Work

“Work is the foundation of success and creation.”

Elder Richard B. Wirthlin, Ensign, Feb.2008, p.32.

How do we teach this to our children?

I think that it’s a vital piece of knowledge.

I’ve noticed lately that my daughter loves art, and she’s pretty great at it.  At least, she’s figuring out things that I never would have thought of at her age (patterns, shapes, designs) and she LOVES to draw, paint, color, create.

We do an incentive reward system with our children to help teach good behavior (helpfulness, good attitude, work, listening, etc.) .  They try to fill up a jar with gems (those little crystal rock things)  and they can choose a prize.  I give my oldest, gems for doing art.

She asked “why?” one day and I told her that if she kept practicing and working on that talent, right now, in her youth (while she has oodles of time to practice), when she grew up she would have a skill that she would be able to use to bring beauty to the world and maybe even profit by it.

I don’t know if she really understood what I meant.  I’m not trying to force her.  I’m trying to help nourish a talent that I see blooming in her, and who knows how that talent will bless lives in the future.

I’ll keep you posted.

What do you do?