Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Griffin]

My eldest daughter Daisy has a job interview this evening for a paper round. She'll be 15 next week. From what little we know, she'll have to deliver 12-14 papers every morning except for Sunday.

 

I don't want her to do it, but Mr Griffin says it'll be 'character building' for her. I'm all for 'character building' but I don't think she needs this extra responsibility right now. She's coming to the end of year 10 at school and unlike in previous years when all GCSEs were taken at the end of year 11 they're now split so that she's done some exams this year. She studies really really hard, she needs no encouragement from us and she's always devastated with anything less than an A grade. She's a very sensible, responsible girl and she was delighted this morning to hear she's got the role of being a prefect in year 11. She wants to be a teacher and next month is doing work experience at the local junior school.

 

I know she's keen to find a part-time job because she wants to save money for university, she already saves all of her Christmas & birthday money. But I can't imagine this paper round will pay very much and I don't think the risks are worth it. I dread to think of her traipsing across town on cold and dark winter mornings before school. I don't want her feeling tired, I want nearly all of her energies put into her education.

 

None of the girls get pocket money, the youngest two have a few pounds here and there for good behaviour, effort and so on as they need it to buy sweets, stickers, Moshi Monsters etc. The older two get £5 for each postcard or silver 7 received from school, it's a reward system whereby if a teacher is thrilled with a piece of work, they send a postcard home or award a silver 7. I don't mind buying small birthday presents for their friends or giving them money if they want to go shopping, to the cinema, out for a pizza etc within reason and if they deserve it. We've never asked Daisy to save money for university, we just assumed we'd pay for everything.

 

I was brought up on a really rough council estate, you didn't go out after dark. Despite living in a quiet small rural town now I still hate walking in the dark, it's the way I'll always be whereas Mr Griffin has lived here for nearly all of his life and feels safe.

 

Do other Omleteers have offspring with paper rounds? Do you help them out in bad weather? How well does it pay? Has it helped your child?

[lillybettybabs]

My oldest S son would love a paper round but he can't get one at the moment, He helps me out

cleaning kennels for pocket money when he is with us.

He loves his guitars and saves up all his money to buy better ones. He is proud to tell everyone that he

has saved up and bought all four of his own guitars which at 15 has grounded him very well.

 

think we would help out on a paper round if he was poorly or had lots of homework etc but he is mature

for his age and i guess being a strapping lad it he doesn't look vulnerable.

[Cinnamon]

While my girls did not have paper rounds (we are very remote here) I did give them pocket money regularly.

BUT they had set tasks they had to do around the house to get this privilege.

They worked from 16 when they were at college,just 10 or so hours a week & my eldest built up a very nice sum from this which has really helped her through University.

 

If she wants to work,wants to earn & wants to save,why not get her to do household chore for cash - lawn mowing,car washing & so forth.

 

She is 15,which is an age where independence becomes increasingly important,& she may want to earn her own money to spend on what she wants too,& to pay for trips out with her friends.

I know you said that you give them money for things like this,but it sounds like she has a good work ethic & I think that should be encouraged

[The Dogmother]

It's only the dark mornings that put me off Rosie having a paper round. I have always encouraged her to work for her pocket money, in fact she gets nothing that she hasn't earned. She has a nice little business going with the young families in our street.... child minding in the holidays and babysitting, she also sells our spare eggs and jams/jellies to friends and neighbours. She doesn't get given any other pocket money apart from that as everything else that she needs is paid for.

[patsylabrador]

All my kids did a paper round and I hated every moment of it. The money was great for them and they certainly got some experience with customers, some were nasty and miserable and complaining. I was glad when they got back home especially if I'd heard sirens.

I was only happy to let them do it because I was teaching them at home. If they were at school I'm not so sure. My DD has recently gone to see a physio and he said her spine was wonky which she puts down to the paper round. She's 27 now so that's something to consider.

All that said, it was good for them to have to work hard for their cash.

