Overworked and Underpaid Teens - Rare but they do exist
I know that in today’s world, most teens believe they are worth $20 per hour or they aren’t working. In their minds, they’d like to work a full day and go buy an iPod - but in reality - that’s just not going to happen. At least that’s what I told my son. BUT, what actually happened was astonishing to say the least…
My son has a strong desire to work so that he can earn enough to soup up a riding lawn mower he was given. He aspires to enter it in lawn mower pulls and mini mud bogs. I’m raising the future King of Rednecks, can you tell?
When he asked a local farmer (BIG farmer even) for work, I agreed to let him help the farmer out. Albeit this was another one of those times that my gut told me no, but I agreed anyway thinking this was one of those lessons that should be learned - whether it’s good or bad.
The morning arrived that my son would take off on his first real day of work. I was so proud. Fifteen years old and already developing a strong work ethic.
I anticipated he’d be home around 5:00 that evening. The phone rang, it was him telling me he was having fun learning to milk cows and would likely be another hour. Well that hour turned into 2 1/2 hours - he arrived home at 7:30 PM. That was well over an eight hour day - no lunch break!
He slept like never before - for the next 11 hours. His hands blistered and callused - the tell tale signs that he had actually worked and worked hard.
In the days that followed, he would answer the phone waiting for his next scheduled day to work. It was always that same farmer - giving excuses why they weren’t going to be working that day.
I began to wonder if this weren’t some weasely way to get out of paying the kid.
Finally payday rolled around. The farmer had given his pay to the neighbors sons who had also worked with my son that day.
Keep in mind that I don’t believe my son should make $20 per hour, but I sure as heck think he deserves more than $20 for an almost NINE Hour Day!
That’s right - this farmer paid the older boys $20 each and the younger boy of 2 years, $5 for the entire days work.
At this point I am staying out of it and won’t be saying anything to the farmer - honestly I’m not sure what to say or do. My son has asked me how he should handle it and well, I can’t tell him what I would do and that is take the $20 and give it back - tell them the lesson they taught him was far more valuable and that is, how to recognize a cheap-ass and when not to work for them.
But, I thought I would send out a little distress call and see what you all think about this and what you’d have him do.
(image: stock.xchng)
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POSTED IN: Parenting
2 opinions for Overworked and Underpaid Teens - Rare but they do exist
Kam
Jun 29, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I would tell him not to work for the farmer again. And if the farmer calls and wants his help, have your son discuss payment before hand. How much he will be getting an hour and so on.
Wish I could be of more help, but that’s a tough one.
that girl
Jun 30, 2008 at 1:03 pm
I think that’s a great idea. That was really wrong. He should have paid them minimum wage at the very least.
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