When did work become a four letter word?

I know, the word work is made up of four letters, but seriously, when did the idea of hard work become so icky to Americans?

I’ve wondered about this for a while, and this morning I was reminded by an article in the newspaper about a shortage of skilled labor in America. They aren’t talking about ditch digging, they’re talking about decent paying jobs like electricians and pipe fitters. 

It wasn’t long ago that  Barack Obama said you can’t support a family without a college eduction. He obviously doesn’t know many carpenters, masons or electricians. The ones I know are doing quite well. But in all fairness, this didn’t begin with Barack Obama.

All my life I’ve heard politicians tout their “working class” roots. We’ve heard the same story thousands of times. Dad went off to work with his lunch pail every morning and came home tired every night so the kids would have an easier life. As if hard work is bad and the only reason to do it is so the next generation can avoid it.

If the next generation avoids hard work, who will build our roads? Who will replace your leaky roof? How will national health care work if we don’t have the skills to build new facilities?

One morning last winter my husband dropped off my son at religious education and my son was embarrassed by his dad’s work clothes. The principle of one of the local schools came over and said hello to my husband. My son asked how he knew him and my husband said “I built an addition on his house”. After that, my son seemed to have a different opinion of what his father does for a living.

I would be very proud to hear my children say “Dad goes to work every morning and builds things for people. He comes home with a smile on his face and a spring in his step and builds things for me. When I grow up I want to be just like dad.” That shouldn’t be difficult, they have a great teacher.