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Do Kids Cut the Grass Anymore?

Home ▸ Archive ▸ Serious Business ▸ Do Kids Cut the Grass Anymore?
Little Danny's avatar

Little Danny

Senior Member

4,288 posts
Jul 3, 2010 11:47 AM
I was having this conversation with someone the other day. In my neighborhood, there are a lo of teens and I never see them out cutting the grass. Their parents are doing it. In fact, right next door to me there are two twenty-something's who still live with mom and dad and the parents are still cutting the grass and taking care of the yard. My co-workers have indicated they see a similar pattern in their neighborhood.

Now I know there are some who are going to come on here and say they cut the grass, but I think overall there are less kids cutting the grass that in years past. I started cutting my parents yard when I was 8 years old. By the time I was 12, I was cutting people's grass to earn a little dough. Now I know kids today are busy with the advent of the Wii, X-box and playstation, but don't you think the moms and dad need to be sending Little Jacob and Little Johah outside to do a little work?
Jul 3, 2010 11:47am
gerb131's avatar

gerb131

Senior Member

9,932 posts
Jul 3, 2010 11:52 AM
Just ripped on my dude the other day for this. He has a 16yr old and he is 34 and he doesn't make the kid do shit. He's like I gotta go home and mow and I'm like why do you have a 16yr old for then? Hell he still wakes him up for school and takes him. I was ragging on him hardcore but yea you barely see kids mowing or doing anything around the house anymore. I know when I was a kid my list of chores was a mile long before I could do anything on the weekends.
Jul 3, 2010 11:52am
N

Nate

Formerly Known As Keebler

3,949 posts
Jul 3, 2010 11:55 AM
I'm waiting on my 10 month old to start walking so I can put her behind the push mower.
Jul 3, 2010 11:55am
N

Nate

Formerly Known As Keebler

3,949 posts
Jul 3, 2010 11:55 AM
Also, I'm teaching her proper meat to cheese ratios on my sandwichs.
Jul 3, 2010 11:55am
gerb131's avatar

gerb131

Senior Member

9,932 posts
Jul 3, 2010 11:56 AM
I know my 5yr old puts in work around the house.
Jul 3, 2010 11:56am
sherm03's avatar

sherm03

I go balls deep.

7,349 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:02 PM
I started cutting the grass when I was 10. I wanted to do it earlier, but my pops said that our yard was too big for me to cut. So when we moved and our yard shrunk exponentially, he gladly let me start cutting the grass. I was just too short to start the mower so he would have to get it started for me.

The kids on my street are a little too young to be cutting and shoveling and stuff like that. There's a few teenagers that showed up during the winter...but wanted to shovel my driveway for $20. I laughed. My driveway barely fits two cars...and takes me all of 15 minutes to shovel. There was no way I was paying some kid $20 to do that.
Jul 3, 2010 12:02pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

Senior Member

12,319 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:08 PM
I started mowing at 10 or 11, as did my younger brother. We had a small yard that took about an hour to push mow back then. Then, we moved and had 3 acres, switched to the riding mower. I still see kids do it a lot back home.

My brother (he's 21 now) and dad split the duties at home (its 3 acres and both work, so whoever is home when it needs it), and he push mows a yard for another elderly guy who pays him.
Jul 3, 2010 12:08pm
Little Danny's avatar

Little Danny

Senior Member

4,288 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:10 PM
Mowing the lawn is great for kids. As I typed my original post I thought of something I heard Dennis Leary say on stand-up. I found it out on the net, it's so freaking true:


I am sick and tired of hearing that fucking speech. You know? These people come out of rehab they always have the same story. "Well you know, I became an alcoholic because my parents didn't love me enough. And then I became a junkie because my parents didn't love me enough. And I went into hypnosis and therapy and I found out that parents used to hit me." Hey! My parents used to beat the living shit out of me! Ok? And looking back on it, I'm glad they did! And I'm looking forward to beating the shit out of my kids, aren't you? For no reason whatsoever. *thbbt* "What'd you hit me for?" "Shutup and get out there and mow the lawn for Christs sake!" There's therapy for ya! Mowing the lawn and crying at the same time. "The Leary kids in therapy again. Their lawn looks great, it's unbelieveable!"
Jul 3, 2010 12:10pm
C

Con_Alma

Senior Member

12,198 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:13 PM
I can't speak for what other kids do or who cuts my neighbors grass because I really don't pay attention to their yard activities.

