SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Rangers' clubhouse managers have two new volunteer helpers this week in Spring Training.

Alan and Aiden Choo are there to help take out the trash, pick up the laundry or whatever else is needed. Their father is a highly-paid All-Star outfielder, but there are no free rides for the two sons.

“I am not an ATM machine,” Shin-Soo Choo said. “That’s what I’m teaching my kids. When they come here, I want them to see how much the clubhouse kids do for us ... make them work, help with the laundry or pick up, even little things.

“It’s not just come here, play outside, hit, have fun, watch TV. I don’t look at it like that. I want them to learn something every day.”

Alan turns 14 on Wednesday and Aiden is 9. Choo's daughter, Abigail, is 7 and with her mother, Won Mi Ha, visiting South Korea. The boys-only birthday celebration will include a nice dinner somewhere and possibly a night of bowling at PINSTACK.

Choo will also sit down and talk with his sons, something he doesn’t do often enough during a baseball season that can stretch to 8-9 months.

“Even just driving somewhere, talk to them,” Choo said. “‘How is school, how are your teachers, who is your best friend, how are their parents?' ... A lot of conversation. We never get to talk about that, it’s always, ‘How is baseball?’ Now, they are growing up and we are spending more time together, we can talk about other things. Used to be dad is always away, now they know I care about them, we can talk more and feel more comfortable.”

This is the other side of Choo beyond the diamond. He is entering his 19th season of a distinguished career in professional baseball. He takes great pride in what he has accomplished, but his family means far more than the game.

“He seems like a tough one, but you can see he’s really a good dad,” Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said. “You can see the way his kids behave, it’s pretty cool. It’s really helped him having them here. He has been able to relax a little bit more and enjoy the game more.”

Choo also wants to make sure his sons understand there's more to this lifestyle. Yes, they get to hang out in the Major League clubhouse and have as much fun as Adrian Beltre Jr. did with his dad. But Choo wants them to understand there is another side to this business, and it can be found in the Minor League clubhouse.

It is right down the hall from the Major League side, although the distance can often seem much greater.

“One door makes it a different level,” Choo said. “You learn how hard it is to come from there to here. I just want my kids to see how hard those guys are working. We work hard, too, but how much of a challenge it is for other players to come over here. I’m still trying to get better.

“If I stop doing it, I feel like I’ll lose my job. I came through the Minor Leagues for 7 1/2 years. I know how talented the players are. So many talented players, but most guys don’t make it past Double-A or Triple-A and play in the big leagues because of the mental part.”

It is a lesson that Alan may need to learn quickly, because he is an eighth-grade football player. One look at him makes it obvious that Alan has many years ahead of him on a football field. Simply put, Alan is blowing past his dad in height, weight and muscle.

“I feel sorry for the kids he plays against,” Andrus said.

Alan, a nose tackle and defensive end -- possibly at the same time -- said he loves football. Choo is not crazy about it.

“But I don’t want to make him stop,” Choo said. “Whatever he wants to do is OK with me. That’s because I grew up with a lot of pressure ... parents, manager, coaches. That’s why I don’t like putting a lot of pressure on him.”

Having your sons in the same clubhouse can be a rewarding experience. But it can also be a reminder of what Choo misses during the season while his family is at their home in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Southlake.

Choo, 36, also has a better understanding why Beltre retired, even though the veteran third baseman still had the ability to play at a high level. Michael Young did, too.

“I know Adrian retired for his family. ... I think about it, too,” Choo said. “My kids ... you never get these ages back. I want to make some really good memories for them, but I’m not home eight or nine months.

“We’re only together in the offseason. I want to play as long as possible. Baseball, you can’t play long, maybe 40 years old. Right now, baseball is getting younger and younger, so I don’t know how many more years I can play. But at the same time, I still want to spend time with my kids.”

Choo jokes that his wife is a single mom because he is never there for the kids' baseball or football games, or other summer family events. There is always another game to play and another plane to catch.

“A lot of people think that she’s a single mom because they never see her husband,” Choo said. “It’s tough. He’s 13 years old and plays a baseball game, and I can’t go. I know my life, I know my job, I love my job but ... it’s a little bit of a challenge because of my kids.”