Lawn maintenance/moral dilemma

I have a friend from another forum who posted this, what do ya'll think?


"So today i planned on mowing my lawn, weed-eating, and general yard maintenance. A few minutes before I was getting ready to go out and start working, this little boy (around 12) and his mom knock on my door. The mom gives a spiel about trying to teach her son the value of a dollar and how he needs to work for his money.

So the boy asks me if he can mow/weed-eat my lawn for $20 (my lawns not small but not huge). I say yes because it both saves me the work and teaches the kid a lesson. So after hes done, i pay him and they leave. i go out and look at my lawn and he did a completely shitty job. there were a few missed spots, tons of clumps of grass, the lines were super crooked, etc...

So ST, should i do it myself from now on and have it pretty much perfectly how i like it, or should i keep paying this kid to do it, and give him some pointers along the way on how to do a better job? I cant knock a kid for earning his money in stead of being a spoiled brat, but i really dont want my lawn to look shitty either.

tl;dr (too long; didn't read) young kid mowed my lawn, did shitty job. let him do it again or do it myself?"

If he did a shitty job, lesson learned here is.. He won't continue doing work for you.

What is the moral dilemma?

I see two reasonable options:

1. Tell him that his job was substandard and that you will not hire him again. (Hopefully, he offers to do it again for free to establish his value to you.)

2. Tell him that his job was substandard, but that you will allow him to cut your grass next week and that you will pay him once the job is done to your satisfaction.

In either case, be as clear and objective as to what standards he needs to (or failed to) meet. He probably has not a lot of experience and has no idea what would constitute a "good job." If he has any sense of responsibility to others, he will still be somewhat incompetent, but, at least, will continually improve.

I would see this as an opportunity to help build a man--and jump all over that chance. Someday, I will have to depend on that man--or on another one similarly built by another patient adult. I hope he is there and has been built.

Be prepared. Despite your best efforts, this kid may remain one who can only see self. You may have to turn your efforts to another project (and cut your own grass).

I think it should be pointed out what your expectations are. YOu don't expect him to read your mind do you?

Also, he's 12.

I would bring up that the last time you thought his job could have been better. Then tell him you would like to give him another chance but you hope that he will take your pointers and you will pay him when you're satisfied.

Don't beat him up or dishearten him.. he probably doesn't know any better... just tell him there's certain ways of doing things, and there's a right way and a wrong way.... etc..

eye95 said:

2. Tell him that his job was substandard, but that you will allow him to cut your grass next week and that you will pay him once the job is done to your satisfaction.
In either case, be as clear and objective as to what standards he needs to (or failed to) meet. He probably has not a lot of experience and has no idea what would constitute a "good job."

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HKcarrier said:

I think it should be pointed out what your expectations are. YOu don't expect him to read your mind do you?
I would bring up that the last time you thought his job could have been better. Then tell him you would like to give him another chance but you hope that he will take your pointers and you will pay him when you're satisfied.

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What they said. Give him another chance, and be very clear about expectations.
If he comes reasonably close, give him another chance.
If he keeps coming closer to your ideal, keep giving him chances.

MKEgal said:

What they said. Give him another chance, and be very clear about expectations.
If he comes reasonably close, give him another chance.
If he keeps coming closer to your ideal, keep giving him chances.

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Yep. That's how you turn a child into a man.

I was mowing lawns at that age. And I can tell you people would tell me if there was something not to their liking or if they wanted something done differently. This is a good time to help teach him.

Now if I can find some 12 year old sucker to mow my yard and get rid of this poison ivy I got. Bloody vines on the trees out back are the size of quarters and growing up the trees like trees themselves. And brush killer just makes them angry.

If mom wants to teach him, then ethic is part iof that. Get together with mom, discuss it with her, and the two of you can teach the kid. If she doesnt go for it, dont have him back.

It's good to hear that there are parents who still give a crap what there kids do. I agree with the others. Give him another shot, and make your expectations clear. Then it's up to the kid.

stainless1911 said:

If mom wants to teach him, then ethic is part iof that. Get together with mom, discuss it with her, and the two of you can teach the kid. If she doesnt go for it, dont have him back.

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Ethics. And, quality control. Customer expectation, etc. And, their effect on being hired the next time.

I'd give him another shot. I learned to mow grass when I was 7 and was weedeating by age 10. A 12-year-old is more than capable of doing an acceptable lawn mowing job. Age is certainly not a limitation, but it's great that he's able to have the opportunity to learn the value of a dollar.

eye95 said:

Yep. That's how you turn a child into a man.