[chickencam]

It is a difficult one, my YD wants to do a paper round, she won't be 14 until November. It is important for youngsters to have independence and they are eager to make their own way which is good but it is a fine balance with their school work. My ED had been lucky that she has been able to work in her dad's office from the age of 15, she covered reception for the first summer, and since then she has covered for my husband's secretary when she has taken holiday during school holidays. She is a good typist and wants to go into the legal profession so it has been good work experience for her. She also covers for the office cleaner who is OH's secretary's 19 year old son (we keep it in the family as a firm, I work there as does the sister of one of the partners and another wife) DS has also covered the cleaning a few times and weeded the car park etc. YD no doubt will follow on.

 

I worry about the anti social hours of a paer round but they are popular because they can be done from quite young. We give our children pocket money, but for that they each have certain set taskas and are expected to muck in and help at home where needed. YD has been doing quite a bit of ironing recently which she gets extra money for.

 

DS has been volunteering in our local Red Cross book shop for the last 18 months or so and this has brought him out of his shell a little, he started it for D of E but has continued because he enjoys it. He only does a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon and has stopped for now whilst he is doing his GCSE's but will probably go back over the summer. Working for things is important but not necessarily being exploited by other people which I feel paper rounds are a bit.

[Guest]

A few things...

1, do you have papers delivered? - If so you are condoning some other child doing what you do not want your child to do.

2, 15 is old enough to at least need some money of her own, so start giving her some pocket money. She needs some independence and a little money of her own without having to ask for it. (even if all she does is save it anyway).

3, Jobs in return is a fair deal and something all children respond to. They should help a bit anyway, according to their ages. It helps them understand that a house as a unit takes a lot of running and shouldn't all be down to one person (usually mum!).

 

My daughter graduates on the 13th July and is a saver and has never got into debt or loaned money. She has just taken out a lease on a house with 3 ex-Uni friends and is looking for a full time job! (she has 2 part time ones that she has had all through Uni). (proud mum here)

 

Your daughter sounds like she's going in the right direction - encourage her - give her the wings she needs to fly! That way your chicks always fly home to see you when the fledge!

 

Good luck!xxx

[Cinnamon]

1, do you have papers delivered? - If so you are condoning some other child doing what you do not want your child to do.

 

Not necessarily - all the papers around here are delivered by older retired adults

[Janepie33]

Why not let her have a go with the paper round in the warm, light, summer months and see how she gets on?

 

My DS was desperate for a paper round at about the same age - I too felt quite anxious about the whole thing , getting up early, being safe, working in the dark (he started it in winter). He very quickly discovered that a paper round was not for him. The pay was not good and he was docked 50p from his pay packet in his first week, for delivering one paper to the wrong house!

2 or 3 weeks later he gave it up - much to my relief.

[counturchickens]

I had a job when 14, I did a couple of hours a day as a kitchen assistant in an old folks home. Perhaps there is a compromise to be found with the kind of job?

[abwsco]

Mine were never allowed to do paper rounds. However, as soon as they turned 16 they both started waitressing part time. Couldn't find anything before then due to all the insurance rules, work permits etc

[Guest]

1, do you have papers delivered? - If so you are condoning some other child doing what you do not want your child to do.

 

Not necessarily - all the papers around here are delivered by older retired adults

 

 

That's true!

[Griffin]

I don't think I need to worry, I don't think this is going to last long. She's agreed to start on Saturday morning for a weeks trial run but she needs to let them know next Tuesday or Wednesday if she's going to keep it up. I don't think she will, she didn't sound too keen! She has approximately 14 papers a day to be delivered by 9am, six days a week for £10. Nine or ten of those papers are in streets close to ours, but the remainder are further away. I know she could do it in less than an hour and although she's happy to deliver the ones closest to home she seems reluctant about the others. She even asked if she could quit on Saturday if she doesn't like it! So there's been a compromise, she's doing the weeks trial but I think she already knows this isn't the job for her. I'd be thrilled if I were right!

[chickencam]

Sometimes they have to find out these things for themselves.

[carrie]

My children have paper rounds and have done since they were 13.