Regarding my kids; they have heavier schedules than I ever did at their age. Between football and cross country preseason workouts, added to wrestling and basketball summer leagues, combined with their church activities and our vacation time they don't have time to even watch TV. Cutting the grass is out.

We have had a yard service for many years. I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Jul 3, 2010 12:13pm
MrPoke's avatar

MrPoke

Senior Member

348 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:19 PM
Maybe parents aren't lazy anymore and want to cut their own grass, I know my kids won't be cutting my yard, don't want them fucking it up.
Jul 3, 2010 12:19pm
Laley23's avatar

Laley23

GOAT

29,506 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:22 PM
All my friends parents are so fucking anal about their yard that no one else can touch it, kids included.

I mow my parents lawn when I can, just to help out, but they dont require it anymore. I am way to busy to be counted on to mow it twice a week.

When I lived at home, I mowed as a token rent. Growing up, I mowed because I was required to, and I also liked being outside on nice days so it was an excuse.
Jul 3, 2010 12:22pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

Senior Member

12,319 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:23 PM
Laley23;409923 wrote:All my friends parents are so fucking anal about their yard that no one else can touch it, kids included.

This is the case with a lot of people, I forgot about that. It's not the kids being lazy, it's the parents being stupid.

Yards are serious business.
Jul 3, 2010 12:23pm
j_crazy's avatar

j_crazy

7 gram rocks. how i roll.

8,372 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:24 PM
i've had lots of companies come offer to do my grass. i would never pay someone to cut my lawn unless it was a kid trying to make some money. if any kid offered, i'd pay him to do it and let him use my equipment.
Jul 3, 2010 12:24pm
C

Con_Alma

Senior Member

12,198 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:28 PM
I pay someone because what I am doing with my time that keeps me from cutting it is more valuable than what a lawn service charges me.
Jul 3, 2010 12:28pm
Little Danny's avatar

Little Danny

Senior Member

4,288 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:30 PM
Yeah I was not saying the kids are being lazy. The problem lies with the parents not getting them out to do the work. As a result, the kids do become lazy IMO.

As far as the anal thing, people need to get over that. Sure the kids might screw up, but how else are they going to learn?

FWIW, I let my 10 year old cut our grass (he does it every other week, I do it the other because he is with his mother on those weeks). He does not always like it, but I inform him cutting and bagging the yard is a major part of his allowance. If he didn't do it, he probably would only get a small amount of what he gets.

I actually enjoy cutting the lawn. It relaxes me. My time is liklely as valuable as anyone's on here (both from a financial perspective and otherwise), but I won't pay someone to do it for me.
Jul 3, 2010 12:30pm
THE4RINGZ's avatar

THE4RINGZ

R.I.P Thread Bomber

16,816 posts
Jul 3, 2010 12:52 PM
I am extremely picky about my lawn so I cut it. My two teenage boys cut other people's grass for $, and do quite well.
Jul 3, 2010 12:52pm
Heelz's avatar

Heelz

Senior Member

780 posts
Jul 3, 2010 1:04 PM
There's no app for it on cell phones or it cant be done from playing xbox so ...no they dont do it
Jul 3, 2010 1:04pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

Senior Member

12,319 posts
Jul 3, 2010 1:10 PM
Heelz;409964 wrote:There's no app for it on cell phones or it cant be done from playing xbox so ...no they dont do it
I'm sure lawn is angled uphill both ways when you push mow it too :rolleyes:
Jul 3, 2010 1:10pm
M

mella

Senior Member

647 posts
Jul 3, 2010 1:21 PM
My 11 year old mows the back and part of the side yards on the riding mower and I use the push mower on the front and the other part of the side yards. He has been riding with me for a few summers but this year is going solo. It is great to finish the yard in about half the time.
Jul 3, 2010 1:21pm
End of Line's avatar

End of Line

It's Clobberin Time!

