It’s a good thing to learn some skills when you’re a kid. It’s part of what childhood is for. Sure, you want to bask in the irresponsibility of being a child, but it’s also important to develop some routines and a sense of work ethic. You don’t want to dim their lights with work too early, but you also don’t want to deprive them of a chance to develop some real-world skills. This is why some parents push for their kids to have jobs. It’s a common thing to start working once you enter your teenage years. Maybe you pick up some shifts at the mall after school, or maybe you do some odd jobs for your parents for some cash. 

But the point is not to make money, it’s to develop some skills that schools don’t teach you and to get a taste of responsibility. But how early is too early, and where should we draw the line? Those are the questions that came up in this family when a dad wanted to course-correct some of his children’s behavior with a little bit of work.