Farm and ranch kids are just built different. Many know what a day of hard work means.
I have a bit different take on things, mostly because I was one of three farmer’s daughters. We were expected to work when Dad said so. He said jump, and we said, “how high sir.” My older sister helped early on, mostly because she was older and able to get her farm permit and started moving vehicles to the field when needed. Later on, that kind of dropped off when she became more involved with school and other activities.
My kids are really no different. When there’s work to be done, they help. However, my husband has gotten to where he knows how to operate by himself. He often doesn’t like other people getting in his way. Our oldest likes to go to work, and the youngest is just now at 12, becoming a little more reliable when it comes to work.
At the end of May, I was invited to help chaperone a trip to the state FFA convention with my oldest son’s chapter. Before accepting the offer, I texted my husband to see what he had going on as it’s been prime season for branding calves, moving cows to grass and turning bulls out. Spence’s No. 1 helper would be with me, our youngest would have to fill his brother’s shoes.
While we were gone to Manhattan, Chance helped at not one, not two, but three brandings. They even went the Sunday after we returned home. Most of the brandings the boys go to pay the kids if they help for the duration.
Even before I got home from the trip, Chance was texting me wanting to get his money in the bank. He’d been researching air soft rifles and BB guns and wanted me to order it for him. When it comes to any purchase I have to make, I sit on it a few days and try to find the best deal. This habit bought me a few days with him.
I was halfway on board with the BB gun because he already has a few, and quite the vivid imagination. He likes to dress the part and take pasture walks and pretend he’s finding the bad guys during a world war. He kept pestering me to order the gun he’d found and asked me hourly if I’d done it.
Eventually I showed him how to make a mobile deposit into his savings account and by this time he’d only changed his mind a couple dozen times as to what he wanted to spend his money on. I did remind him if he wanted to buy something with the money he earned, he couldn’t spend it all on junk. He’d have to help buy the next round of feed for his steer.
Since they’ve been in 4-H, we’ve made it pretty clear the money they earn from premiums, selling the carcass and other funds that come from those market animals are to be used to invest in next year’s animals and keep going with their projects. I do let them have a little spending money after the fair since they did do a lot of hard work including many early mornings and late nights taking care of animals.
The desire to purchase a BB gun waned, and it sounded like his buddy talked him into buying a gaming console. He always plays games on it when he’s at said friend’s house. So, he pled his case to me and when he finally wore me down enough, we had a discussion about the video game console. I told him from the get-go there would be rules with it. He just can’t spend all day, every day on it. Against my better judgment, I helped him make the purchase. Before I clicked buy, I asked him one last time if that’s really what he wanted, and he was sure. He was pretty stoked to get it. I sure hope he can follow the rules of the household even with the console.
I hardly ever have to worry about my oldest when it comes to work. He’s always been the one who goes to work with his dad and now as a 15-year-old, he’d much rather work than do anything else. He too had money he earned working calves and wanted to spend. He talked me into a battery-operated radio. Luckily, he appreciates all he has and isn’t quite as demanding as his brother is. Well, not always.
I need to teach them about their bank statements and how the money goes in and out of their accounts before the summer ends, I believe. I see no shortage of paychecks that need to be deposited for them. And I see no end of work for them on the farm this summer either.
Kylene Scott can be reached at 620-227-1804 or [email protected].
