I think it's great that teens are out working to earn some money. Our kids help with the shoveling and have been since they were little. For us it's fun and usually ends in snowball fights or snowman building. When the kids were little we bought child size shovels so they could help us. I personally wouldn't give my kid the message "you're not big enough for your efforts to matter", but that's just me.

I would also expect my teen to help clear my house and any neighbor needing assistance.

If I didn't have someone home to shovel, or had spare cash to avoid the chore, I would happily give it to a kid looking to earn a few bucks.

Same goes for other yardwork and babysitting.

I don't understand thinking you're entitled to have kids shovel your snow for free, unless of course you are a senior citizen or disabled. If you don't fall into either of these categories, why not shovel your own snow. We do our neighbor's sidewalk gratis - but she's in a wheelchair.

Anonymous wrote:Just curious as to other's thoughts on this. The parents of teens in our neighborhood have been advertising shoveling services their kids will provide during this snowstorm.

I see the working hard and making money lesson in this, but some of it seems a bit tacky on the parent's part. One mother sent out an email instructing those interested to call for quotes! Its a teen shoveling snow! And others were saying the going rate is $20 to clear a sidewalk. What happened to doing the work and being polite enough to either just do it out of kindness or be gracious enough to take whatever might be offered?

Thoughts?

Why would anyone do this, unless the person for whom the favor was done was a friend, relative or elderly person?

At what age, in your view OP, should a person start charging for labor? Shoveling is hard work. Would you do it for free?

Anonymous wrote:Nowadays, you can't go knocking door to door. It isn't safe. I don't blame the parents for advertising on a listserv.

bullshit. that's what we tell ourselves to control our children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I paid a teenage kid in our hood $60 to do our driveway. I sat inside and cuddled with my DH and watched a movie and drank coffee. We work a TON and it was a great 2 hours of time. And the kid was psyched to get 60 bucks for 2 hours of work.

Everyone wins. everyone is happy. yay.

(and yes, his mom sent out the email to coordinate his jobs. And I dont give a damn. and in 2 years when my son would be old enough to shovel and make some extra cash, no way in hell is he going around knocking on random strangers doors. Thats just not safe today. No way in HELL.)

Why didn't you make your kid shovel the snow? You paid someone $60 and let your kid off the hook? My kids shovel the snow. Ages 4, 8, and 10. Then they built forts and caves.

Not the person you asked, but I didn't make my kids shovel the snow because they are 6 and 8. They can't do as good a job of shoveling (or finishing the job) as two boys twice their age.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I paid a teenage kid in our hood $60 to do our driveway. I sat inside and cuddled with my DH and watched a movie and drank coffee. We work a TON and it was a great 2 hours of time. And the kid was psyched to get 60 bucks for 2 hours of work.

Everyone wins. everyone is happy. yay.

(and yes, his mom sent out the email to coordinate his jobs. And I dont give a damn. and in 2 years when my son would be old enough to shovel and make some extra cash, no way in hell is he going around knocking on random strangers doors. Thats just not safe today. No way in HELL.)

Why didn't you make your kid shovel the snow? You paid someone $60 and let your kid off the hook? My kids shovel the snow. Ages 4, 8, and 10. Then they built forts and caves.

What is your damage, Heather? Why do you give one single fuck about how she does things at her house?

Anonymous wrote:I paid a teenage kid in our hood $60 to do our driveway. I sat inside and cuddled with my DH and watched a movie and drank coffee. We work a TON and it was a great 2 hours of time. And the kid was psyched to get 60 bucks for 2 hours of work.

Everyone wins. everyone is happy. yay.

(and yes, his mom sent out the email to coordinate his jobs. And I dont give a damn. and in 2 years when my son would be old enough to shovel and make some extra cash, no way in hell is he going around knocking on random strangers doors. Thats just not safe today. No way in HELL.)

Why didn't you make your kid shovel the snow? You paid someone $60 and let your kid off the hook? My kids shovel the snow. Ages 4, 8, and 10. Then they built forts and caves.

Anonymous wrote:The going rate was apparently around $60 for teens today. This seems ridiculous to me. I'm not saying do it for free. But $60?!? come on.

I was out shoveling show. It was heavy snow. I think anyone shoveling should get a minimum $30/ hour. It is hard work, this stuff. And getting heavier as the day went on.

I paid a teenage kid in our hood $60 to do our driveway. I sat inside and cuddled with my DH and watched a movie and drank coffee. We work a TON and it was a great 2 hours of time. And the kid was psyched to get 60 bucks for 2 hours of work.

Everyone wins. everyone is happy. yay.

(and yes, his mom sent out the email to coordinate his jobs. And I dont give a damn. and in 2 years when my son would be old enough to shovel and make some extra cash, no way in hell is he going around knocking on random strangers doors. Thats just not safe today. No way in HELL.)

Anonymous wrote:No problem with hiring kids, but I would not respond to a request for employment unless it was made directly by the kid.

Yup. Definitely. Although I hope they did their elderly neighbors before going off to earn $$.

Anonymous wrote:Just curious as to other's thoughts on this. The parents of teens in our neighborhood have been advertising shoveling services their kids will provide during this snowstorm.

I see the working hard and making money lesson in this, but some of it seems a bit tacky on the parent's part. One mother sent out an email instructing those interested to call for quotes! Its a teen shoveling snow! And others were saying the going rate is $20 to clear a sidewalk. What happened to doing the work and being polite enough to either just do it out of kindness or be gracious enough to take whatever might be offered?

Thoughts?

Really? My tweens shovel our walk for no pay. I pay them to shovel the walk of a senior who lives on the block. I suggest others who may be willing to pay them a modest amount. I don't hawk for them, but at the same time, I don't think my kids need to clear snow for gratis - except for the seniors whom I know are on tight budgets. And I usually pay them to do that.

In our neighborhood the list serve posts were from both teens and parents, but all posts directed interested parties to contact the teens directly, via phone call or text.

I don't see any problem about teenagers charging to do that - it is work and to me, tacky is expecting them to do it for free or for whatever the person wants to give after the service.

They don't own you anything op, unless you clothed them, babysat them for free when they were younger and anything in those lines….

About the parents offering the services - maybe the teens are shy or whatever, I don't care. It is someone offering to shovel the snow and I would have paid for it gladly if I have got such e-mail or knock on my door. And $60.00 - I would consider that a steal! Did you see the other thread where some services were charging $300.00?!

Anyway, carry on.

Anonymous wrote:Nowadays, you can't go knocking door to door. It isn't safe. I don't blame the parents for advertising on a listserv.

Not sure where you live, but the teens in our neighborhood go around knocking door to door to ask about snow shoveling. But we have a very neighborly neighborhood.