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As a millennial here's my childhood experience with that: I knocked on the door of an older lady (Silent Gen, or Greatest Gen) in my small town and negotiated

As a millennial here's my childhood experience with that: I knocked on the door of an older lady (Silent Gen, or Greatest Gen) in my small town and negotiated to mow her lawn and the price. An unemployed older Baby Boomer who lived halfway between us saw me and/or overheard our conversation. As I was walking back to get my dad's push-mower & prepare it to run, this neighbor jumped on his riding lawnmower and quickly mowed the lady's lawn. I arrived with my push mower in time to see the neighbor with the riding lawnmower accepting payment from the lady for my job. This is not a metaphor; it's a true story. Make of it what you will...

alexchantavy 4y ago
Reminds me of when I started noticing adults in cars delivering newspaper instead of kids in bicycles around the time of the last recession
- dazc 4y ago
  We get this in the UK too but often it's someone driving the car and a kid that gets out and actually delivers the paper? We also have car washes that are either 100% automated or have 6 guys all cleaning one car. You can guess which is the most popular option. I hear we have a productivity problem, no kidding.
- projektfu 4y ago
  Paper routes were pretty exploitative. The children, often around 12 years old, were/are treated as independent contractors who buy the papers and have to collect the money themselves. Deadbeats could avoid paying for some time, usually until a parent chewed them out. When you went on vacation you were responsible for finding your replacement and paying them. Throw stranger danger into the mix and it's obvious why kids aren't doing paper routes anymore.
- jrmg 4y ago
  I'm pretty sure that's also because the number of households that get newspaper delivery now is so low, and so the density so low, that it's necessary to have a car to do it.
slowhand09 4y ago
Did you give up mowing lawns forever based on that one experience? My stepson related a similar story once. He left out the part about he didn't return to mow until the next day. And the person who mowed was long gone when he arrived. Not implying you didn't make doing the job a priority. That, however, has been a common them for my stepson.

alexchantavy 4y ago

Reminds me of when I started noticing adults in cars delivering newspaper instead of kids in bicycles around the time of the last recession

dazc 4y ago
We get this in the UK too but often it's someone driving the car and a kid that gets out and actually delivers the paper? We also have car washes that are either 100% automated or have 6 guys all cleaning one car. You can guess which is the most popular option. I hear we have a productivity problem, no kidding.
projektfu 4y ago
Paper routes were pretty exploitative. The children, often around 12 years old, were/are treated as independent contractors who buy the papers and have to collect the money themselves. Deadbeats could avoid paying for some time, usually until a parent chewed them out. When you went on vacation you were responsible for finding your replacement and paying them. Throw stranger danger into the mix and it's obvious why kids aren't doing paper routes anymore.
jrmg 4y ago
I'm pretty sure that's also because the number of households that get newspaper delivery now is so low, and so the density so low, that it's necessary to have a car to do it.

slowhand09 4y ago

Did you give up mowing lawns forever based on that one experience? My stepson related a similar story once. He left out the part about he didn't return to mow until the next day. And the person who mowed was long gone when he arrived. Not implying you didn't make doing the job a priority. That, however, has been a common them for my stepson.