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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

116 replies

CookYourOwnDinner · 01/02/2019 11:05

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...

OP posts:
FairfaxAikman · 01/02/2019 15:01

Every winter I'd clear the drives of every elderly resident in my street - voluntarily.
Now I've moved away a new generation of kids is doing the same.
If you're wrapped up warm it's fine.

Purpleartichoke · 01/02/2019 15:09

I regularly shoveled our entire 2 car wide and 3 car length long driveway younger then that. It wasn’t for pocket money either, just a chore that had to be done.

And typing that was almost painful because it totally sounds like walking to school uphill both ways with no shoes, but it was just a normal task.

Fatasfook · 01/02/2019 15:13

There is no problem with this. There is a huge problem with seeing a problem it’s this.

Fatasfook · 01/02/2019 15:13

With not it’s

Satsumaeater · 01/02/2019 15:19

Did they actually use the car or was he digging it out for the sake of it? If the latter it would seem unreasonable.

And watering lawns is always unreasonable. A massive waste of water.

misses point of thread

Smeeeeeee · 01/02/2019 15:25

😂😂 my kids love clearing the snow.

BonfiresOfInsanity · 01/02/2019 15:26

Um, my 14yo DS cleared our rather large drive this morning without blackmail or bribery. He's almost six foot tall and a lot healthier and fitter than me so I really don't see why it would be a problem. Hmm

bigknickersbigknockers · 01/02/2019 15:27

its learning life skills.

sewingbeezer · 01/02/2019 15:32

We live rurally and all the older boys (around 8 upwards) help out on the farms. I've seen young teens driving tractors.
OP, do you live somewhere where it only snows occasionally?

AmethystMoon · 01/02/2019 15:34

My Dad, now in his early 70s used to get up at 5am to chop wood for the fire every day, whatever the weather, from a much younger age than 14yrs. It was his part in helping the family and he’s survived very well.
I’m fairly sure he’d have merrily swapped for clearing a few inches of snow off of the car and drive way Grin

CookYourOwnDinner · 01/02/2019 15:34

Satsuma, I’m inclined to agree. And no, they have not gone anywhere all day. But hey, TBH, i didn’t know that when I posted - for all I knew they might’ve been going somewhere very important and nobody else was well enough.

OP posts:
BonfiresOfInsanity · 01/02/2019 15:35

And he didn't want to build a snowman with me and DS2 either, just went back in after and onto the Xbox. I'm sure he'll be interested in snowman making again once he's got past the 'it's not cool' phase.

CookYourOwnDinner · 01/02/2019 15:39

Oh but it is cool. COLD in fact! Grin

OP posts:
cloudtree · 01/02/2019 15:41

Ha ha! Mine have had to help shovel snow off the driveway since they were about 6. They are now 11 and 14. This is not an easy task since our driveway is about 1/4 mile long (we only shovel one section of it). No money changes hands - they live in the house, they have to contribute to the running and upkeep of the house.

I'm glad you've realised YABU.

Backwoodsgirl · 01/02/2019 15:41

Nothing wrong with it at all, here in the US it’s a job all the kids do.

Neighbors kids charge $20 a driveway

Alwayscheerful · 01/02/2019 17:38

Yes. Learning life skills, perseverance and work ethic.

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