My eldest is doing GCSE's at the moment.

They are usually back in the house in time for a very leisurly breakfast usually with the TV on then get slowly ready for school and then head off. It has been great for my daughter as it makes her get up early and she is in a much better frame of mind for setting off for school, if she didn't do it I can guarantee she would be more reluctant to get out of bed and would surely be running late for school.

My son did get a bit spooked by a very large dog one morning. He abandoned his bike on their driveway and ran back home, the home owner tried to find him by riding my sons BMX calling 'paper boy, paper boy where are you' around the streets. He contacted the newsagents and deivered the bike back to us with a big bar of chocolate that afternoon My son hadn't told us and was quite embarrassed. We were very mean and pretended we knew nothing about it and hid his bike

[abwsco]

My children have paper rounds and have done since they were 13.

My eldest is doing GCSE's at the moment.

They are usually back in the house in time for a very leisurly breakfast usually with the TV on then get slowly ready for school and then head off. It has been great for my daughter as it makes her get up early and she is in a much better frame of mind for setting off for school, if she didn't do it I can guarantee she would be more reluctant to get out of bed and would surely be running late for school.

My son did get a bit spooked by a very large dog one morning. He abandoned his bike on their driveway and ran back home, the home owner tried to find him by riding my sons BMX calling 'paper boy, paper boy where are you' around the streets. He contacted the newsagents and deivered the bike back to us with a big bar of chocolate that afternoon My son hadn't told us and was quite embarrassed. We were very mean and pretended we knew nothing about it and hid his bike

 

 

OMG, that is soooo funny and we'd have hidden the bike as well lols

[Olly]

That is hysterically funny, I have just laughed out loud at my desk!

 

Griffin, I am a bit late to this debate but I was going to say 'let her try it' - you'll be glad you didn't try and prevent her, and if she finds out that it's not for her then all is well. On the other hand if she likes it, she will probably be able to reassure you on some of your concerns.

 

I really admire her for wanting to earn money and be independent, it's hard before 16 as a lot of employers won't take on younger staff. I worked from 14 onwards mainly babysitting - terrifying to think about now, but in those days parents were quite happy to leave a young teenager in the house, it seems! - and then at 16 got a Saturday job, money was tight at home anyway but I just couldn't wait to have my own income. It has stood me in good stead, you can't learn too early the discipline of working with others/for a boss/getting up on time etc.

[Griffin]

I've already made it perfectly clear we will NOT be getting up early to help her tomorrow We're out early Sunday so tomorrow is my incredibly hard working Mr Griffins only chance of a lie in, as long as he doesn't get called out. Molly will also be very tired because she gets back from Paris tonight. Most of the houses are with a 300 yard radius and she ought to be back in no time at all. She seems pretty determined to quit next week anyway but I've said to her we nearly all have to work hard for our money and do jobs we hate, that's what being an adult entails and I should think she could at least do it throughout the summer.

[CatieB]

I am surprised from your description of her that she doesnt have a queue of people fighting for her to be their babysitter. Has she considered this as an option?

 

She sounds very similar to the daughter of my best friend. As soon as she turned 14 or 15 we had to book her way in advance as so many friends wanted her. (she only did it for friends and relatives she felt safe with) She made a small fortune. Its very good money - on average we gave her £20 an evening. Unfortunately for us she has now reached 17 so has her own social life and boyfriend and is less available.

 

I was a babysitter from a similar age and also remember it being well paid.

 

Let us know how she gets on.

[Griffin]

She managed to get up and out without disturbing anyone, it was our neighbours chainsaw that woke us at at 8am Every fortnight at that time on a Saturday morning throught the summer they trim their hedge. There's a name for people like that and it's not appropriate on a family forum.

 

She used the bike of daughter number two who would kill her if she knew She has her own bike but it's old and battered. I've suggested Mr Griffin lower the seat on his unused bike so she can take that instead.

 

It took her an hour and I've said she's bound to be quicker next time now she knows exactly where she's going.