"Nothing will work unless you do."
— Maya Angelou
Living Books About the Joy of Work
If you are home educating your children, they see you work. They see you tidy your home, prepare meals, garden, care for clothing, and much more.
Many of our ancestors lived difficult lives filled with arduous labor, and because of their efforts, we can enjoy more comfortable lives today.
But we don't want to shortchange our children by giving them a negative view of work.
When we work hard at something we love, we make the world a better place. Sometimes we have to work hard doing jobs we don't love, but God promises to reward his faithful people. We can see this in the lives of Joseph and Daniel. They were faithful in the little jobs and God gave them authority and honor.
Instead of cultivating an attitude that work is a burden and business owners villains,
let’s encourage the ones in our care to view work as important, as enjoyable, and necessary. If everyone does their part, so much is accomplished, and everyone can enjoy the fruit of their labors.
The books on this list might be helpful as you delve into this topic with your children.
K-3rd Grade
These books illustrate the important jobs people do, and how even small roles contribute to society.
Someone Builds The Dream by Lisa Wheeler
Judy's Journey by Lois Lenski
Night Job by Karen Hesse
Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
Whose Hands are These by Miranda Paul
4th-8th Grade
These books illustrate tough times and people rising above difficult circumstances through hard work.
Mary Emma and Company by Ralph Moody
The Fields of Home by Ralph Moody
Carry On, Mr Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? by Richard J. Maybury
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill
Teens and Parents
These books include some of the nuance of work. In Les Miserable, people are taken advantage of by the wealthy, in Up From Slavery, Booker T. Washington works his way into a position of influence, and in How Green Was My Valley we see nuance as the quiet world of pre-industrial Wales is ripped apart by industry and organized labor. We also include books that explain the free market, and other important concepts for teens and adults.
How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn
America's Great Depression by Murray Rothbard
A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell
The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
Up From Slavery, Booker T. Washington
The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek
Free to Choose by Milton Friedman
The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
So, what “work” do you include your children in? Our curriculum includes so many ways your children can join in the family labor and help get things done in a meaningful and rewarding way!
Work is not our enemy. In fact, the Benedictine motto was "ora et labora", which means pray and work, and we are called to work to make the world more beautiful.
When we look at work as a burden, we shortchange our families, but when we can embrace work as a meaningful part of our lives, we can change the world for the better!
For more hopeful stories about families working together, check out the Peaceful Press Elementary Resources. We include weekly practical life skills activities, engaging projects, and encouraging stories for a wonderful homeschool year.
The Peaceful Press Curriculum
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