Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- persistent / pərˈsɪs tənt / (adj) – continuing despite difficulties
Example:The salesman was persistent and continued offering his product no matter how many times customers rejected him.
- credential / krɪˈdɛn ʃəl / (n) – a skill or experience that makes one qualified for a job or task
Example:We decided to hire the applicant because of his impressive credentials.
- diligent / ˈdɪl ɪ dʒənt / (adj) – displaying effort and hard work
Example:He gets good grades because he’s very diligent when it comes to his studies.
- horse around / hɔrs əˈraʊnd / (idiom) – to engage in a playful and silly behavior
Example:The old man scolded the children for horsing around.
- eagerness / ˈi gər nɪs / (n) – the feeling of being very excited or interested, usually to do something
Example:The young girl always shows eagerness in learning new things.
Article
Read the text below.
Shaketha [shuh–KEE-thuh] McGregor, a single mom from Dublin, Georgia, held a hiring event for her children to teach them about responsibilities and the value of money and hard work.
The mother of three explained that her children had been persistent in requesting for an allowance increase and new devices. Their constant requests led her to create the job fair so her children could understand that they have to work for the things they want. She also hopes that the exercise will make her kids more familiar with application processes when they grow older.
In a viral Facebook post, McGregor shared how she put up advertisements on the walls of her home for three different jobs: kitchen manager, lead housekeeper, and laundry supervisor. She then gave the kids application forms, which asked about their credentials, ideal salary, and availability, before conducting interviews.
In a follow-up post, McGregor wrote that her youngest daughter was the most diligent during the exercise. Her son horsed around while having the interview, and her other daughter tried to fake an accent to get the job.
After the interview, McGregor welcomed her children to their new jobs with an orientation, complete with name tags and contract forms.
Parents who saw McGregor’s Facebook posts commended her creativity and expressed eagerness to try the activity at home with their own children.
McGregor said the exercise proved to be successful and gave her family an opportunity to engage in more quality time. Because of the exercise’s success, she decided to launch a Facebook page called ‘This Mom Means Business Inc.,” which aims to help other parents teach their own children about responsibilities.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
• Do you think McGregor’s approach is effective in teaching children about responsibilities? Why or why not?
• Do you think children should be rewarded after completing household chores? Why or why not?
Discussion B
• What do you think is the most important value that children should learn (e.g. independence, respect)? Why?
• If you were to teach this value, how would you do it?