Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 13:05     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:The reason you can't a neighbor team for labor is that half the houses on your block are occupied by elderly Boomers who won't sell their houses to families who need houses.


I too am looking to someday --- someday with some luck -- purchase a home but I just don't understand this "logic". So, you are frustrated that a homeowner won't vacate their property? They own it! They can do whatever at any point in their lives they want. They can burn it down if they like. They owe you nothing.

The ironic part is that the younger generations screech about older generation entitlement. I don't know, but the PP seems like the entitled one to me.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 13:03     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The expectation of child labor seems like a lazy adult


+1

Lazy and cheap.


You don't realize how difficult it is until you try to break ice with a...shovel. Need something more powerful.


My kids have multiple shovel options, including a big ass metal shovel.

They have done several driveways/sidewalks/cars, including pro bono for elderly neighbors.

Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 13:02     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Yeah - digging out cars is hard work. My teen will do a sidewalk + walkway for $50. Cars, $25-$30 each.

$12 is laughable.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 13:01     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Viewing neighborhood kids as owing you cheap or free labor is pretty bizarre. I remember this when I was a teen, I didn't want to babysit for this one neighbor because the kids were absolute terrors and their dog was aggressive but they'd grumble when I declined.


Why is there this assumption people would be paying kids like they're cheap labor? No one said they were going to pay a kid $15 to shovel heavy ass ice snow for an hour. The thread is asking simply why kids aren't out there hustling for jobs Ike they used to, and that they could have probably earned a lot if they took advantage.

If someone is offering to pay low for the job, your kids could, I dunno, LEARN TO NEGOTIATE BACK FOR BETTER COMPENSATION.

No wonder kids these days are so emotionally and socially stunted. Helicopter parenting has ruined them. They can't learn basic life skills like taking advantage of golden opportunities to make money and negotiate compensation rates for themselves. Heck, I would have paid them $100 bucks for a job they could have done in about 30 minutes I bet.


They are.

Don't blame a generation of teens for your poor choice in neighborhood.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 13:01     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The expectation of child labor seems like a lazy adult


+1

Lazy and cheap.


You don't realize how difficult it is until you try to break ice with a...shovel. Need something more powerful.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:59     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:The expectation of child labor seems like a lazy adult


+1

Lazy and cheap.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:55     Subject: Re:what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My twelve year old and his best friend have made $500 over the last two days. But, they haven’t been going door to door. They have been using the neighborhood list serv. There are lots of kids posting on there. Maybe you just aren’t seeing them because they are using new technology.


Nope, our listserv is desperate for people to shovel. Literally zero kids offering to shovel in our area.


Why do you want children to work for you? Hire adult workers like a normal person. Plenty of landscape companies make their winter money in snow removal.


Because they want to pay half of what an adult would charge and then ironically complain about how lazy the kids are these days.


Yes to this! I'm the Spotsylvania VA poster who had tons of teens and parents of teens posting on the community listserve looking for shoveling work.

This one neighbor offered to pay $12 and I ironically by the end of the day she was still on the board asking for shoveling help.

Another neighbor offered $100 and his shoveling job was booked by a teen so quick...literally within seconds of posting the neighbor had a teen booked for the job.


$12?!?! WTF?


Oh my F gawd!
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:55     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
This storm cleanup will require you to pay at least $50 per hour. It is ICEY! If you can't pay up, STOP F complaining!
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:55     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:The expectation of child labor seems like a lazy adult


I know, right? These brave keyboard warriors sitting at their desks, posting from their computers while complaining how kids don't want to do manual labor for hours in the bitter cold.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:53     Subject: Re:what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Mine would rather go sledding and hang out with their friends. It's still a snow day for them and they are still kids. They want to enjoy it. 20 years from now, those are the memories they will remember, not earning $40-50 for two hours of hard manual labor.


They can do both.

Shoveling snow is also memorable, and it builds confidence and character in a young adult learning to be an independent adult..

It's OK to say your kids are spoiled rich kids.



Not the PP. Get out there and character build all you want. Go do 10 hours today for free. No one is stopping you.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:49     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
The reason you can't a neighbor team for labor is that half the houses on your block are occupied by elderly Boomers who won't sell their houses to families who need houses.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:49     Subject: Re:what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My twelve year old and his best friend have made $500 over the last two days. But, they haven’t been going door to door. They have been using the neighborhood list serv. There are lots of kids posting on there. Maybe you just aren’t seeing them because they are using new technology.


Nope, our listserv is desperate for people to shovel. Literally zero kids offering to shovel in our area.


Why do you want children to work for you? Hire adult workers like a normal person. Plenty of landscape companies make their winter money in snow removal.


Because they want to pay half of what an adult would charge and then ironically complain about how lazy the kids are these days.


Yes to this! I'm the Spotsylvania VA poster who had tons of teens and parents of teens posting on the community listserve looking for shoveling work.

This one neighbor offered to pay $12 and I ironically by the end of the day she was still on the board asking for shoveling help.

Another neighbor offered $100 and his shoveling job was booked by a teen so quick...literally within seconds of posting the neighbor had a teen booked for the job.


$12?!?! WTF?
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:49     Subject: Re:what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My twelve year old and his best friend have made $500 over the last two days. But, they haven’t been going door to door. They have been using the neighborhood list serv. There are lots of kids posting on there. Maybe you just aren’t seeing them because they are using new technology.


Nope, our listserv is desperate for people to shovel. Literally zero kids offering to shovel in our area.


Why do you want children to work for you? Hire adult workers like a normal person. Plenty of landscape companies make their winter money in snow removal.


I get hundreds of landscaping ads spring through fall, and 0 snow shoveling ads. I sure some guys are willing to do the job, but first, it's hard to travel in these conditions and that's why it's a "neighbor kid" job, and second, it's not a regular job, not even every year, so people don't have the business connections to make arrangements, and third, it's hard to make arrangements on short notice with short due date and not knowing how much work will be needed where and when.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:47     Subject: what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
The expectation of child labor seems like a lazy adult
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2026 12:44     Subject: Re:what is wrong with modern kids and no motivation to shovel?
Anonymous wrote:Mine would rather go sledding and hang out with their friends. It's still a snow day for them and they are still kids. They want to enjoy it. 20 years from now, those are the memories they will remember, not earning $40-50 for two hours of hard manual labor.


They can do both.

Shoveling snow is also memorable, and it builds confidence and character in a young adult learning to be an independent adult..

It's OK to say your kids are spoiled rich kids.