What to do #2.

Since we've moved in (which has been a week), there is a neighborhood kid who's been hounding me to let him mow my lawn. We met his parents a week prior when we stopped by the house, they told us about him, gave us their phone number, and we said we'd call if we need it mowed.

I came by the house once before we moved in and the mowed the lawn. While mowing the kid came up to me (scared the crap out of me btw), introduced himself, and told me that he would mow my lawn for me. I asked what he charged and he told me $40 to do my lawn. I told him thanks for the offer, but money is tight because we are moving, I have it handled for now, and if I do need him I will give him a call. He said Ok and sulked away.

Since then, he keeps coming by to ask if he can mow my lawn. I haven't been home, my wife has dealt with him and told him that I am ok mowing it and we'll call if we need it mowed.

Today I heard a knock at the door, saw it was the kid again, and I didn't even answer it.

So how do I go about this without being a complete dick to the kid (in case I can use his services at some point) and not looking like the new guy in the neighborhood is an shiny happy person?

How old is this kid first of all?

Tell him you let him cut it if he pays you $20

Have another chat with the parents? Are they reasonable?

At least there's a kid on your street that actually wants to work.

Have an amicable chat w/ the parents, they may be the ones pressing the kid to work. Let them explain to the kid what 'no money' means. If they aren't understanding to that they are the shiny happy people.

Keep the door open, never know when you need help w/ a project.

Explain the fine line between persistent and really annoying?

Send him to my house. I'll pay him $40 per week and he can use my mower.

Woody wrote: Send him to my house. I'll pay him $40 per week and he can use my mower.

Yeah, for how many acres?

It only takes 10 minutes to cut my front lawn. A kid down my street wanted to cut it for $30 and I said no. It's $10 bucks or go away. He never came back. LOL. It's insane to pay $30 for 10 minutes of work. Regardless, that seems to be the going rate in my neighborhood.

I have a riding mower. Kids want to mow my lawn.

Seriously though. Tell the kid that money is tight and you don't have the $$$$ and that you actually enjoy mowing your lawn. I would point out that asking you every week is not going to change things. HOWEVER as others have said keep the door open. Having the kids on your side of things is a very good thing. I think a call to the parents would be a good thing. I would also praise them / him for having such a "go getter" of a kid. In fact telling the kid this would not be a bad thing. You don't want to squash that.

Sine_Qua_Non wrote:

Woody wrote: Send him to my house. I'll pay him $40 per week and he can use my mower.

Yeah, for how many acres? It only takes 10 minutes to cut my front lawn. A kid down my street wanted to cut it for $30 and I said no. It's $10 bucks or go away. He never came back. LOL. It's insane to pay $30 for 10 minutes of work. Regardless, that seems to be the going rate in my neighborhood.

$10 for 10 min? that is $60 / hour. Even at that rate it is way to much.

BARNCA wrote: How old is this kid first of all?

I think he's 10.

He is very willing to work, which is nice to see from a kid as young as him. I think his parents are also pushing him, the kid told me about how his dad has been out of work for a year now and they are trying to buy some more mowers so they can start a family mowing business, so I think they could be possibly using him for some extra income, but I'm not going to speculate too much on that.

I'm fully capable of mowing my own lawn and yes I would like a riding mower because my yard is quite big, but I can do it and I really don't need to be shelling out cash to some kid to do something I am capable of doing.

Speaking of mowing, I think I'm going to go mow my yard.

If there's a price you would pay, counteroffer with that. If he's like my kid, he has something he wants to buy and a time frame in mind to buy it (i.e. - if I can mow 5 lawns in the neighborhood at $40 per lawn, I can buy what I'm after on day X). I always hate to discourage kids from being industrious and working hard. On the other hand, occasionally adjusting their expectations is good for them. If the kid sticks at his price and keeps coming back, maybe he needs a Mutombo style swat off your front porch. If he adjusts his price down and does a good job, work with him. Maybe he won't grow up to be one of those shiny happy liberal arts grads who won't take a job because is doesn't come with a CEO's salary.

I would talk to mom and dad, and him. Explain that your glad he wants to work and earns tuff. but, there is a line.... But like alot of others have said try not to squash his ambition at the same time.

kazoospec wrote: If there's a price you would pay, counteroffer with that. If he's like my kid, he has something he wants to buy and a time frame in mind to buy it (i.e. - if I can mow 5 lawns in the neighborhood at $40 per lawn, I can buy what I'm after on day X). I always hate to discourage kids from being industrious and working hard. On the other hand, occasionally adjusting their expectations is good for them. If the kid sticks at his price and keeps coming back, maybe he needs a Mutombo style swat off your front porch. If he adjusts his price down and does a good job, work with him. Maybe he won't grow up to be one of those shiny happy liberal arts grads who won't take a job because is doesn't come with a CEO's salary.

+1

Tell him how much it is actually worth to you.

Secretariata wrote: Explain the fine line between persistent and really annoying?

THIS!!!

Also, does this kid wear a helmet?

Kid wants to work, a couple days is like an eternity to a kid, so he is asking a lot. Tell him what you will pay, and that if you have any projects that come up you will keep him in mind. I admire his ambition, and I've been there.