Having a strong work ethic means understanding the importance of work and of being diligent or working hard. A person who does not care about work won’t have the strong work ethic that employer’s value.

One of the best ways to teach the value of work is through chores at home. Make a daily chore list of what you expect youth to do. Explain that every member of a household has a responsibility to pitch in and help.

Any time a child or young adult practices setting a goal and completing it, the youth is learning about having a strong work ethic.

Employers say that an employee who shows up to work with a positive attitude can often be taught a skill he or she does not already have. A positive attitude shows when the employee smiles, is friendly and is willing to learn or to do what is asked.

The most powerful thing parents can do is to model having a positive attitude. Lead by example, and show youth you are willing to learn new things even when it is challenging. Talk to them about your own work experiences, and how having a good attitude at work has helped you.

“Employers like a person who works well with others. At almost every job site, employees are expected to work with co-workers and to be a team player. There are many opportunities to practice being a team player at school and at home. Working on this skill can be especially fun and rewarding.

All youth should have access to extracurricular school activities that can provide opportunities to be a team player.

Help a young adult learn to be a team player by helping him understand differences people have. Introduce him to people who are different from him by taking part in activities like community festivals that feature different cultures, various places of worship, or through books, magazines, film, television, or the internet.

Give youth many opportunities to enjoy working on group projects.

The ability to work under pressure is important since sometimes work will be stressful, and there will likely be multiple demands placed upon a person at the same time. Both school and home environments present many opportunities to develop skills for being resilient and coping under pressure.

One important skill for working under pressure is to know how to ask for help. Children and young adults can also learn skills for managing their stress. We certainly want to prepare our children and young adults so that work is not stressful to the point that it is harmful to their physical and mental health.

Flexibility will go a long way toward helping youth have success on a job. Consider how well your young adult adjusts to change. Workers on the job often need to adjust to changes in assignments or schedule changes.

Cognitive flexibility includes two skills: flexible thinking and set shifting. Young adults who are able to think about a problem in a new way engage in flexible thinking, while young adults who get stuck in their ways tend to engage in rigid thinking. Set shifting refers to the individual’s ability to let go of an old way of doing something to try a new way.

Having a variety of experiences and activities will help all youth develop more flexibility, confidence, and ability to cope with change.