COMMENTARY | Child labor laws may appear “truly stupid” to Newt Gingrich because it places prohibitions on the types of jobs and the amount of hours children can work. Gingrich suggests that children be allowed to work in a school janitorial position to earn extra money.
I agree that this option is good for families living in poverty. Children often lack school supplies, clothes, and adequate meals at home. Why not allow the opportunity for a child in need to work and help their families supplement the household income?
I don’t agree that working children necessarily will instill good work ethic within. There are other things that children do that will encourage good working habits such as cleaning their rooms and completing other household chores. Children really should be more focused on their education and completing homework assignments on time.
Teaching them the importance of being prompt and timely is a good characteristic to have as it relates to work ethic.
At 15 years of age I worked my first job in 1994. It was a part-time job which paid $4.50 per hour. This job didn’t do much to improve my economic standing. However, the job allowed me to realize the importance of education. Unless someone wants to work a minimum-wage job indefinitely, receiving an education is essential.
One might argue that maybe other children will realize what I did and turn a low paying job into a positive. Yet, in the beginning a child who works will believe that they’ve got lots of money because they might have $50 to $100 dollars in their hands.
Often times working children drop out of school to work. In impoverished environments the need for cash out ways the solution. This is a big problem.
Improving economic standing really means educating children about their finances and ways to watch their money grow over time. Improving economic standing also means enhancing positive talents in each child. This is one reason that teachers are so important.