I have run in to a situation twice recently that has me wondering what is going on.
My son is 16 but has not finished all his stuff to get a DL yet. He and several of his buddies were in summer school this summer. They had to get there about 8 and would get out around 11:30. One buddy had a job past us so I asked him if he minded dropping him off on his was. It iss 2 miles off his route, one way, 4 total. Those boys loved grabbing Whataburger for lunch when they get out so I told my son to buy his lunch for dropping him off. Teenagers get double meats, cokes, mega-sized, etc... as they should. That runs about $10-12. It seemed like a fair deal to me. His parents cut it off and said he couldn't.
Yesterday my son and another friend wanted to go to the near by larger town to eat and go to movies and what ever else. That friend has actually been working with my son painting a fence on a job we lined up for them. $12/ hr to scrape and paint. I asked my son if they wanted to pick some parts up for me in town since they were there. I told that kid I would pay him for his time and mileage. I thought it was good experience for them plus saved me a trip. They picked up on item then his parents said no more and they came back.
What am I missing here? I am not questioning another parents choices here at all. Their kids, there cars, their rules... no questions asked.
When I grew up we got to drive if we did things for people. Meaning my parents or my friends parents would send us on errands. You can take the truck if you go feed cows for me. If yall are going that way, bring me x, y ,z. We were constantly helping out. Yall can party this evening but need to knock out these things first. I remember going and working cattle or building fence with friends so they could get done faster and would could go out. Just 2 weeks ago some friends of mine, dad retired and they threw a big party. I was there at 8am to help cook and set up even though the party started at 3. Their dad did a ton for us with boats and toys because they lived on the lake. We always invested our sweat equity. He would have a few limbs to trim or some thing to haul off when we came to play but it was always a more than fair deal to us.
On the flip side, I know some of the dads of my friends have put in a good word for me with other people for jobs. I worked with 2 of them actually in O&G. Thats the most basic form of networking, early on, you can do, IMO.
I feel for these kids because their parents don't seem to be allowing that opportunity. Ive heard both those parents talk about they hope they kids go to college, find jobs, etc. What has changed that these parents feel this way towards working? My parents would literally hire us out with out asking us. We tried to lock the door and hide one time and my parents told the guy where the key was and to just go in and get us.
