The Future

George Grand

Two young boys, maybe 10 years old, just knocked on the door and told my charming wife, the former Theresa Talamonti, that they would pull all the weeds out of her garden if she gave each one a dollar. Those boys are out there in the hottest part of the yard right now. No way they're walking out of here with less than a five spot each.

Pycroft

Send them over here next George

I remember when I used to do that for my grandparents! Good for those kids - earning what they get!

ESavinon

Are you sure it's not $1.00 for each weed pulled?

jimmydep

Some kids don't know what it feels like to really "earn" a buck.......sounds like these two have potential...I hope they do a good job.

bobman1235

You should find their parents and shake their hands.

AudioGenics

that is so cool....

hard work and then get a reward + bonus

kudos George & the boys !

steveinaz

Hiring kids is great, they've got strong backs, and no money! I hired a couple teens to re-rock my yard a few years ago, after the pool was finished. I gave them double what they asked for.

snow

Lasareath wrote: »

I have four over here right now cleaning my basement, washing dishes, doing laundry, taking in my clothes, Child labor rocks!

Your a trip Sal Good on you George for showing the boys that hard work and taking the initative pays off.

REGARDS SNOW

BlueMDPicker

bobman1235 wrote: »

You should find their parents and shake their hands.

I'll second that!

Thanks for the smile of the day, George. A future filled with young people like that sounds wonderful.

I-SIG

ESavinon wrote: »

Are you sure it's not $1.00 for each weed pulled?

HA!

Wes

Jetmaker737

They're probably casing your place for a future break in.

j/k!

madmax

Its a scam, all the 10 yr olds are doing it.
madmax

Hillbilly61

Shiiiiit we do not know what the future may hold.

Many years ago, I watched an interview of Arnold before he became governor of California. He was a contractor in California and described how they fouled up a wall installation.

As put by Arnold, B.S. was put to the homeowner that the "wavy looking wall" was a euro design concept. This was when he was a movie star alone. Now he is a politician.

No one knows what the future holds, provided that some ambition, however modest, is shown from one's self.

Hillbilly

hearingimpared

Great stuff George. My 13 year old has been doing odd jobs around the neighborhood to save up for an Xbox. I'm really proud of him.

Heck just the other day, he took it upon himself to get the lawnmower out and cut the front and back yards. My old joints were thanking him out loud!

It really is great to see kids taking the initiative instead of drooling in front of video games.

Tony M

When stuff isn't given to people, they HAVE to find a way to get it themselves.

I loved reading your post and that you actually said yes to help them out.:cool:

When we were young, we found all kinds of ways to make a buck. Of coarse, rich kids were never a part of those ventures. Pop bottles were GOLD back then. LOL

shack

Well....did they do a good job?

Sherardp

Lasareath wrote: »

I have four over here right now cleaning my basement, washing dishes, doing laundry, taking in my clothes, Child labor rocks!

AHAHAHA, Had to laugh at this one Sal. Good on those kids working for you George, not all of them are lazy thank God.

cnh

Sounds great, the only thing that's surprising is that this is happening in Jersey! But I guess if it can happen there it can occur 'anywhere'--kinda like the song about making it in NYC.

The only thing I can't figure out is where Sal found four of them!

cnh

george daniel

,,I'm waiting for the "rest" of the story form Double G,, you think they bought vinyl with their wages.;)

wingnut4772

I remember doing that as a kid. There were some cheap neighbors but I learned a lot about responsibility and self reliance.

fatchowmein

He probably has them scrubbing vinyl and quizzing them on the different artists.

George Grand

One of the boys older brother came by about 2PM yesterday and asked if I wanted the lawn mowed for $25. I had just put my mower away.

Serendipity

George Grand wrote: »

Two young boys, maybe 10 years old, just knocked on the door and told my charming wife, the former Theresa Talamonti, that they would pull all the weeds out of her garden if she gave each one a dollar. Those boys are out there in the hottest part of the yard right now. No way they're walking out of here with less than a five spot each.

Great!

One thing I never understood is why kids complain about doing things like vacuuming, mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, etc. Gives you a sense of accomplishment and discipline (although my neighbors used to give me $20 to do their lawn). I never like looking at an overgrown garden and enjoy mowing lawns.

TNRabbit

When I was about 12, our next door neighbor (a disabled vet) asked me to repair his yard where a septic line has been dug up. He asked me to decide if I wanted to work for an hourly wage or bid a specific amount for the complete job. It was first real exposure to free enterprise & I opted to work for the hourly wage (my mistake--he said he'd pay me a flat $250 & I got $3.50 an hour). I spent a week busting my ****$ & clay/rocks in the hot sun with rake, shovel, and my dad's tiller to initially bust it all up. I learned a lot that week.

steveinaz

I never paid my own kids an allowance, it's my belief that chores are part of a family coming together as a whole, to get things done. I would reward them with some cash when they took on a project by their own initiative, of if I had a special project that I needed them for, that was especially difficult. I would never tell them ahead of time that I had planned on paying them, I wanted them helping me for the right reasons. They took a lot of pride in being able to do something to contribute.

My father required all of us to pay "room & board" (20% of our take home pay) from the time we started working. What he didn't tell us, was that he was secretly banking the money for us, to be presented when we flew the nest. He wanted us to think it was gone. His belief was that a kid living at home doesn't understand yet that you don't get to keep your entire paycheck, basically preparing us for "real life" when you have other financial responsibilities. I consider myself extremely lucky for having parents with a vision, and not bothered with winning a popularity contest with their kids. Pretty smart guy for quitting school in the 6th grade. He later got his GED while serving in the Marine Corps, and later became a sheet metal worker (part-timed as a Real Estate agent).

