Why I Love Child Labor

@TheHorse (203666)
Walnut Creek, California
April 24, 2017 1:58pm CST
As many of you know, I'm an advocate of child labor. Basically, it gets things done, and it also teaches skills, so your children won't be nagging you for money when they're in their 20s and 30s. I let my child laborer out of the closet several times over the past few weeks, and we finished up that dresser we've been working on. You might think me a mean person, one who feeds my young laborers only bread and water. Feh! Yesterday, I fed him corn flakes with milk and maple syrup, as I had on the previous day. He's taken a liking to corn flakes with maple syrup. I also fed him some Brie on crackers, and he said he liked it. I hydrated him with Gatorade, so he'd keep working. Later, his mom said, "How come you won't eat Brie with me?" He fibbed and told his mom he ate it but didn't say he liked it. I know the truth: Stockholm Syndrome. Child laborers come to identify with their oppressors. Either that or he knows I'm a guy and wants to imitate what I do. Anyway, I have him on a street corner now (he doesn't like his school anyway), trying to sell the thing for $100. Either that or we gave it to the lady who recently moved in a few apartments down and she thanked us profusely. Do you enjoy subjecting the young to child labor as much as I do? Next week, I'm going to bring some corn and green bean starts from my balcony to the preschool where I work on Fridays. I look forward to watching the little blighters, just out of pampers, slaving away with their tiny shovels so we can plant them there and watch them grow. Start 'em early I say. Do you enjoy exploiting child labor as much as I do?
23 people like this
24 responses
• Banks, Oregon
25 Apr 17
We used to be gathered about 10 of us under age 13 thrown in a big green van and dropped off berry fields and left for hours to pick as many buckets as we could...... Our opressors would bring us to dairy Queen as payment
4 people like this
• Banks, Oregon
25 Apr 17
@TheHorse we settled on getting to eat as many strawberries as are little stomachs could handle, not to mention having some strawberry shortcake after a long work day...
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (454876)
• Switzerland
25 Apr 17
I do not consider this exploiting children, but it's a wonderful way to teach them something useful. I loved to work with my granny and my grandfather when I was a kid. We had a kid who came every day to see us in Monte-Carlo to learn from my husband to use a computer. He ate everything I prepared for lunch, included a tomato salad. His Mom was surprised, because he never touched tomatoes when she prepared them.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (454876)
• Switzerland
25 Apr 17
@TheHorse I have always loved dark chocolate May be that now for him Brie is an acquired taste and he will like it from now on. My husband likes Brie, I don't.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
@LadyDuck I think I've loved Brie since childhood days. My parents' influence, no doubt.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
Of course I'm being ironic when I talk of child labor. I do think kids love learning what those they look up to do. I wonder if my young friend will continue to eat Brie when I offer it to him. He already likes dark chocolate (most kids like milk chocolate).
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (48321)
• Mojave, California
24 Apr 17
Apparently this is something I need to do. Maybe I would not be so poor. I knew I was doing it wrong and you know what they say. "If you cannot beat them, join them." I need to start exploiting and oppressing kids adults or whoever gets in my way from now on. After all that is what our leaders teach us. My only problem is my punk rock mindset. Damn punk rock mindset, go away.
2 people like this
• Mojave, California
24 Apr 17
@TheHorse Hey, always said punk rock musicians like many country artist because most of them are real and they always respected that.
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 17
Oh, some of those punkers try to be politically aware, don't they? Jut listen to the DKs Holiday in Cambodia or Stealing Peoples' Mail and you'll be fine.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 17
Oh, and I forgot Creeps like Me by Lyle Lovett. But he's not punk.
From the Texas Connection circa 1990.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28859)
• Philippines
24 Apr 17
Asians had always had a practice of children helping parents do manual labor or some other things and it worked well for us, it instilled discipline and patience that Asians are famous for. The word child labor sorry to say is a very Western concept or idea.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28859)
• Philippines
25 Apr 17
@TheHorse working in factories is a different thing because of the element of corporate greed and explotation. What i was talking about is old fashioned style where a kid helps his father in their own family shop while getting good if not better education than others, modesty aside i was partly raised that way and the experience has helped me through out my life.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28859)
• Philippines
25 Apr 17
@TheHorse yes it's also traditional American, in fact we learned some of it from you, my dad was raised traditional American cause my Grandfather lived when we were a colony, we both have the same traditional values and ideals, the only difference is ours have a tinge of Asian flare. I really hate to see what is happening to our societies right now.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
@louievill I think that learning a skill/business is a good thing. I do see helping the family business along, and wanting the kids to get a better education than the parents had, as an "Asian" thing, but I also think of it as a "traditional" American thing, especially back in the day.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (133739)
• Roseburg, Oregon
25 Apr 17
That is why I had six children look at all the child labor I had and with the age differences I had the child labor for forty years.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
Heh heh. Good planning!
