Who made you work really hard as a kid and what did you learn from it?

Question

Or what did you not learn from it?

Bab-yaga-your avatar is striking. I had an uncle like your dad. He made children into farm wokers (slaves)

'seems it's coming down to the motives behind our work.

Answer 1

My Dad....and it was not a question of making me work, it was a question of working hard to suffice....We lived on a farm, and raised most of our own food, and grew cash crops, that had to be tended....What I learned more than anything, was that one can do anything, if you put your mind to it....We never called anyone to come fix things...It was ours, and we fixed it. We built our own house, barns, and lots of our own furniture...Dad taught us to be completely self sufficient, and if a problem arose, we could handle it....And we did.....But it wasn't all work...He taught us also to read everything we could get our hands on, and learn about everything, whether we thought we would need it or not...Knowledge is your friend, and one never knows when it will come in handy....He taught us to fish, to hunt, and to take the time to play, and love each other.....He prepared all his children for life, and I can never thank him enough........

Answer 2

I did. My folks weren't poor, but they didn't have much money either. My brothers and I would go out on Sat. mornings and mow and rake enough yards for movie show money. I would go the Winchell's donut shop three or four days a week after school. I could fold boxes and get .50 cents, two donuts, and a carton of milk. In late summer we could go to the onion field out side of town and pick onions for .50 cents a basket. We did this until my mother made us stop. We learned that hard work paid. My brothers and I have always been hard workers and sure enough it paid off. No matter what job I had, I ended up in a management position. I got raises. I don't think this is genetic because I sure have one lazy son. My father worked hard all of life. He was a carpenter in heavy construction.

Answer 3

We lived on a farm, we all had hard work to do. I learned that it takes everyone using their talents the best they could, to make it all work for everyone. Each of us had things we were better at than the other... we did however, all have to do things that no one would consider a God Given Gift! Shoveling out the barn, trimming the beaks off turkeys, feeding the hogs, etc... I worked all summer one year to make enough money to buy my first saddle in the tomato fields... to this day I hate the smell of tomato plants! And, I will have you know that I used that damned saddle twice! I just couldn't stand the thing! Rode bare back for years!

I learned of course to respect people regardless of what kind of work they had to do, that all that glitters is not gold! And, that it's wonderful that we all have different gifts, or talents. It kept food on our table and on our neighbors tables, and who ever else that needed a little help from time to time!

Answer 4

we were cheap labor on the farm from the time we could herd a cow or carry a bale. Only less work in the winter and then we had to shovel and chop ice in the water tanks. Always chores to do. It made me the hard worker I am today, and I don't quit until the job is done.

Answer 5

what made me work hard as a kid? initially it was the belt my old lady liked to wield, but as i got older i realized it was the hard work in school that would get me out of the life i was born into! still i did not have the confidence to leave our abusive home.
however i met a guy who worked even harder as a kid, came from a good family filled with love and thus had the strength and confidence in himself to help me get out.
together we have made a good family and a good home. to this day i tell everyone he is truly my hero and my rock.
he has always stood strong at my side when the demons of my childhood come to haunt me. thankfully the demons are old now, the belt is gone and their arms and their spirits are too weak to wreak havoc any longer.

Answer 6

My father, who believed children were a source of cheap labor. I learned that I never wanted kids of my own because I was afraid I would treat them like dirt, too. I have never regretted my decision.

ETA: Well, thank you! I WISH I looked like that! There's more to the story, but this isn't therapy. What do your cousins have to say about their experiences? Were they ever paid fpr their work? How did they get out of it?

Answer 7

My parents made my brother and I both work hard when we lived at home. I learned how to plant a garden, how to build stuff, learned that you don't always have to hire someone to do something for you when you know how to do it your self, I learned how to do plumbing, how to can food, how to make quilts, how to sew, how to cook food, wash clothes, wash dishes, clean house. I learned how to act right in public, to have respect for others, have good manners. I learned to treat others the way that I wanted to be treated.

I don't regret a single day of the work that we done. I loved them then and still love them to this day. My parents were and are great teachers. They are still teaching me to this day and I am 51 now.

Answer 8

No, I really wasn't BUT, I do remember having fun working with my family collecting SAP from the maple trees to make homemade maple syrup. I also remember having a lot of fun collecting rocks to line a hole for a hawian pig roast, which by the way was a lot of work. But worth every minute of it.

Answer 9

Worked in a farm community -- everywhere you worked it was hard labor. Learned that you can have what you want to work for, and keep huffin and puffin until the job is done.

Answer 10

I had certain cleaning chores EVERY Saturday morning before I went off running around town. Even today, I feel windows aren't really clean unless I clean them with vinegar and water and newspaper.