I let a neighbor kid mow my lawn tonight

[supernova]

:D

He's 15 and asked to mow my lawn as a way to make extra money. I said sure. Even though I have professionals do it every two weeks, I'm happy to give a kid an opportunity.

So he's out there cutting away with a push mower. Next thing I know the phone rings and it's this kid.

"Um can I ask you a question?"

"Sure"

"How can I tell where I've mowed?"

I have a big, rural yard with lots of trees, azaleas and bushes; not a suburban postage stamp.

I said well, you have to plan out in your head how you're going to do it. Just take and area and go around in an organized pattern. You go right next to where you were just before.

It just made me smile. He's been working since 4pm and just finished about 15 minutes ago. He earned it.

[Droopy]

1. I ought to look into doing that, too

I mowed my lawn today out in the heat and humidity. It's the first time I've had to do it in a long time seeing as how I just bought a house. I was suffering mightily. My clothes were soaked with sweat. It doesn't seem like it was such a chore the last time I had to do it. Maybe I'm just getting older.

[taxidriver]

2. thank you! that is how yards are supposed to be mowed. my 1st job was

mowing lawns.

[Crewleader]

3. very nice supernova

you reminded me when I was 15 my liberal lawyer neighbor gave me the opportunity to mow his lawn for some decent money. He liked my older sister but was always good for giving out compliments.

I was Miss Crescent Beach...he would call me...the place I grew up and miss this time of year.

Your kindness won't be forgotten by the 15 year old and I too used the push mower! :hi:

[1monster]

4. Miss Crescent Beach of Crescent Beach just south of St. Augustine?

Crewleader, do we know each other in real life? Crescent Beach had a very small population twenty or so years ago...

[Crewleader]

5. Crescent Beach in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts

I did see Crescent Beach when I drove down here to live, just south of St Augustine, very nice area...there's also a Crescent Beach below Cocoa Beach on the Space Coast where I'm close to now!

Thanks for asking 1monster...we're from places with the same name, mine to was a small town, Crescent Beach is the on seacoast of Atlantic, the gates to Cape Cod.:hi:

[put out]

6. From the parent of an almost 15 year old

Thanks! My child mows 3 lawns regularly and one or two others as requested by the owners. Not even counting our own lawn. It's really good money for a person his age; a heck of a lot better than babysitting. It takes planning and attention to his family obligations and his schedule, and consideration of the weather. He has to negotiate with adults for the price they're willing to pay, balanced against his time and effort. He's learning how hard it is to earn bucks, and that a pleasant demeanor and good manners get him more jobs.

It's a learning curve. Thanks again for giving a kid a chance.

[RebelYell]

7. Smiling....

...there are two brothers in my neighborhood who mowed lawns for two previous Summers to save enough to buy 3 lawnmowers and 3 weed eaters. This Summer, they hired their friends to do the actual mowing, with their equipment, and get a cut from each lawn their friends cut. Their Dad is a used car salesman.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

10. That made me laugh...

How great is that? Smart kids.
Duckie

[CRK7376]

8. I wish I could get

my 15yo to mow my yard! He's a lazy slug and requires motivating to get him out to mow....But I too hate mowing and we have a big yard out in the country...Takes 3 hours to mow and weedeat with a riding mower...longer if the riding mower is broken as it tends to be...So pushing the yard is an all day event and wears us all out...Now my 10yo likes mowing, but I'm not crazy about him mowing yet...so I have to closely supervise and only allow him to mow level parts of the yard....

As a kid I too made money mowing neighbors yards, but found out that it was more fun being a lifeguard, and the scenery was so much better!

[AngryAmish]

9. My girlfriend in college had to mow her grandma's lawn. She wore a bikini

I always seemed to show up in the middle of it. It was very "Cool Hand Luke."