i was not very studious as a youngster,i went to work in construction at 17.it was easier at the time than school work,or sports.and drinking after work was the norm.that was what you did if you didn't go to school.as you get older your back tells you that maybe school was the right choice.
when my kids were old enough to bring to work they would help on saturdays.and they worked their tails off.every thing we do is heavy lifting.one day i realized they were just kids.i looked back at my work life and realized that we are lucky enough to work the rest of our life.if they want to work for spending money ok.if they really need to work to help the family ok.but if they worked really hard at school or sports they would get more out of it than a few bucks in their pocket.
as someone said their is no right or wrong answer.if they can make it work great.they shouldn't be showered with gifts because they are lazy.but they should get to be a kid when they are kids.they can learn hard work in many many ways.
just a thougt from another angle.
20dad,
Ditto for me. I started work as a janitor for my dad at age 15. I worked at McDonald's, did some gardening and such, joined the Navy at 17, and now at 48 have my own business, and advanced degree, and a few bucks. I didn't have the opportunities to play competitive, travel ball my son has had. I'm just being honest here, maybe part of it is me wanting to allow my son to experience something I never could. But at this point, he's pretty good, so why not give him a shot?
Ditto for me. I started work as a janitor for my dad at age 15. I worked at McDonald's, did some gardening and such, joined the Navy at 17, and now at 48 have my own business, and advanced degree, and a few bucks. I didn't have the opportunities to play competitive, travel ball my son has had. I'm just being honest here, maybe part of it is me wanting to allow my son to experience something I never could. But at this point, he's pretty good, so why not give him a shot?
Quite a few of the young men who play baseball on our teams have summer jobs, and some work year-round. Most have jobs that are 15-20 hours a week, though some work more and miss a fair amount of baseball because of that. For those who don't want to and can afford it, I think that is fine. For the rest, I think they are learning good life lessons early on.
When I was a teenager, my father made me quit baseball and all other sports when I was 16, because "they're a waste of your time. You need to learn the family business." So, from the time I was 16, all I did was work. I don't ever want to do that to a kid who plays ball with me, my own kid or others.
When I was a teenager, my father made me quit baseball and all other sports when I was 16, because "they're a waste of your time. You need to learn the family business." So, from the time I was 16, all I did was work. I don't ever want to do that to a kid who plays ball with me, my own kid or others.