There are a lot of things you know about having kids before you actually have them. Things like “they’ll change your life forever,” “look out for the terrible twos,” and “sleep now because you’ll never sleep again.” But no one warns you about how expensive kids are. From diapers to clothes, childcare to extracurricular activities, medical expenses to education expenses. And the food. So.Much.Food.

And then there are all of the other things. Those endless requests that come out of the mouths of our dear, precious babes. Can I get a cell phone? Can I get an iPad? Can I get a guinea pig, a new bike, LEGOs, a new video game…the list goes on and on.

But there’s no such thing as a free ride, kiddos. And one mom is making this perfectly clear to her kids in the most brilliant way. Ever.

Shaketha Marion McGregor was tired of her three kids, ages 6, 10, and 13, constantly asking for stuff: a new cell phone, an allowance, special outings; so she decided some teaching from the school of hard knocks was in order. In a Facebook post that has gone viral with over 103,000 likes and 69,000 shares to date, Shaketha outlines her strategy.

She starts the post by saying:

So, my children continue to ask for a new cell phone, an allowance, and to go places. Yesterday I told them that I’ve heard their requests and that I’ll have a surprise for them today when they get home from school.

And you can bet those kids couldn’t wait to get home to rip open their new cell phones and roll in their new-found wealth. Except they didn’t quite get what they bargained for. Welcome to the real world, younglings.

SURPRISE!!! It’s a whole hiring event! 😂 If you want it, work for it, earn it! And yes, I also have an in home credit union lol

I really hope she got a picture of her kids’ faces at this point. For posterity’s sake. Or better yet, video footage. I can just imagine the looks of horror, followed quickly by the wails of “WHAT?!! WHHHYYYYY!”

Shaketha offered three management level positions (because let’s face it, no one wants to have to start at the bottom).

Kitchen Manager: Will make sure the kitchen stays clean at all times during business hours. Also responsible for making sure everyone washes their own dishes!

Lead House Keeper: Responsible for the upkeep of the living room, hallway and bathroom. Also is responsible for making sure everyone clean up behind themselves.

To make the process as fair as possible, she had each of her children fill out an “Application For Employment,” answering questions related to previous work experience, availability, and desired pay, and later conducted interviews.

I just want to say, her 6-year-old is a steal of a deal at $10/week for a housekeeper.

In a follow-up Facebook post, Shaketha shares how the interviews went down:

Well you guys, the interviews are done and I’m still laughing!!!
I’m going to make my son reapply and interview again because he laughed 90% of the time.
My 10yr old would sometimes start speaking in an English accent like that would help her. And my 6yr old surprised me the most. She was super professional.
Just look at the pay they’re asking….
Oh and they want their phone bills to be in addition to the pay. 🤦🏾‍♀️ I told them I’ll let them know Thursday who got what job but I see nobody wanted to do the kitchen. I hate dishes too, that’s why it’s on the job board! 😂😂😂

Personally? I’d take dishes over laundry any day. And if you’re concerned about child labor? Don’t be. Shaketha assures her readers that she is “a very fair and equal opportunity employer 😇”

Shaketha’s post has become so popular that she has started her own blog entitled, “This Mom Means Business Inc.” and you can find it here.

Her message is one that can’t be repeated often enough. Because let’s face it, nothing in life is free. There are bills to pay, groceries to buy, and retirement to save for. The sooner we teach the next generation the value of working for what they want, the better it is for ALL of us.

Kudos to you, mama, for raising kids who won’t be living in your basement, scarfing down all of your ice cream when they are 30.