adapting, facing challenges, and stepping outside one's comfort zone.
As kids grow, work goes beyond responsibility—it helps them discover their values, explore passions, and understand their place in the world. Along the way, they build emotional maturity, form strong relationships, and develop a sense of self-worth.
In the end, the lessons learned through work shape who they become.
The Rite of Passage Every Kid Deserves
Work isn’t just preparation for adulthood—it is a defining part of becoming an adult.
In traditional societies, this milestone was often marked by physical labor, apprenticeships, or service to the community, helping kids claim their place in the adult world. Yet today, many kids miss this critical experience, losing opportunities to develop into capable, independent adults.
Work is about stepping into the world and connecting with something larger. It gives kids a sense of self and shows them that their contributions matter—not just for a paycheck, but for their effect on the people and spaces around them. It’s more than a set of tasks; it’s a proving ground, where they gain confidence, recognize their value, and discover how much they’re capable of giving back.
Beyond Financial Gains
The true power of work lies not in what it gets us, but in what it makes us.
Work shapes kids by pushing their boundaries, uncovering hidden strengths, and building lasting confidence. It’s not just about responsibility—it’s about discovering purpose, understanding values, and learning to persevere when things get hard.
Work also gives kids the chance to fail—and recover. Whether they miss a deadline, struggle with a demanding customer, or make an error in calculation, these experiences provide opportunities to learn how to bounce back. They learn to adjust, improve, and keep going—lessons extending far beyond what they typically encounter at school or home.
And in the process, kids develop crucial interpersonal skills. They begin to deepen their understanding of others, learning how to communicate, empathize, and collaborate with people from different backgrounds. These are the essential interpersonal skills that influence how they interact with the world around them.
But above all else, work gives kids a sense of identity. Earning, contributing, and seeing the difference they make reinforces their confidence and helps them understand their worth.
Work prepares kids for fuller lives, stronger relationships, and careers that align with what truly drives them. The value of work is who our kids become because of it.
But My Child is Too Young to Work
Many parents worry their kids are too young for work—at home or elsewhere. They’re concerned their kids will feel overwhelmed or be unprepared for the responsibility. But kids don’t gain experience by avoiding it. They grow by doing.
Work doesn’t have to mean a formal job. It can start small, with meaningful, age-appropriate tasks. Simple chores or projects introduce kids to accountability and begin teaching the benefit of striving and the power of persistence.
Even in elementary school, kids can take on roles that build life skills. Consider “hiring” your child to wash the first-floor windows at home. Yes, it may initially be inconvenient—you’ll need to gather the materials, teach the process, model the steps, and offer feedback. But once they’ve mastered it, they can take that skill into the world, offering the same service to neighbors and maybe even create their first business venture.
It’s not just about having clean windows (though that’s a bonus). It’s about developing initiative, building self-assurance, and helping kids recognize the real-world value of their effort.
But It’s More Work for Me
We all know the extra effort it takes when our kids take on new responsibilities—more schedules to juggle, rides to give, and tasks to manage. It’s easy to see these as stress-inducing inconveniences in an already busy family life.
But what if we shifted our perspective? What if, instead of seeing it as a burden, we viewed this extra effort as an investment in our kids’ future? The short-term hassle pales compared to the independence and life skills they’ll gain—tools that will serve them for a lifetime.
Through work, our kids are learning lessons we can’t always teach. And we’re outsourcing essential experiences they’ll need to thrive when we’re no longer in the picture.
Seen this way, the inconvenience becomes a small price to pay for the lifelong rewards they’ll carry with them.
What About Balance?
Today's culture often pressures kids to do more, pushing them toward greater achievement, frequently leading to burnout and stress. As parents, it’s our job to encourage balance and teach the importance of prioritization.
Work should complement life, not overwhelm it. And by helping kids set boundaries and value self-care, we show them how to build a healthy relationship with work that promotes growth without sacrificing well-being.
But balance isn’t about avoiding discomfort. And growth almost always requires it.
Learning to manage tension and becoming comfortable with it today helps our kids develop the emotional fortitude they’ll need to tackle challenges throughout their lives. Think: Work hard. Play hard. Even in the early years.
Still Not Convinced?
Listen to my teenager share the value she’s gained from working in this podcast episode: Get a Job! The Hidden Growth Teens Gain from Working. Want to skip the color commentary? Jump to 22:45.
I started mucking stalls in trade for my horse lessons at 13. My parents could certainly afford the lessons but understood the value in a young person working for what they want and the pride that comes with accomplishing big things. From the first pitchfork of poop that I dumped into the wheelbarrow, I appreciated their belief in my abilities and to work for what I wanted in life. I loved the work and the calluses and the opportunity to care for and bond with the animals I loved so very much. When we can approach work not as a chore, but as an opportunity to learn, grow and be of service, it changes everything. What an important lesson to teach our children.
One of the best decisions was to allow the boys to work at the cemetery when they were asked, which is far from the first job many people envision. Their primary tasks are taking care of the grounds, but there is so much more. On occasion, they have to deal with grieving, and sometimes upset, people, but know to treat everyone with kindness and respect. They learned that raising a headstone a few inches means the world to a widower, as well as locating a grave for someone looking for a loved one.
It's not without fun times, too, though. Their best friends also work there, and as John said, "Even when you have a rough day, when your friend is there, it makes it better." They laugh together when things go wrong, and there are often shenanigans of some sort!