Del Smith, the millionaire founder and chairman of Evergreen
International Aviation, has often said, "Thank God I was born poor; I
learned how to work." Like many others who made it to the top on their
own, Smith believes that the greatest gift that can be given to a child
is to teach him or her the value of work. It is a gift that can never be
lost or stolen. It’s a natural desire of parents to give their children
material things they didn’t have as children. Such generosity, however,
often deprives children of the greatest gift you can give them:
confidence in their ability to take care of themselves. When you make
life "hard" for your children by requiring them to learn the value of
work, they will have a far greater likelihood of success as adults.
One of life’s greatest joys is the sense of wonder that accompanies the arrival of a tiny new human being into the world. But that joy is accompanied by a tremendous responsibility that perfectly encapsulates the need for personal initiative. You can provide children with all the physical advantages of a good childhood, but unless you strive to set a good example for them to follow, you will know only dismay as they reach adulthood and blossom into purposeless drifters. Your personal initiative, whether or not you are raising a child, must always incorporate exemplary behavior. You cannot take ethical shortcuts, big or small, without other people observing them and assuming that this behavior is something you wouldn’t mind having turned back on yourself. Certainly you will make mistakes, but if you have always striven for the best course, others will remember it and treat you accordingly.
