On the Coast – Families Issue 92 | February / March 18 | Page 8

The value of work
by Sarah Tolmie
M
y youngest, Master 15, got
himself a job at McDonald’s at
the end of last year, and worked his
Summer holiday…amongst bouts of
lazing and slothing at home and
with friends…flipping burgers.
I couldn’t be more proud. It seemed to me
more valuable learnings were acquired
than the whole four terms of school which
he studiously avoided as much as he could.
My kids have not had the luxury of
being spoilt or given everything they
wanted, we just haven’t been able to do
that even if we wanted to, and
subsequently they have grown with a
humble acceptance and gratitude for what
they do have and truly haven’t asked for
much. I love them so much for that.
This summer of work though, has
given Son No.2 an even deeper
appreciation for work and money. He’s
worked out that it takes him a whole
three hour shift to earn enough to pay
for a movie, popcorn and a drink! A
whole shift! It took him at least two days
of work to earn enough to buy the $50 of
clothes he bought himself. Now he’s even
more challenged at parting with his own
money!
He now values the free time he does
get and is now beginning to carve out
the time more carefully for things he
may have waited to eventually happen
in time. He now understands why when
mum and dad have free time, what
precious a commodity it actually is.
He’s discovered the necessity of
being on time means being just a
bit early. He is wearing long pants
for “like the first time ever!” He
looks like a real man. He makes sure
his uniform is washed and hung out
and brought in ready. He puts his crazy,
unruly hair back. He showers!
It’s a miracle transformation.
The biggest transformation is mostly
hidden from me though, but I know it
happens. It’s this. When someone asks him
to do something…drumroll…he says yes and
does it immediately. Not ‘yeah, in a minute’
ten millions times. He ‘like just does it’!
The other subtle evolving is the
emergence of a new confidence. A sense
of self-worth and maturity. At fifteen he
already stands outrageously tall at 6ft1’
and now, he seems to stand ever taller,
straighter and centred.
He looks forward to work. He wants
to work. He definitely wants to earn
money and has his sights set on a
fancy new bike. He’s loo