Does Hiring a House Cleaner or a Gardener Harm your soul?
This article at Common Consent asks a good question, here is my response:
I have hired cleaning services when overwhelmed by asthma and ill health in general. I know those hired were thankful for the money and I was grateful for the help. I believe Mothers should do whatever is in their power to teach children to work, but after observing my teens, the greatest thing we did for them was require that they get summer jobs instead of playing and attending camps/EFY.
They all have learned the value of a dollar by earning it themselves. No amount of chores at home could teach the life lessons that hard work in the form of childcare, lawn mowing, landscaping, bagging. groceries, and being accountable to a boss taught them.
We live in a really affluent area and many of the LDS teens I know have never worked a part time job. Some brag about never being willing to work for minimum wage. The Entitlement attitude is really what needs to be squashed in our culture.
I see nothing wrong with hiring domestic or gardening workers, especially if the Home Maker is in a time or season when an extra pair of hands can keep Mama healthier.
Jenny Hatch
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