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64363)
• United Kingdom
24 Apr 17
I'm not around any kids any more, but yes - the more exploiting the better! Very clever post, I enjoyed reading it.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
Thanks! Kids love learning by doing!
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
24 Apr 17
I have not answer for this.I do not work with children.I know a lot of this is going on.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
24 Apr 17
@TheHorse knowing that your v ery good at this.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 17
I am being ironic. Teaching kids new skills is a joy.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116876)
• Anniston, Alabama
25 Apr 17
I used to, .25 got my trash taken out or candy.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
You drive a hard bargain! Actually, I think I got a dollar for mowing the lawn.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
25 Apr 17
I have weeding that needs to be done, got any extra kids?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
Heh. I'll send 'em right over.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
25 Apr 17
@TheHorse excellent thanks
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Apr 17
Our neighbors daughter likes to help us clean house when she's down here, if that counts.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
Do you make sure she gets adequate bread crumbs and occasional water? I believe in treating my laborers fairly.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
25 Apr 17
@TheHorse - Nah, we just send her back upstairs.
@RubyHawk (99437)
• Atlanta, Georgia
26 Apr 17
I love it but my grandkids have escaped and I haven't found any others to take their place. I'm on the lookout though. Labor is good for the little blighters
1 person likes this
• Banks, Oregon
26 Apr 17
@RubyHawk Those kids are like Speedy Gonzales aren't they lol
• Banks, Oregon
26 Apr 17
Find a big net and catch them
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99437)
• Atlanta, Georgia
26 Apr 17
@chrissbergstrom They run too fast.
1 person likes this
@tzwrites (4836)
• Romania
26 Apr 17
I learned a lot about gardening as a "Child laborer" helping my grandpa. It taught me a lot!
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Apr 17
I wish I'd had a chance to be a "child laborer" as a kid.
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
24 Apr 17
Well at least they are out of pampers and won't be trying to hide the seed and the dirt in their underooos. I've taught at preschools before and have had such experiences. Hoorah for your child laboroer. Although Brie might get a little expensive. Maybe stick to cheddar.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 17
Heh. I'm going to have to see if he goes for Brie next time he's here. I have some cheddar here as well. I treat my child laborers well.
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Apr 17
@Lupita234 Underoos? Explain!
@Happy2BeMe (99426)
• Canada
25 Apr 17
It teaches them to be hard workers who are responsible and independent. A little hard work never hurt no one. My son loved to work as a child and today he has a great job, owns his own home, vehicles. It a great fsmily man He has a wife, a son and another on the way. He really got his life together at 26 years old.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Apr 17
Work is good. Learning is good.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
26 Apr 17
@Lupita234 I think it's important to teach that "hard work" can be fun. Then it's never really "work."
1 person likes this
@Nawsheen (28644)
• Mauritius
25 Apr 17
You are right it will.enable the child to develop skills which he will be able to develop later in life and also become more mature. When we were small my grandpa had a store and during the holidays we were there and helping him. It was fun
@vandana7 (98517)
• India
27 Apr 18
I love kiddos too much to make them work hard. Anyway, I don't know what I can ask them to do. You have a talent. I could only ask kiddos to water plants. Now there is water shortage, so no more plants for vanny and her team. I am inclined to bribe them. They feel free to ask me what they like so they don't suffer with Stockholm Syndrome. LOL. But..I agree, giving them a few skills is the best gift we can give them. We never know when they would need them.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
24 Apr 17
My husband who's a professor now used to help his father in the family vineyard a lot when he was still a pupil. He always talks positively about that experience. There was no danger of him hanging around, getting bored and coming up with silly ideas. Maybe this is not a fitting comment here but I felt like making it.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 17
No, its perfect. It's exactly what I'm saying. School is important. But so is working with grown-ups in ways that make you feel good about yourself and teach you a skill.
@shivamani10 (11038)
• Hyderabad, India
24 Apr 17
But, the politicians give it a different twist and establish a separate department for dealing with those cases. These children earn more for their families instead of begging on the roads.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (203666)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Apr 17
Child labor, where kids are not allowed to go to school, would be problematic. But I'm all for adults sharing their skills with children and letting children learn real-world things that will be useful to them in the future.
@Kandae11 (53599)
25 Apr 17
I know you don't really mean that.
@MsBooklover (3993)
• United States
26 Apr 17
Children need to work hard to be come adults who work hard. There are way too many lazy children, and nothing changes when they grow up. They are the same people and even lazier.