Non driving teen and job

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for all the replies.

I totally agree with most of it. First, I'm extremely proud of his initiative. He did all the flyer creation, advertising, and has totally kept to the safety issues we discussed. (No indoor work for people that aren't at least friends of friends) This particular situation was created because he took on all the communication with prospective "clients" on his own. Which, I think, was a very good thing.

My instincts are normally much more hardline than my husbands'. So, yeah, my first reaction was that if he wants to do this, he needs to get himself there. DSS had assumed his dad would drive him, or he wouldn't have taken the job. (Which I understand, it's a pretty big commitment - basically 2 hours start to finish for 8 days in a row, for $40 total)

I really don't think DSS thought through the fact that if his dad is driving him, we are doing pretty much just as much work as he is (since taxi duties have been provided without complaint his entire life!)

Anyhow, I have agreed to stop by there on the way back from camp (DSS is also working as jr counselor), but I'm not going to do special trips. DH has agreed to either insist that DSS bikes (which is not going over well) or drive him without complaint. And DSS has agreed to run logistics of any outside walking distance jobs by us before accepting!

Seriously he is your one and only special little snowflake?

You honestly think 40 minutes of work a day is going to hurt him. Because the bulk of the work is him riding his bike. At 15 I had a real job - fast food- and worked almost 40 hours a week. As did the other 15 and 16 yr olds I worked with.

[Anonymous]

He should approach the neighbors around that house and see if they have pet walking or other jobs he can do while he's there.

Maybe there can be some times you are out and about along that route and can drive, but mostly he should arrange to get himself there.

[Anonymous]

I actually think $40 for the week is quite low, and would probably encourage him to reject/renegotiate based on that. If it's an 8 day job, with it being one hour for each of those days, that's only $5/hr! I would encourage him to negotiate for at least minimum wage.

Yes it is a simple job, but with jobs like these you are also paying for the inconvenience of the worker. This is why a lot of babysitters have a minimum number of hours they require, and why tutors can charge such a high hourly rate. You have to make sure the job is worth while, which in this case, given all your logistical difficulties, I don't think it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think $40 for the week is quite low, and would probably encourage him to reject/renegotiate based on that. If it's an 8 day job, with it being one hour for each of those days, that's only $5/hr! I would encourage him to negotiate for at least minimum wage.

Yes it is a simple job, but with jobs like these you are also paying for the inconvenience of the worker. This is why a lot of babysitters have a minimum number of hours they require, and why tutors can charge such a high hourly rate. You have to make sure the job is worth while, which in this case, given all your logistical difficulties, I don't think it is.

OP again. DSS did the negiotiating. It would be generous pay if it was really a neighbor, just for running over twice during the evening to flip a sprinkler switch!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it really even his job and his responsibility if the parent is doing all that back and forth driving?

Maybe you should charge him mileage .

In high school, I taught flute lessons at a kid's home. My mom had to drive me. I charged $7 per lesson. She charged me $1 to drive me and during the lesson she went grocery shopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd tell him to ride his bike. I'd take or go get him though, if there were lightning.

If it were lightning, I don't think he'd need to turn on the sprinkler.

He should ride his bike and hang out for the hour. And really, 20 min to ride 2 miles? I run 2 miles faster than that. Surely he can at least hit 10mph hour on his bike, making it 12 minutes each way. He will survive.

[Anonymous]

If I could, I would drive. Otherwise he should bike. At this point, it is more about the kid having pride in earning his own money. (Even if it is work for you)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd tell him to ride his bike. I'd take or go get him though, if there were lightning.

If it were lightning, I don't think he'd need to turn on the sprinkler.

He should ride his bike and hang out for the hour. And really, 20 min to ride 2 miles? I run 2 miles faster than that. Surely he can at least hit 10mph hour on his bike, making it 12 minutes each way. He will survive.

It's slow riding. 20 minutes is pretty optimistic. Several busy streets to walk accross, a few hills, two traffic lights...

I'm not trying to make this sound like he's going uphill in the snow both directions, but I see his point that it's a pain for $5/ day. Im just more of the mindset that he got himself into it.... My husband is more sympathetic, so I was curious what other opinions are.

DSS is also a jr camp counselor all day, we pick him up at 5pm and have dinner. So, this task really does kill all his free time in the evening. (Again, worlds tiniest violins, I know, I'm just trying to show his point of view)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not trying to make this sound like he's going uphill in the snow both directions, but I see his point that it's a pain for $5/ day. Im just more of the mindset that he got himself into it.... My husband is more sympathetic, so I was curious what other opinions are.

It is a pain for $5/day. So next time he will have learned to think about his travel time when he's deciding whether or not to accept a job!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd tell him to ride his bike. I'd take or go get him though, if there were lightning.

If it were lightning, I don't think he'd need to turn on the sprinkler.

He should ride his bike and hang out for the hour. And really, 20 min to ride 2 miles? I run 2 miles faster than that. Surely he can at least hit 10mph hour on his bike, making it 12 minutes each way. He will survive.

I envisioned him getting stuck there during one of our frequent evening thunderstorms. Just the right time of day for that.

[Anonymous]

It's only for a week and he is already completed a few days. You both have learned a lesson about needing to line up work in the neighborhood. Just remind him to practice safe bicycling and he might need a ride or two from dear old dad in case of thunderstorms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's only for a week and he is already completed a few days. You both have learned a lesson about needing to line up work in the neighborhood. Just remind him to practice safe bicycling and he might need a ride or two from dear old dad in case of thunderstorms.

*has

[Anonymous]

OP - He is 15 and old enough to find a job, get himself there and get himself back. Now the one caveat you could offer is that if it was actually a super, duper Washington scorcher in the summer, you might give him a break in driving. But routinely he can get himself to and from.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm not trying to make this sound like he's going uphill in the snow both directions, but I see his point that it's a pain for $5/ day. Im just more of the mindset that he got himself into it.... My husband is more sympathetic, so I was curious what other opinions are.

It is a pain for $5/day. So next time he will have learned to think about his travel time when he's deciding whether or not to accept a job!

Yup. But he made the deal so he needs to stick with it. Do not drive him.