That Kid

denick

Have you ever started a job and noticed a kid ( most often a boy ) watching you from the yard next door. Later that day he's hanging on the fence. He's out front when you leave. Next day he's outside when you get there. Hanging from a tree or sitting under one. Maybe the Tonka toys come out. Depending on age he's on this side of the fence after a while. At some time you are making eye contact with him. Maybe you say something to him. Next morning there are a lot of small foot prints around the machine or there are trails on the dirt piles.

Did you ever start up a conversation? Ask him if he wanted to sit on the machine if he goes and asks his mother?

I've met a few over the years. Not as many lately. I always think "this kid will probably be a good operator"

Did you ever meet one of these kids?

They say I was that kid from the time I could walk.

Nick

jmic

Years ago I'd experience the same thing but like you not so much anymore. And I was that kid 40 something years ago. I was in and on everything.

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Joe

tgeb

I see em pretty often. We do a lot of work in established neighborhoods.

I even had a lady we did an addition for, buy me a copy of "Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel" to give to my kid, who wasn't even born yet!
Her kids were glued to the windows while I was on site. I gave the older boy a ride in my skidsteer.

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Tom

www.gebcon.com

Bill

Thats what we need, more people who will take time to notice children who take an interest in whats going on. Kids like that will learn early and fast if someone gives them the chance. We do not realize this but not paying attention could actualy be telling the kids that this is something they are not capable of doing, therefore they lose intrest. I'm not saying we should let them on the jobsite while the work is going on, but maybe after everyone leaves if we would just take 5 minutes of our time and talk with them then maybe the future generation will turn out a little better than what we have now. I know as a child myself whenever the men at a construction site talked to me it made me feel important.

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rino1494

Yeah, we most of our work in developments and there are always kids on their bicycle's watching.

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chrisherk

I was that kid, actually Im still that kid. If i see someone doing some digging i'll go over and watch for a while, and ask questions. After all that is how im learning this buisiness, and of course this board and everyone on it.

Glasshousebltr

A while back one such kid came up to me and asked if he could use my skill saw, I think he was about 5. I said hell no! Then thought about it a second and asked the little tike what in the world he needed my skill saw for. He whiped out a GI Joe from behind his back and an evil snarl rolled over his face as he said in a southern accent "I'M GONA CUT THIS GUY'S HEAD CLEAN OFF!"

I replied "COOL! but soory, no saw, however here's my hammer."

Bob

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Bob

Patty

When I was three years old, my parents hired a nice, local concrete guy to pour a slab of concrete on our property. I loved hanging around with him and watching him. I was so intrigued by what he was doing. I think he enjoyed his time spent with me too..... ...that is until I got the urge to walk through his finished work, barefoot!

I can still see my little bare footprints in that concrete, not to mention the look on his face.

Some things ya never forget!

Wolf

I was that Kid too. I was fascinated to watch demolition. There was something about the crashing and crunching and watching the loaders climb up on the old houses and just knock the cr*p out of them. Also loved watching the wrecking ball at work. Still do, in fact.

RYANINMICHIGAN

My father managed for a bridge builder while I was growing up. In the summer quiet often I went to work with him and got to hang out with the operators running cranes and bulldozers all kinds of stuff it was great. I still have a love for heavy equipment. I think if I won the lottery I would buy a 40 acre field and by a bunch of stuff and just play on it.... Anyway ya I do mostly residential work so I get kids hanging out all the time. I actually paid one a couple of bucks to pick up scraps.