Pulling what's left of my hair out of my head

[Sigarms]

I was half joking about the straight line. I don't stripe my lawn and as long as it's cut, that's all that matters. Like everything else, I do realize in general, with more practice, you should get better.

As far as getting mad, only really get mad being concearned for their safety and try to instill the fact that everyone does die sometime in their life, the trick is just don't go out stupid. The one boy on the zero turn really did seem to be getting cocky with his speed on the slope making turns when I was watching him and he didn't know it. That said, the other on the Kubota did get my attention (and I got his quick) out back when he wasn't looking behind him and almost backed into a tree (this goes along the lines of following instructions and the reasoning behind those instructions).

Yes, overall consider myself lucky that they are out working being that they aren't teenangers yet. I won't lie though, it's not like they wouldn't rather be playing with each other on the weekend or sleeping in LOL

We're still trying to figure out the bump in chore money. They both get $3 a week for helping around the house (goes into savings). My thought process is along the lines of a major bump for mowing and weed whacking (hourly rate), however, they then become responsible for the fuel, oil and any maintenance. IMO it makes no sense to give them a "raise" without realizing that you have operational costs associated with work as well. When we explained the concept of taxes, they both said they didn't think that seemed fair.

The area where the pic was taken is generally baled. Next week we're going to go to a field closer to the house that the one in the pic is going to practice working a a good square.

 

[2ndhalf]

Ha Ha brings back some memories. We had a ZTR that would go about 10 or 11mph and you could mow that fast in smooth areas but bumpy areas which we had plenty it would leave uncut grass from bouncing the deck up.

I was always telling our boys to slow down. Now it is just me mowing....

 

[Thomas]

Remember when you were young...er.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

Respect, consideration, and appreciation. Do not lie or be lazy. Own up to your mistakes and take responsibility. For kids, not all but most today they expect to get something---no lots for nothing. There is too much honey bobo and jerry springer, texts, tweets, social media and not enough butt kicking and being a parent. Of corse the parent has to be worth something to begin with. It's nice to hear that some want their kids to have values. But today for a parent to want their kids to grow up with values and have work toward something, you may just end up the misfit.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm 51 years old and I don't have any idea how to turn grass into hay. I understand the basics, but my ignorance in all the details is pretty complete. Sounds to me like you're sons are way ahead of the game compared to me!!!

 

[Sigarms]

Do not lie or be lazy. Own up to your mistakes and take responsibility. For kids, not all but most today they expect to get something---no lots for nothing. There is too much honey bobo and jerry springer, texts, tweets, social media and not enough butt kicking and being a parent.

Have to laugh. Both of my boys aren't teens yet, but we were doing a video on both mowers for maintenance (easy for them to watch and learn IMO, and God forbid if I'm not around, they have something to go off of other than the install manual). The one boy thought we were making a video to post on social media. This is the same boy who begged me to take a "funny" picture of him and now that I have it, he wants me to delete because he thinks it's way too embarrassing (it is, but he begged me to take it). Like I tell them, don't get a picture of yourself doing anything you don't want the world to know what you're doing, because you may think it's fun now, but later you could regret it. Kids today don't think IMO on what they actually put out there on themselves, including Facebook.

General rule with my boys is when they are in the pressense of adults and we aren't around, any adult has the right to put them in place if they do wrong. I do think way too many parents get offended too easily if their kids are behaving like brats in public and get offended if anyone says anything. Takes a village to raise a child IMO, now it seems that parents think it's only their own responsibility.

Best advice I got on raising kids is it's all a crap shoot and you do your best and pray likewise.

My parents taught me to try and do better than them, which is what I'm trying to teach to my own.

 

[gwstang]

..." be a willing helper and not want to be paid for every little thing they do. "

Wait! You mean that I did not have to pay the little varmints for the stuff they did to "Help" me? The stuff that I had to do over because they half-arsed did it in the first place? The stuff that I had to "Fix" just to be able to use whatever they had used and left for dead? I must have missed that part in the daddy classes when they were born? :laughing: I would "let" them help me and they would be so happy to have a hand in stuff. Of course, if I didn't find something for the boys to do....the red head would and that would be something they really did not like to do...you know like women folk stuff...moping floors or cleaning the tub...lol Me and them would sneak off and play "Injuns" in the woods....