Acknowledging the Ethic Gained with Newspaper Delivery and Celebrating the Dedication of Hard Workers on Labor Day

Last week, a viral news story from Australia focused on a mother who refused to allow her 15-year-old son to have a part-time job. The mother believed that childhood should be carefree and without the burden of adult work. This sparked a backlash and made me reflect on my own teenage jobs and why they were significant for me and many other Americans.

For many of us, our first job as a teenager holds a profound memory. It introduced us to the world of work, which lacked the protections of family and school. It was an eye-opening experience.

DEBATE SPARKED BY MOM WHO DENIES TEEN SON A JOB: IS A WORK ETHIC OVERRATED?

For me, it was a paper route on chilly, early mornings. I remember the snap of the plastic band, the smell of the newspapers, and the sometimes challenging task of collecting payments from subscribers.

Whether it’s delivering newspapers or working in retail, a first job helps instill a work ethic that can carry through an entire career. (IStock)

At the time, I was unaware that I was part of a long tradition. The first paperboy, 10-year-old Barney Flaherty, started the industry in 1833 after responding to an ad in The New York Sun. This plucky Irish kid launched a cultural phenomenon.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, American society grappled with finding the right balance between work and life for teenagers. Child labor laws were put in place to protect children from abuse but also allowed for lighter, part-time work. The goal was to instill a work ethic and provide economic opportunities for youth, and it worked.

We all know that earning a dollar feels different from being given a dollar. The value of the dollar we earn is directly tied to our labor.

The Labor Department reports that the percentage of 16-19 year-olds working or actively seeking work has risen to 37%, the highest since 2019. However, the number was 58% in 1979, indicating a decline.

Most people born in the early 1960s had firsthand experience with manual or retail labor, even if they later pursued more respected professions. They realized that the marvels of the modern world didn’t just magically exist for them. These marvels were maintained by individuals who worked hard and showered after their shifts.

In 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, many in the professional class learned that they weren’t as indispensable as they believed. They witnessed sanitation workers and delivery personnel keeping the world functioning while working from the comfort of their laptops. It’s a reminder that their degrees may not guarantee their importance.

Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.