6,867 posts
Jul 3, 2010 1:28 PM
I started mowing when I was 11. I love to mow grass b/c I'm outside and I love the smell of fresh cut grass.
Jul 3, 2010 1:28pm
T

tuskytuffguy

Senior Member

615 posts
Jul 3, 2010 3:05 PM
My kid has begged me for years to let him mow. Always tells me he mows at his grandparents all the time. I finally gave in 3 weeks ago and let him do it. Now, I'm not anal to where I treat my lawn or anything like that, I just like to bag it to keep clumps of grass off the lawn and to keep grass from getting tracked into the house, and also it just makes it look nicer. Well, it didn't work out too well. He managed to miss small strips, couldn't follow a line to save his ass, mowed against buildings instead of alongside them, and didn't empty the bag often enough, leaving clumps everywhere. I just simply said,"I will be the one mowing, you're fired."
Jul 3, 2010 3:05pm
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Jul 3, 2010 3:34 PM
MrPoke;409920 wrote:Maybe parents aren't lazy anymore and want to cut their own grass, I know my kids won't be cutting my yard, don't want them fucking it up.

This one of the reasons I cut my grass most of the time. They always bang and scrape my trees. If I want them to mow I always mow around the trees. My house is on a hill so I have some steep grades in certain places. I never let the kids mow those.
Jul 3, 2010 3:34pm
Tiger2003's avatar

Tiger2003

Kill or be Killed

15,421 posts
Jul 3, 2010 4:25 PM
I always wanted to cut the grass when I was a kid but my father would never let me. He is was to anal about his yard he cuts it 2 times a week, so it always at the perfect length. He has yard fertilized all year around....He is nuts about it. I guess it is where I got it from....
Jul 3, 2010 4:25pm
Captain Cavalier's avatar

Captain Cavalier

Senior Member

208 posts
Jul 3, 2010 4:34 PM
tuskytuffguy;410024 wrote:My kid has begged me for years to let him mow. Always tells me he mows at his grandparents all the time. I finally gave in 3 weeks ago and let him do it. Now, I'm not anal to where I treat my lawn or anything like that, I just like to bag it to keep clumps of grass off the lawn and to keep grass from getting tracked into the house, and also it just makes it look nicer. Well, it didn't work out too well. He managed to miss small strips, couldn't follow a line to save his ass, mowed against buildings instead of alongside them, and didn't empty the bag often enough, leaving clumps everywhere. I just simply said,"I will be the one mowing, you're fired."

Easy, easy.

Your son makes what seems to be a valid effort and you go off on him because the results weren't as as good as a veteran adult??????

Careful, he might have more respect for his grandparents than you.

Give him some time. Teach him. He's your son. Most people would love to have their kids WANT to do work around the house instead of sittin' their butt in front of the video games or texting all the time.
Con_Alma;409935 wrote:I pay someone because what I am doing with my time that keeps me from cutting it is more valuable than what a lawn service charges me.
Just make sure that athletics aren't THE most important thing in their life. Chores are a good thing to be taught. When they graduate, there won't be anyone "holding their hand".

I have a 17 year old. If he doesn't get at least a 3.5 GPA, there will be NO gas money coming. He mows our lawn and the neighbors. He's in football, baseball and ACME. I tell him, you better find time or you don't get the money because an employer will be expecting the same thing when you hit the work force. If you can't REALLY find the time then, IMO, it's time to cut back.

He also does NOT have a cell phone. If he wants one....work for it.
Jul 3, 2010 4:34pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

Senior Member

12,319 posts
Jul 3, 2010 4:43 PM
Captain Cavalier;410098 wrote:Easy, easy.

Your son makes what seems to be a valid effort and you go off on him because the results weren't as as good as a veteran adult??????

Careful, he might have more respect for his grandparents than you.

Give him some time. Teach him. He's your son. Most people would love to have their kids WANT to do work around the house instead of sittin' their butt in front of the video games or texting all the time.
This. By no means do you have to coddle the kid, but you don't have to be a dick about it either.
Jul 3, 2010 4:43pm