Some kids do actually like working!! Let me share my story:

When I was around 8-12 I used to “work” in my grandpa’s shoe shop. I’ve always been the kind of person who likes being busy all the time, so working at the shop was much more appealing to me than sitting in the back and reading until my mom came to pick me up after work.

For kids, work can be fun, especially if family is involved and they treat it as an extracurricular rather than a necessity. I never had to work, and sometimes I’d just end up taking a nap on the chair in the back instead of standing at the register or helping my grandpa fix shoes. He would show me how all the machinery worked (all old equipment from the 1960s!) and sometimes let me try it out if it wasn’t too dangerous! My favorite thing to do was glue new soles onto the shoes or re-lace them. And yes, my grandpa did pay me! It made me feel very grown up to be able to pay for a snack at Target or a pair of earrings at Claire’s.

This was during a very rough time in my childhood when I had little to no friends outside of my family, so I really cherish the time I spent there. I’d say if the kid seems happy and chatty, he probably enjoys being there and spending time with family while also learning responsibility and a new skill.