Work ethic
The building I work in was once a correctional facility for young men. There is a picture on a wall of a group of boys and their caretakers. None of them are smiling. I would guess this took place sometime in the 1930s.
My paternal grandparents were caretakers in the 60s at a local juvenile facility. I vividly remember visiting them there many times. The floors were hardwood and we slid around in our stocking feet - and so did the young men who lived there. My grandfather didn't allow them to wear shoes because then they wouldn't run away. I also remember him rolling cigarettes for them and they lined up along the wall and he would flick the smokes to them. The boys would lift my little brother and me up so we could drink from the water fountains.
My co-worker and I were talking about this today. Back then, kids went to work at an early age - in the case of my own parents, it was to help support their families. My mother tells how her father would show up to her work on payday with his hand out and it would make her so angry. My father dropped out of school after eighth grade to go to work. Nobody lived at home after they were able to care for themselves.
Man how the times have changed. Our kids come home after college and don't leave, and we don't seem to mind.
Last night Paul's coach held individual meetings with the members of the team. It seems they held a little protest yesterday at Denny's instead of going to work out at six in the morning.
What would they have to protest, you ask?
Well gee, they work out at 6:00 am, come home by 8:00 to eat and nap all day, and go to the rink at 3:15 in the afternoon to skate. If Paul shows up for dinner, he is here by 5:30.
This group of young men are anywhere from 16 to 21 years old. Obviously the high school aged kids go to class, but there are very few in that age group. Paul is 18.
That is all they do all day, and they protested. It's just too much. Oh - Friday, Saturday and Sunday there is no work out or practice. So really, we're talking four days a week.
Good God.
I fear for our nation when this generation is in charge.
My paternal grandparents were caretakers in the 60s at a local juvenile facility. I vividly remember visiting them there many times. The floors were hardwood and we slid around in our stocking feet - and so did the young men who lived there. My grandfather didn't allow them to wear shoes because then they wouldn't run away. I also remember him rolling cigarettes for them and they lined up along the wall and he would flick the smokes to them. The boys would lift my little brother and me up so we could drink from the water fountains.
My co-worker and I were talking about this today. Back then, kids went to work at an early age - in the case of my own parents, it was to help support their families. My mother tells how her father would show up to her work on payday with his hand out and it would make her so angry. My father dropped out of school after eighth grade to go to work. Nobody lived at home after they were able to care for themselves.
Man how the times have changed. Our kids come home after college and don't leave, and we don't seem to mind.
Last night Paul's coach held individual meetings with the members of the team. It seems they held a little protest yesterday at Denny's instead of going to work out at six in the morning.
What would they have to protest, you ask?
Well gee, they work out at 6:00 am, come home by 8:00 to eat and nap all day, and go to the rink at 3:15 in the afternoon to skate. If Paul shows up for dinner, he is here by 5:30.
This group of young men are anywhere from 16 to 21 years old. Obviously the high school aged kids go to class, but there are very few in that age group. Paul is 18.
That is all they do all day, and they protested. It's just too much. Oh - Friday, Saturday and Sunday there is no work out or practice. So really, we're talking four days a week.
Good God.
I fear for our nation when this generation is in charge.
posted by Well-heeled mom @ 8:47 PM
1 Comments:
At 1:33 AM,
Anonymous said…
I hope that this is more a reflection of a group of young men who negatively influence each other rather than a reflection of a whole generation's work ethic... SCARY thought. I hope the coach is able to gain control.
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