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inch by inch

Patriot2A said:

I have a friend from another forum who posted this, what do ya'll think?


"So today i planned on mowing my lawn, weed-eating, and general yard maintenance. A few minutes before I was getting ready to go out and start working, this little boy (around 12) and his mom knock on my door. The mom gives a spiel about trying to teach her son the value of a dollar and how he needs to work for his money.

So the boy asks me if he can mow/weed-eat my lawn for $20 (my lawns not small but not huge). I say yes because it both saves me the work and teaches the kid a lesson. So after hes done, i pay him and they leave. i go out and look at my lawn and he did a completely ****** job. there were a few missed spots, tons of clumps of grass, the lines were super crooked, etc...

So ST, should i do it myself from now on and have it pretty much perfectly how i like it, or should i keep paying this kid to do it, and give him some pointers along the way on how to do a better job? I cant knock a kid for earning his money in stead of being a spoiled brat, but i really dont want my lawn to look ****** either.

tl;dr (too long; didn't read) young kid mowed my lawn, did ****** job. let him do it again or do it myself?"

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I would have checked the results before paying him. Then, have him correct the parts that weren't done satisfactorily, keeping in mind he's only 12, not some lawn care service. If he does a reasonable job, now he knows what you expect, I'd hire him again.

KYKevin said:

Now if I can find some 12 year old sucker to mow my yard and get rid of this poison ivy I got. Bloody vines on the trees out back are the size of quarters and growing up the trees like trees themselves. And brush killer just makes them angry.

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Get a goat; they'll clear out poison ivy lickety-split! We had a pygmy goat in Oklahoma that cleared all the poison ivy off about 10 acres. I don't know why they like it so much, but it was her favorite snack.

$20

Send him to me! I have a similar yard and I've been quoted by adults for over $300! Even a lousy job at $20 I could deal with. Maybe in the future supervise him and give some pointers.

Cavalryman said:

Get a goat; they'll clear out poison ivy lickety-split! We had a pygmy goat in Oklahoma that cleared all the poison ivy off about 10 acres. I don't know why they like it so much, but it was her favorite snack.

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lol I would love that but here in the city I think they might frown on me having a goat. I am sure someone would complain. I have also heard they love the stuff.

VW_Factor said:

...What is the moral dilemma?

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Maybe it was do play father figure and use the kid to get mom in the sack?

When I was a teenager, I mowed a LOT of yards. I bought my first computer (and Apple II+) in 1986 with money saved up from mowing yards for two summers...

And even though I was fastidious with my work, bordering on OCD, and always got lots of compliments, tips, and recommendations, and had a steady stable of repeat customers for 4 years, I never had a single customer pay me in advance. Even the old family friends who knew and trusted me implicitly with their yardwork would pay me AFTER the work was done and they looked over the yard and edging.

And I never once felt insulted or untrusted. In fact, knowing that the money was contingent on my performance drove me to be such a perfectionist. I always got paid the quoted amount--and OFTEN got tips, and in most cases of long-term customers, I got a "bonus" at the end of the summer too.

My dad taught me how to mow and preen a yard. And he was a BIG proponent of the "do it again until it looks right" school....

Give the kid another shot--but give him some pointers, and discuss it with his mom first. Let her know you really admire what she's doing--teaching him the value of good work--but also let her know that the first job was not up to spec. Offer to give him some pointers and guidance. You will be passing on valuable knowledge, the kid will learn some VERY valuable skills (basic geometry and mathematics, and attention to detail) and the mother will hopefully appreciate your positive feedback on her involvement in her son's life.

More parents need to do this sort of thing. Kids who work all summer mowing yards, painting houses, and other physical things like that don't have the time or the energy to get into trouble, and THAT is perhaps the most valuable lesson this kid will learn--that being productive with your time pays TWICE--once with a paycheck, and second by keeping you out of trouble...

jbone said:

Maybe it was do play father figure and use the kid to get mom in the sack?

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You, sir, are a dog...

But ya know, we were ALL thinking that...:banana:

KYKevin said:

Now if I can find some 12 year old sucker to mow my yard and get rid of this poison ivy I got. Bloody vines on the trees out back are the size of quarters and growing up the trees like trees themselves. And brush killer just makes them angry.

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I'm immune to poison ivy/oak. I'll get rid of it for you, will cost. I'll take payment in either USD or 9mm.