Zitro

[QUOTE=steveinaz;1318532]I never paid my own kids an allowance, it's my belief that chores are part of a family coming together as a whole, to get things done. I would reward them with some cash when they took on a project by their own initiative, of if I had a special project that I needed them for, that was especially difficult. I would never tell them ahead of time that I had planned on paying them, I wanted them helping me for the right reasons. They took a lot of pride in being able to do something to contribute.[/QUOTE]

Same thing my parents did, I'm glad they did so. I bought my own first car when I was 16. My dad told me if I wanted a car, I had to work for it. So I found a job close to home (Burger King, ugh) and rode my bicycle there every work day. Saved up some money, and bought a 1995 Ford Taurus for $500. Ugly car in that old champagne color, and it needed some fixing up, but I did that, also. Made me very proud driving it, because even though it wasn't the nicest car it was a car that I worked for 100%, and it taught me a lot too, not only about personal responsibility but about cars too. I felt like I spent every other weekend fixing something on that stupid car lol.

steveinaz

That's a funny parallel, my first car was a 1971 $500 Ford LTD, very close to champagne color. Of course I paid for it myself, though Dad did find it for me.

You ask me, kids today are CHEATED, due to the self-centered motives of their parents. What I mean to say is, doing things that make them feel better, rather than being the bad-guy once in awhile so their kids can take a lesson they'll keep their whole life.

bobman1235

steveinaz wrote: »

My father required all of us to pay "room & board" (20% of our take home pay) from the time we started working. What he didn't tell us, was that he was secretly banking the money for us, to be presented when we flew the nest. He wanted us to think it was gone.

I LOVE this. Noted for if/when I have kids (God help us all if that happens).

shack

I GAVE my kids an allowance...no strings attached. No specific chores or jobs required. I wanted them to have a certain amount of money and learn to manage it for the items they needed. I expected a certain level of behavior and commitment in their school and social life. Both were very involved in school and extra curricular activities such as sports, band and various service organization through school and church. Both worked jobs in college and both have done very well in school and life in general.

They have both turned out just fine. Not spoiled brats by any stretch of the imagination. They know how to save and they know how to stretch a dollar.

My oldest has already spent her own money to backpack through Europe and Africa between jobs. Even now in the worst economy in years and NO JOBS in her field, she has saved nearly $10,000 working in a low paying service industry job and will be taking off for SE Asia for a few months. We let her live with us since she she is earning several thousand below the poverty level, but she pays for her insurance, gas and other day to day expenses. She qualifies for food stamps based on her income, but we have decided not to let her accept those. I can help her and the government doesn't need to. This past Christmas, she gave 3 families $400 each to help with presents for thier children because she knew they had very little extra money due to the economy (she did this anonymuosly...not for the recognition).

The youngest has another year in college and is a kind and generous person. She works full time in the summers and part time during school. She is responsible with her money and a good saver as well. She spends time helping others and doing volunteer work.

There is no ONE RIGHT WAY to raise your children.

I made a conscious decision a long time ago that I would offer my kids financial support and provide them with a college education...on me. All they had to do was to accept it and make the best of the opportunity I made available to them. They will both have a college education with no student loans to repay. They are well rounded, grounded and good kids, who have worked hard to get an education and stay out of trouble. They are fine young women who are a credit to society and who have made their parents proud...even if they did get an allowance.

shawn474

shack wrote: »

I GAVE my kids an allowance...no strings attached. No specific chores or jobs required. I wanted them to have a certain amount of money and learn to manage it for the items they needed. I expected a certain level of behavior and commitment in their school and social life. Both were very involved in school and extra curricular activities such as sports, band and various service organization through school and church. Both worked jobs in college and both have done very well in school and life in general.

They have both turned out just fine. Not spoiled brats by any stretch of the imagination. They know how to save and they know how to stretch a dollar.

My oldest has already spent her own money to backpack through Europe and Africa between jobs. Even now in the worst economy in years and NO JOBS in her field, she has saved nearly $10,000 working in a low paying service industry job and will be taking off for SE Asia for a few months. We let her live with us since she she is earning several thousand below the poverty level, but she pays for her insurance, gas and other day to day expenses. She qualifies for food stamps based on her income, but we have decided not to let her accept those. I can help her and the government doesn't need to. This past Christmas, she gave 3 families $400 each to help with presents for thier children because she knew they had very little extra money due to the economy (she did this anonymuosly...not for the recognition).

The youngest has another year in college and is a kind and generous person. She works full time in the summers and part time during school. She is responsible with her money and a good saver as well. She spends time helping others and doing volunteer work.

There is no ONE RIGHT WAY to raise your children.

I made a conscious decision a long time ago that I would offer my kids financial support and provide them with a college education...on me. All they had to do was to accept it and make the best of the opportunity I made available to them. They will both have a college education with no student loans to repay. They are well rounded, grounded and good kids, who have worked hard to get an education and stay out of trouble. They are fine young women who are a credit to society and who have made their parents proud...even if they did get an allowance.

Kudois shack. I agree with you 100% that there is no ONE right way. It's all about raising your kids to be respectful and hard working, which you obviously have.

Toxis

No update on how well they did from Mr. Grand yet... did they rob them or take them hostage? lol j/k. I hope...