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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that MIL is taking the piss ?

70 replies

nerfbullet · 05/08/2013 17:14

My 14 year old son has readily agreed to help his Gran/my MIL to do some grafting in her very big garden for payment. He is keen to do this since £5 pocket money doesn't go far and doesn't stretch to the odd cinema / pizza hut trip out. He found out today on his second stint, that she is giving him £2 per hour. She said I think the minimum wage is about £6 so I think that £2 is about right. Of course he didn't know what to say so politely said that's fine. Any thoughts on this, I personally think she is taking the piss! She is certainly not short of a bob or thousand ...

OP posts:
TeamEdward · 05/08/2013 17:16

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maddening · 05/08/2013 17:16

Yanbu she is - a gardener is about £ 10-12 per hour.

NotYoMomma · 05/08/2013 17:16

well thats really something that should have been sorted first surely :/

get your DH to have a word. of not just say no to any further help

LindyHemming · 05/08/2013 17:17

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AnnabelleLee · 05/08/2013 17:18

a gardener may be 10-12 an hour, but he is not a gardener!
You/he should have discussed payment before he started working, not after. 4-5£ an hour sounds about right.

Original poster
nerfbullet · 05/08/2013 17:19

I think about £5 too. Problem was it was just a casual arrangement she made with my son and it would have been awkward for us to ask how much she was thinking of paying. Despite what I think of her (not a lot) I really expected her to be fair on this one. Yes I think its one for the DH. The joke is they are loaded ! Thanks all!

OP posts:
hermioneweasley · 05/08/2013 17:20

Perhaps he should be helping his grandmother without being paid?

notallytuts · 05/08/2013 17:20

NMW is £3.68 for under 18s. I used to do cleaning for my Mum for £2.50/£3 an hour (~10 years ago!) - this meant it cost her the same to have the house cleaned as if she paid the pro cleaner as I was obviously much slower.

you cant expect a 14yro to be paid the same as a professional gardener, but £2 an hour is a bit low IMO!

Feelslikea1sttimer · 05/08/2013 17:20

The minimum wage for an apprentice under 19 is £2.68 so the £2 an hour is not too bad...

But I also give my 14 year old more than £5 pocket money so I would say it's all relative, she maybe thinks its generous in comparison?!

And I guess it is his choice if he wants to do the work, leave him to it, it'll keep him out of mischief and if he is anything like mine off the PS3!!!

Original poster
nerfbullet · 05/08/2013 17:22

Nice sentiment Hermione I agree, but twice a week for three hours each time in rain or shine, not to mention a 25 min cycle each way...

OP posts:
phantomnamechanger · 05/08/2013 17:22

presumably, he has not signed a contract and is free to quit without notice.
then she has the option of either employing a professional, or being a bit more generous to her grandson (still saving herself money)

(lets face it, not many 14yo boys would work like a Trojan for £2 an hour, they'd rather be attached to a computer/game)

Nonotthatagain · 05/08/2013 17:23

Minimum wage for under 18s is actually £3.72 per hour my DDI (nearly 17) gets this for working in tearooms! My DS18 gets £5.03 for temporary office work!

phantomnamechanger · 05/08/2013 17:25

come on Hermione, the GM is taking the piss - this is not about him not helping his GM and being a selfish money grabber. she is BVU! Gardening is hard work and OP has said she is not short of cash - so her only motivation is she is too mean to pay the going rate for a gardener, and is using slave labour instead.

Nonotthatagain · 05/08/2013 17:27

Sorry cross post with others ( these are rates from Oct they get £3.68 &4.98 at moment)

lovecupboards · 05/08/2013 17:30

£2/hr is a pisstake and exploitation. If I was feeling cynical I would suggest this typifies the attitude of older generations who expect today's youth to work themselves into the ground for a pittance in order to fund over generous pensions and oap perks..

NatashaBee · 05/08/2013 17:33

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HoikyPoiky · 05/08/2013 17:37

£2 is way too little. I think £5 for reasonably hard work would be fair.

PoodleFlavouredFreddos · 05/08/2013 17:49

£2 isn't much at all, but it has been decided now, it might be hard to go against the agreement they have made.

WhoNickedMyName · 05/08/2013 17:53

I think £2 an hour isn't bad for a 14 year old, and a fiver a week pocket money is not much at all.

quoteunquote · 05/08/2013 18:03

rather than pay per hour, pay per task, then she won't have to worry about how long it takes him,

£5 to completely weed a bed, £15 to do all the hedges,

Has she had a quote off a gardener?

Charlesroi · 05/08/2013 18:08

I think £2 is a bit low. How about this:
DS: Hi Gran, are you happy with my work? Yes? Great - how about a rise to £2.75?
He could do the old 'cheeky glinnt in the eye this might be a joke' routine. Or he could find a better job and start a bidding war/

HormonalHousewife · 05/08/2013 18:09

What is she actually asking him to do ?

Gardening is hard work. I think £2 is mean.

IcedCoffeeQueen · 05/08/2013 18:16

Helping out his gran for 6 hours a week id say 25 pound should do it why an hourly charge she's family not an employer

ajandjjmum · 05/08/2013 18:58

Do you think she might just be teasing, and will come up with a nice big bonus once he's shown willing?

IloveJudgeJudy · 05/08/2013 19:07

My DS2, also 14, has recently done some work for DM (his GM) in the garden. He mowed the front and back garden and did some strimming. She made him a lovely lunch, gave him some Coke to take home with him and took him there and back. Sometimes I take him there and back, it just depends. Sometimes he will cycle there himself (about 2 miles).

I do think £2 per hour is quite stingy myself. I think more £10 per session is better, or so much per job. He's not got much incentive to work well, has he?