I put it out to tender a few weeks ago, “need yard work help, I pay cash day-of.” My yard was filled with kids, then the reliable ones weeded themselves out in the following weeks.
Kind’ve surprised they keep showing up, I’m not easy. While we work they get lectured, grilled about school and good manners, yes you can work and tell me stories simultaneously, and before you get paid you must correctly do the math, including showing your work.
They’re teaching me stuff too.
I open my shed, “write this on our list: clean out shed.” They peer inside, then both heads snap over to me simultaneously all wide eyed, “Keri!” A little hand reaches out, grabs the lighter fluid and hands it to me, “you can’t keep a flammable liquid in a metal shed.” Holy crap I had no idea guys.
Then they’re walking around the fire pit, “we need to build something around your pit, because an ember could fly out and light your lawn on fire, and what are you going to do then, Keri?!”
So I keep reminding them: I come from the city and am very ignorant, keep telling me.
I came home to find the below a few weeks ago; he’d come over after school, all on his own, and finished raking the yard.
Most adults I know aren’t this dependable. Lucky me eh.
I’ve had a job since I was 12.
Parents: if you think you’re protecting your kid by allowing him not to work, nope.
Because by the time they’re 21 and it’s real-job time, they’ve had 0 bosses to my 9, no sense of responsibility or how to work, and are probably bad at managing a paycheque. On your shift you could always spot these kids too, they were annoying because you’d have to cover for them.
