So get this...... One of the neighborhood kids here asked me to help him get some old lawn equipment running. Ok no problem. He asked me what the bill was gonna be, and so long as he had learned something that day I said no charge. I thought about this some more while I was staring at the rather large pile of rounds in my driveway, the three lawn tractors that I need to move this spring, and a solution started to take shape. I offered him a free lawn tractor to have and make some $$ with this summer if he would help me split the pile. He's no stranger to wood as his dad cuts/sells firewood on the side. He shows up today with his Fiskars X25 (he's 14) and asks if he can swing at the pile. He's out there now making a dent in the pile as I post this. I better get my azz in gear and go help him.....
Now a days I'm amazed when I see a kid outdoors......he could learn a lot from you! And when he's older
I did finally wrap up what I was doing in the house and get out there to help him. We pulled out my splitter and got busy. Put quite a dent in the pile of Locust, then later on we'll get to the Silver Maple. I'll grab some pics later on tomorrow if I remember. He was good help for sure. He already knew what to do for the most part, but I did get to introduce him to the milk crate method.
Nice!!! Love to hear the younger Gen want to help out!! Glad you got some work done and also he got some good fortune out of it as well. Good on both of you!!
I had the privilege of working with my dad at the feedmill for 2 summers during high school. It's a good thing to give a young man the opportunity to work hard. Good thought you had there, MM!
It's hard now a days to get them off the tv or video games. Good for you to help instill in him a work ethic and teaching him mechanical things. Something's that he'll carry into his adult life.
Also good on you for helping him with a way to make some money for himself with that mower. The satisfaction of earning his money is a gift he can take with him forever. Now someone needs to get him to start putting away 10% for his retirement. Can you imagine how young you could retire if you'd started saving at 14?
Glad to hear what you're doing for him. Valuable lesson for sure. I've got the same thing here but my 14 year old isn't interested. Got an extra lawn tractor I offered him if he would help with the wood and a few other jobs around here and there are plenty of people on our road that would like him to do yard work for them. I told him he could easily save enough for his first car but he's not into it. X box and Play Station are all he's interested in unfortunately.
Agreed. Issue is he's my step son and his father who doesn't get to see him much buys him whatever he wants trying to make up for lost time. I suppose Mom and I could just set a time limit on his wifi access and he just might get bored enough to get interested.
I got an idea what you're up against with that situation. I'm sure there's a solution. Time machine back to the good old days?
How many more kids could use a neighbor like you, MM. Great that you take an interest in the young man to keep him on a good path.
My son thanks me 1-2 times a year for making him do hard work when he was younger. He admits, he didn't like it much back then, but says work now (he's 33) is something he appreciates. Says it feels great when he's put in a good hard day. And, I can tell ya, it wasn't all fa la la la either… he and I bucked heads a lot in his teens. Time well spent….
I'll bet most Dads here would agree… it's a lot easier for sons to become interested in working for anyone other than Dad. MM's work with his new buddy, may make impressions he'd never imagine on that young attitude, though it sounds like he's already well on his way.
