I was talking to Nathan yesterday as he headed off to ref five soccer games.\u00a0 Reffing soccer is good money.\u00a0 Depending on how many other refs are involved in the game (there can be up to three), he could easily make $100.\u00a0 That’s a lot of gas and burger money for a teenager.<\/p>\n
“I was thinking about which was worse,” Nathan started.\u00a0 “Running a 3K race or reffing a soccer game.”<\/p>\n
I wasn’t surprised that either of those choices was on his list of things I really don’t like to do<\/em>.\u00a0 He’s not terribly fond of running.\u00a0 But he runs anyway because he loves hanging out with the high school cross country team.\u00a0 And he knows it’s a good way to stay in shape.\u00a0 It’s the races that are excruciatingly painful.\u00a0 But that’s because he figures if he’s going to be running anyway, he might as well give it his all.<\/p>\n Then there’s the reffing.\u00a0 It’s the long hours of standing that he doesn’t like.\u00a0 He knows it’s a pretty easy job, and for the amount of money he can make in one day compared to working at a burger joint, he’s got it made.<\/p>\n So his comment led to a discussion about jobs vs careers.\u00a0 Do we have to love the jobs we do?\u00a0 I told him I didn’t love cleaning toilets but it needs to get done.\u00a0 I don’t do it as my career and that makes all the difference.<\/p>\n “I know, I know,” he said.\u00a0 “Sometimes we have to do things we don’t really like.\u00a0 I would never make a career out of reffing soccer.\u00a0 But it’s really good money.\u00a0 Besides, my career is going to do with public speaking and I’m really looking forward to that.”<\/p>\n As parents, I think it’s important to encourage our kids to find the things they really love to do and help them turn it into a career.\u00a0 Nathan will love his “job” when he’s older, because it’s his passion.\u00a0 But I also think it’s important for our teens to experience doing things that aren’t necessarily their passion.\u00a0 There’s a lot of life skills, not to mention lessons, that they can learn from those.<\/p>\n I told Nathan to look at all the skills he’s learning through reffing and running.\u00a0 Reffing has taught him to be responsible; he needs to show up on time and in the proper attire.\u00a0 It’s taught him how to deal with angry parents and coaches.\u00a0 And he’s learned to trust himself and the calls he makes.<\/p>\n Running has taught him what it’s like to be a team member.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It’s taught him the importance of going to practice.\u00a0 And it’s taught him to set goals and work to achieve them.<\/p>\n You don’t need to love your job.\u00a0 You do need to love your career.<\/p>\n BTW, his answer…reffing, because at least with running, it’s over in\u00a019 minutes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I was talking to Nathan yesterday as he headed off to ref five soccer games.\u00a0 Reffing soccer is good money.\u00a0 Depending on how many other refs are involved in the game (there can be up to three), he could easily make $100.\u00a0 That’s a lot of gas and burger money for a teenager. “I was thinking about which was worse,” Nathan started.\u00a0 “Running a 3K race or reffing a soccer game.” I wasn’t surprised that either of those choices was…<\/p>\n