Work

Work gets a bad rap.  We all complain about it, but there is a quiet dignity in a job well done.  We contribute to the world through our work, and it lets us know we are needed. We have a purpose.  My Nana Ru (short for Ruth, pictured above) dedicated her retirement years to helping her large extended family, primarily her only daughter and granddaughter (my mom and me). She spent her days visiting relatives and doing everything she could to help them. She’d bake banana bread or cookies and offer her services to make life easier for the people she loved. It became her purpose.

For all of us (typical adults, retirees and special needs people) work has value. It gives us a reason to get up in the morning, a way to contribute and it keeps us out of trouble. So, at every turn, Mikey’s school provides him with tasks that build his skills and help others.

He helps with cooking and cleaning up. He goes to vocational training opportunities as well. At home, he rinses his dishes and makes sure his laundry makes it into the hamper. He stays on top of his hygiene routines to keep himself clean and healthy.  

There is a quiet dignity to the work that fills our days. Don’t deprive your kids of this aspect of a full life. Let them do what they can for themselves, even if they can’t get a paying job yet. They’ll feel the satisfaction of a job well done.