--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The children all worked hard, too. By two…" description: "\"“The children all worked hard, too. By two years old, they were sweeping floors and gathering eggs. By three they were collecting kindling for the potb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/ben-montgomery-38136_child_the-children-all-worked-hard-too-by-two_2900429.jpg" --- # The children all worked hard, too. By two years old, they… ![“The children all worked hard, too. By two years old, they were sweeping floors and gathering eggs. By three they were collecting kindling for the potbellied stove. By four they were washing and drying dishes. By five they knew how to wash their own clothes.” quote by Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/ben-montgomery-38136_child_the-children-all-worked-hard-too-by-two_2900429.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/ben-montgomery-38136_child_the-children-all-worked-hard-too-by-two_2900429.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/ben-montgomery-38136_child_the-children-all-worked-hard-too-by-two_2900429.jpg) > ““The children all worked hard, too. By two years old, they were sweeping floors and gathering eggs. By three they were collecting kindling for the potbellied stove. By four they were washing and drying dishes. By five they knew how to wash their own clothes.”” [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early responsibility teaches work ethic and self‑reliance from a young age. **In simple terms:** Kids learn work ethic early. Key Takeaway Encourage early chores. Themes responsibility work ethic self‑reliance childhood Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice observational When to use this quote - parenting - school programs - community youth projects Key Concepts education family dynamics skill development Questions to Reflect On - What balance of work and play is healthy for children? - How does early responsibility affect later success? A Different Perspective Too much labor can hinder childhood play and learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-worked-951211/) [Dishes Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishes-knew-4121117/) [Eggs Collecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eggs-collecting-4121118/) [Gathering Eggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gathering-eggs-3603904/) [Two years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-years/) [Worked Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked-hard/) ## Related quotes > [“Gathering eggs is commonsense; waiting for them to hatch is wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/gathering-eggs-is-commonsense-waiting-for-them-to-hatch-is-wisdom/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [I spent every summer as a child at my uncle's farm in Illinois so I know all about gathering eggs and how the hens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-berry/i-spent-every-summer-as-a-child-at-my-uncle-s-farm-in-illinois-so-i/) [Ken Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-berry/) > [Whatever happened to the good ole days, when children worked in factories?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/whatever-happened-to-the-good-ole-days-when-children-worked-in/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Where people work longest and with least leisure, they buy the fewest goods. No towns were so poor as those of England where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/where-people-work-longest-and-with-least-leisure-they-buy-the-fewest/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“Children worked in the mills: "I will always believe that children are designed for green meadows and play, not for factories and cotton dust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/children-worked-in-the-mills-i-will-always-believe-that-children-are/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [In 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 64 percent of mothers with children under six worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-traister/in-2013-according-to-the-bureau-of-labor-statistics-around-64-percent/) [Rebecca Traister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-traister/) > [I've worked so hard, I've won a lot in my junior career, did great things in my amateur career, was 6-0 in match play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-reed/i-ve-worked-so-hard-i-ve-won-a-lot-in-my-junior-career-did-great/) [Patrick Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-reed/) > [I knew that if I worked hard, I could have both - I could have a family, because that was important to me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/i-knew-that-if-i-worked-hard-i-could-have-both-i-could-have-a-family/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [I've worked so hard to just be my full self and God has just validated me in so many ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-siriboe/i-ve-worked-so-hard-to-just-be-my-full-self-and-god-has-just/) [Kofi Siriboe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-siriboe/) > [I've worked hard my entire life from the age of 14.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-moore/i-ve-worked-hard-my-entire-life-from-the-age-of-14/) [Kenya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-moore/) > [Being sore makes me happy cause I know I worked hard and and am getting stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-sore-makes-me-happy-cause-i-know-i-worked-hard-and-and-am/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you worked hard for it, if you didn't give up, even when you found your way and you thought you had everything, life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/if-you-worked-hard-for-it-if-you-didn-t-give-up-even-when-you-found/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Never would I run away from great difficulties, because once it's over I will have obtained what I worked hard for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ford/never-would-i-run-away-from-great-difficulties-because-once-it-s-over/) [Christopher Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ford/) > [I worked hard to get in shape for this role. My motivation was the movie and the fans but I don't want to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-lautner/i-worked-hard-to-get-in-shape-for-this-role-my-motivation-was-the/) [Taylor Lautner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-lautner/) > [I really want people to know that I've worked hard, very hard, to get to where I am today.. this didn't just happen overnight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-really-want-people-to-know-that-i-ve-worked-hard-very-hard-to-get/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) ## More by Ben Montgomery > [“Her chest full of crisp air and inspiration, her feet atop a forgettable mountain where the stars make you feel insignificant and important all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/her-chest-full-of-crisp-air-and-inspiration-her-feet-atop-a/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“William Wordsworth was said to have walked 180,000 miles in his lifetime. Charles Dickens captured the ecstasy of near-madness and insomnia in the essay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/william-wordsworth-was-said-to-have-walked-180-000-miles-in-his/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“She stood, finally, her canvas Keds tied tight, on May 3, 1955, atop the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, the longest continuous footpath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/she-stood-finally-her-canvas-keds-tied-tight-on-may-3-1955-atop-the/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“The Reward of Nature” If you’ll go with me to the mountains And sleep on the leaf carpeted floors And enjoy the bigness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/the-reward-of-nature-if-you-ll-go-with-me-to-the-mountains-and-sleep/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“That evening around dusk, she hiked up to Maryland Heights and sat on a cliff looking down upon the picturesque little town of Harpers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/that-evening-around-dusk-she-hiked-up-to-maryland-heights-and-sat-on/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“If I'd been afraid," she said, "I never would have started out in the first place."--Grandma Emma Gatewood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/if-i-d-been-afraid-she-said-i-never-would-have-started-out-in-the/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“That evening around dusk, she hiked up to Maryland Heights and sat on a cliff looking down upon the picturesque little town of Harpers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/that-evening-around-dusk-she-hiked-up-to-maryland-heights-and-sat-on-2/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“I would never have started this trip if I had known how tough it was, but I couldn't and wouldn't quit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/i-would-never-have-started-this-trip-if-i-had-known-how-tough-it-was/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“Well,” she said, reappearing, “you got grandma across.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/well-she-said-reappearing-you-got-grandma-across/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) > [“Hippocrates, the Greek physician, called walking “man’s best medicine” and prescribed walks to treat emotional problems, hallucinations, and digestive disorders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-montgomery/hippocrates-the-greek-physician-called-walking-man-s-best-medicine/) [Ben Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) [Explore all 11 Ben Montgomery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-montgomery/) ## More Child quotes > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. 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Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. 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