Getting Your Kids To Work With You.

silvertree

I have a 14 year old daughter who I told has to earn some of the things she wants, like a cell phone(new one) and a pair of $160 jeans. I am happy to provide her necessity's, but I wont buy the things I mentioned. I told her I need help setting for Home Shows and help around the office and I would pay her. What have some of you done about employing your kids?

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Celtic

$160 jeans???

Are you kidding me?
Is this what I have to look forward to? (I have 2 girls...5 and 8)


Guess I'm going to need to start thinking about that stuff


Shows/expos and office work seem like a good idea.

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BuiltByMAC

My 13 yr old helps out at the jobsite, cleaning up wood pieces and helping me move materials sometimes. He also helps cleaning up the shop - I pay him $5/hr.

This upcoming summer, he'll be working more for me on the jobsites, running screws, clean up, material moving. The harder he can work, the more he'll make.

Mac

Celtic

I'd let my son(if I had a son) on a job site....but my daughter/s....I don't think so.

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silvertree

Not the jobsite, home shows for setup, file paperwork. For the jobsite I wouldn't say no, but I would have to think about it, but she would have to be older. Two girls 11 and 13 going on 14. $160 jeans I'm going to say no to, but I'll go up to $80 or 90 bucks. Shes going to a "Jonas Brothers" concert with her best friend. First concert and she's pretty excited about it. You'll see

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neolitic

My best friend's 16 year old daughter
was the best painter/helper we ever had.
After 2 weeks she could cut in like a pro,
and never had to work at keeping her focused.

My son started "working" with me
about the time he was able to say,
"Daddy work."
Went from playing in the mason's sand
to picking up scrap.....
Worked weekends and vacations through
college. Best help I had at the time.
Always thought it was a useful threat,
"If you don't get your degree, you'll wind up
doing this forever!"

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silvertree

Yeah, I think this will be good for both of us. I told both my girls "Mom and I will get you what you need and you'll have to earn some of the things you want"! My dad would pay half if I wanted something like a bike, and later on I paid all of it, but I knew if I ever needed help he would be there for me.

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excellencee

Two of my three sons have worked with me on the job, summers, evenings & weekends. They started about age 13 -14. My oldest went to vo-tech for electrical and is now in the Army (didn't like the old man telling him what to do). My youngest son, also in vo-tech, worked all last summer. I paid him $30 a week with a new shotgun waiting come fall. He ate the $30, so if I paid him more he would have ate more. My middle son and daughter only come out on fun jobs, like restaurant remodels.

silvertree

He ate the $30, so if I paid him more he would have ate more
Thats a good one.

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Jason Whipple

My two boy's are 10 & 12. I haven't even thought about bringing them out in the field yet, but we have plenty of projects around the house. They get a chance every now and then to help out here with things.

I do try to teach them the difference between doing a job and poking around. Here in Vermont, most people burn wood to heat there homes. The boy's use to help out when it came time to stacking it (we get a constant flow of wood throughout the winter). Now they do it on there own, with a little reminder every now and then.

They are both into what Dad does for a living, but I think we'll keep working on it at home before they go out there with me in the field.

My father was also a carpenter when I was a Wei lad. He taught me the value of a good days work; I hope to do the same for my boy's.

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BreyerConstruct

I was just out in the shop getting my thoughts together for the week. My almost 4 year old daughter accompanied me.

By the time we had been there for a bit, she noticed the new Bosch 10.8 Impactor... so she ended up putting in a few screws into the one workbench leg.
It was pretty cute!
She loves "helping", and I hope that keeps up.

~Matt

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davinci

i give you credit for wanting your daughter to work. its easy to say yes and give in but being a good parent is a very tough business.i would start her off very slow,a few hours a week and let her get a taste of responsibility. nothing too much,she is still very young. don't want to get her turned off to working,just a sense of some resposibility and self sufficiency.

mahlere

don't y'all love your kids? why would you let them anywhere near the trades? I say this only 1/2 jokingly...i'm second generation, my 20 month old son has more mechanical ability than half the guys we've hire over the years...i've threatened both my parents that they will never see their grandson if they get him toy tools for presents...i want that boy doing something better...

that being said, I am not against making them work for a few summers to learn what it's like to work hard for a living....

masonking02

my son been coming out since bout 7 years old started out lazy as all out doors but at 16 he is finally catching on i give him bout 10 a hour to labor and strike up work for me .

stacker

my son is 11,he comes out on the job now and then.i prefer that he learn my trade,but not try and make a living from this trade.i would say in a year or two,when he is about 13 i will start working him in the summer and paying him a wage.
i tried working my step sons a couple times,but alas,one wasnt "into" this type of work,the other wasnt into work.

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silvertree

What impresses me about all your replies, is the love I hear in your comments when you mention your kids.
I got a real scapper with my youngest, my wife says she takes after me and of course the one who listens takes after her.

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Vote for Pedro
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Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

excellencee

I don't push my kids toward electrical or any other trade. It's their life, it's up to them how they finance it. I don't discourage it either. I know guys making less than I do with a college degree and college loans, too. I thing I'd rather see them in construction than at McDonalds...

3Kings Plumbing

I have a 5 and an 7 year old boys. when I get done with a big job I have them come on the clean up day and help me pick up the unused pipe and fittings. (It's really funny watching them 2 carry an 20ft piece of 3" PVC pipe. I have a few pic to share with you. Here they are loading up my old trusty Dodge. The first time I took them to a job to help pick up ws on an charity job for church. They picked up all my fitting up off the floor in the basement 5 min. of work I gave them both $5.00 it all I had in my wallet at the time my oldest said that all I get! WOW! talk about inflation! I also have my oldest prefabing shower valves for me. I showed how to sand, clean fittings, flex and sweat the first one he did the rest. For his first time he only had 2 leaks out of 24 sweat joints. Can't wait till he gets older.

Attached Images

  

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wizendwizard

My 19 year old daughter works on painting projects with me, fine painter but can't get her to work if its over 90 degrees out.

My 18 year old daughter is basically my secretary. She won't work out doors but loves to answer phones... imagine that.

I have a 15 year old son who is basically my right hand. He has expressed interest in painting, tile, roofing. He worked with me all last summer and earned his own ps3,clothes and has a savings account with near enough to buy his first truck come June. He plans on attending vo-tech next school year for drafting and hopes to set Architecture as his second choice career. His first choice being Marine Studies. Boy loves a fish.

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BreyerConstruct

awesome pix 3kings...


~Matt

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