To think neighbours are unreasonable making their son dig car out of snow?

[CookYourOwnDinner]

This kid looks about 14 I think. He was outside at 8am cleaning about 5-6 inches of snow off the family car, and still doing so when it started to snow again. Either way the wind was blowing a lot also, and it was biting.

Eventually he went in again, but now he’s back out to finish the car, and is currently shovelling snow off the drive.

(You may wonder why I’m looking but we have a big front room window and he’s literally right opposite, so it’s hard not to notice.)

He’s a lovely boy, and seems very obliging, but it’s an horrendous task, and besides this, he is often outside sweeping...

The dad seems to be very particular about his house frontage, and last summer he was mowing the lawn at 8:30 every fricking Sunday morning, and watered his lawn regularly. His was the only garden that had green grass. He often spent time sucking up leaves, and had his son helping, sometimes on his own with this weird broom thing, cleaning moss out from between the bricks on the drive.

I never see the girl being asked to do that, although who knows what chores she does indoors.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for children doing chores, but surely within reason...

I wouldn’t make my child do that in the snow... AIBU to feel this way? If I was physically fit to help, and it wouldn’t aggravate his parents, I’d go and help him.

I don’t know, maybe he likes it? But I can’t see a smile and he’s certainly not building a snowman. I just think let kids have fun in the snow ffs...

I asked DSS (15) to clear the snow off the roof of the car this morning as he's taller than me and I couldn't reach it! He didn't complain (which he does every time he's asked to empty the dishwasher), so can't have seen it as a particularly arduous task!

@Cookyourowndinner what chores do you think are within reasonable limits for a 14 year old boy.?

Erm, previous generations started work at 14. He's hardly going to come to any harm.

I used to do this for pocket money and sometimes a challenge. I liked that kind of jobs.

My guess is either (a) cash or (b) he is the one who wants a lift to his mate's house.

A teenager helping his parents! I was working on a stable yard at 13 years old mucking 30 horses out in the snow and ice and the baking sun. Did me no harm.

The young lads down the bottom of our cul de sac clear all the snow from paths and pavements every year. Each neighbour gives them a couple of quid. I'm assuming it must be lucrative as they have already been out there today.

Wait a minute. Getting kids to clear the snow is a thing. Dang...mine were out playing building snowmen while I cleared the car and the drive to get them to school. Now I no better. Lol.

And Lol doesn't mean Lol anymore? Do I have to stop using that?

OP I haven’t RTFT, but you are so clueless.

I’m Canadian, from a place where -13C isnt newsworthy as that’s the weather for 4 months of the year.

Teenagers clearing driveways and cars is NORMAL. Children de icing and clearing snow off cars is normal.

Shovelling snow is very demanding cardio and is a health risk for any adult with undiagnosed heart problems. I know perfectly healthy people who died suddenly after clearing their driveways. It happens a lot to middle aged people.

Having teenagers do it makes perfect sense. If he’s working well, there’s no way he’ll be cold as it’s quite demanding.

@RomanyRoots yeah but not all things we used to get children to do are normal these days are they? Like sending them down the mines for instance. Still, as I said earlier in the thread, I accept that snowing shovelling is not that bad of a task.

To PlainSpeaking I am in a polar vortex! Can’t you tell?

Seriously though it was extremely windy and snowing at the time and I had initially thought it was a bit much at 8am especially since the snow wasn’t done falling...

As for the question, what chores do I think a 14 year old should do; I think it’s different for different people. But usually anything that they make a mess of, they have to clean for themselves, ideally they learn how to do laundry, cooking, etc. Then it depends on other things. My son used to sweep leaves off our drive but he was caused a huge amount of pain by doing it because of his health issues, so I didn’t ask him to do it anymore after a while. I guess that’s coloured my view. I’m also suffering from a disabling condition so I guess I forget how much energy/how little pain a healthy person has, to do physical tasks with.

@CookYourOwnDinner

It was -50 in parts of the States yesterday. Where I am was -26 and we were saying it wasn't that cold.

Britain is not in a polar vortex ffs. It's well above freezing in most places.

Okay apparently I’m not good at jokes either. I know I’m not in a polar vortex.

My DS used to walk to school and clear the driveway there when it snowed. I'm not sure all the other kids were so keen to have school fully accessible!

Anyway - update for all you guys...

Snow kid has not built a snowman. I am very disappointed.

I however, have been in the garden playing with one of my kids making snow angels, throwing snowballs (one of which went through my eldest son’s bedroom window on the first floor up and landed on his keyboard - to which he exclaimed “OHMYGOD!” reshaped it, and threw it back at me)...

It was an accident but I was quite proud of my throw. Although I’ve made myself quite exhausted just from that!

So - snow kid across the road - I applaud you for doing such hard work!

My DS used to walk to school and clear the driveway there when it snowed. I'm not sure all the other kids were so keen to have school fully accessible!

I bet they weren’t! But what a lovely boy eh?

They must be thrilled to have such a nosey neighbour! Maybe they are concerned about your obsession with their child.

When I was 14 I would clear our driveway and paths as well as for elderly neighbours without being asked and always refusing payment - it was called being a good neighbour. To be concerned for the lad is very unreasonable - is this where the snowflake generation comes from?

@user1474894224 yeah, apparently “lol” is ironic - or so I’m told by my 11 year old now.

YABU. Wouldn't like to see what you'd make of the work a 14 year old would be expected to do on a farm! This!!!

I had to call DS 13 in yesterday from cleaning snow off my car in his school uniform. His hands were like ice. He said it was 'fun!'

ds(14) was out in snow (pitch was cleared) and -5 degrees in shorts/football socks with bare legs at 8:30 last night for an hour doing footie training by choice! He did concede to being a little bit cold and put on a pair of gloves.

I'm sure a bit of snow shovelling in daylight, wrapped up is fine! It is better for them than sitting inside in front of an xbox.

@Comeymemo I haven’t RTFT

Perhaps you should...

I already said I thought maybe I had got it wrong, but that’s because I’m so used to dealing with one of my children in particular being one of those who might be at risk from carrying out such an activity, and at the least would be caused a great deal of pain, and he’s only a few years older than snow kid across the drive.

@tillytrotter1 - it’s hardly an obsession!

You may disagree (and in fact now I think differently since people have made their points on this thread), but caring about your fellow humans isn’t a bad thing. Misguided maybe, but chill out! pun intended

You would have been horrified when DS was handed a shovel and told to clear his Primary School playground. Good life skill, good exercise, the kids loved it, and the playground was clear for the small ones at playtime.

OP fair point I should have read the thread, and well done on admitting your bias! ☺️

Still think it’s nothing to be concerned about though.

Did they go out,?

If so boy could have asked to go.
Dad said yeah go dig the car out.