Grass Cutting and Teen Chores

[WHwest8597 85]

Can everyone remember when they first started cutting grass? I was first allowed when my dad bought a WH 312 in 1986. I was 9, had to cut in 1st gear and he walked right beside me. I would make a few passes and then my dad would finish cutting the rest of the yard.

I would say I was proabaly 11 when I was allowed to cut grass on my own.

How let's look at things today, how many here let their children cut the grass? Anyone responsible for cutting their grandparents yards?

I know someone who can't cut their grass anymore and their grandson doesn't want to cut their yard, mostly because the son didn't like cutting his grandparents yard and doesn't want to make his son cut his grandparents yard.

The person I know has a flat 3/4 acre lot and would have paid his grandson $45 doallars a week to cut the grass. What is wrong with kids today. The kid is 14 heading into 9th grade in the fall. $45 a week cash would be about $1200 from April to Oct. and nice money for a kid that age.

I'm half temped to offer to cut the grass.

[combatmp29r 27]

I was around the same age as you when I started cutting grass. Its when I could reach the pedals on the farm tractors too so there is a whole new world of chores for another thread. My kids are all still too young to cut Gpas grass, but my wife and I cut her parent's 3 1/2 acres every Sunday weather permitting.

Alot of kids today just seem to want to sit and play video games, or chat on the computer. I'm not saying all, because there are still some hard working teens out there. I think it all stems back to the values we as parents instill in them and what they see us doing as they grow up. Just my $.02

[CasualObserver 3,406]

I don't remember exactly when I started mowing... my parents' place is an acre in the country, right next door to my grandparents who have 3 acres. subtract the buildings, garden and other obstructions, probably 2 1/2 mowing acres I'd guess. I'd also guess I was about 12. I never got paid, but didn't mind doing it. There was a kid in my class who lived down the road from me who's aunt ran a business in town. He was "the" kid mowing lawns in our town. His parent's would drop him off at his aunt's and he'd ride his mower with a push mower and trimmer in a trailer all over town, working all day. If It's been a few years since I've talked with him though my parents still relay messages between us occasionally. If I remember right, he told me he made about 8K per season... regardless... he was the only kid driving a Porsche when he turned sixteen! (and it was the only Porsche in our little 2,000 person farming town!) I can't tell you what's wrong with kids these days turning down the small odd jobs for money, but I can tell you that kid jobs like mowing and de-tasselling are being taken over by older folks and migrant worker groups where I'm from. And chemical advances made walking beans a job of the past! Most kids would rather play video games or go pierce something stupid anyway.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,345]

I first used the reel type, non-engine push mowers when I was kid. Kinda of ironic as those disappeared for a while and now are popular in sun-soaked California with the "green" type. Then I used a gas powered push mower, non-self propelled. I though I was in heaven with just an elegant machine, it was almost like being lazy.

As for now, I only have daughters and grand daughters, and besides, I love to mow my own lawn - more seat time. I also cut my mom's yard, the church lot and I used to cut my bil's yard until he moved into an apartment. I saw an old man yesterday mowing his yard with a push mower. I've seen this gentleman out there before using that push mower - he doesn't mow it a lot. I thought of stopping and asking if I could do it for him (with my riding mowers, of course), but was afraid he might get offended. I just felt sorry for him as he appeared to be in his '70's and he has enough grass that he needs at least a riding mower.

[kpinnc 10,731]

Yeah, I remember!

I was 12. My dad woke me up one Saturday morning and told me he was gonna take me to buy me a present....

An hour later, at the Western Auto Hardware store, I became the not-so-pround owner of a 22 inch push mower. My dad told me I was old enough to earn my own money instead of hitting him and mom up for it. He told me to walk around the nieghborhood, and find some yards to mow. Of course, he went along for the first few to make sure that both I and the "customers" got a fair deal, but then after, I was on my own...

I charged on average $10 per yard. Within two weeks I had about a dozen yards to mow, most of them once a week. To a 12 year old, I was rich!

My dad warned me that I could "use the mower all I wanted with no gas, but if I used it with no oil, he'd kick my butt". I still use that expression today with my 11 year old and her Go-kart.

Dad always took care of the maintanence on the mower (blade sharpening, oil changes, etc...), but he also made sure I was with him when he did those things. Truth be told, he may be responsible for my current "bad habit" of tinkering on these old tractors... It's strange to most folks my age that I was 29 years old when I got my first riding mower. Don't know why...

Funny, my ex wife pays my daughter $15 a week allowance, and she gets extra for chores! Chores were parental freebies when I grew up, that carried a penalty when they weren't done, not a source of income. Now my daughter thinks I owe her $5 every time she cleans her room...

She goes back to her mom's house dissapointed fairly often, at least as far as money is concerned...

Guess it's time to take her to the hardware store...

Kevin

[DMESS 24]

I can't remember the exact age, but I know it became one of my chores. Started ona 702 w/RM-366. No pay involved other than maybe a little allowance. I did try to hit the neighbors up and do a few other lawns here and there on occassion. Did my grandparents lawn pretty regularly after my grandfather got sick and then kept after it for my grandmother after he passed away.