Giving neighbouring kids little jobs to do for a bit of pocket money?

[Foreverlodger]

We have a fairly normal neighbourly relationship with next door - put bins out for each other when we forget, make small talk, share the occasional garden tools with each other but we’ve never been each other’s houses.

They’ve got 3 kids (12? 14? 16?) who seem pretty sensible (no worries of them using our keys for a house party/stealing). I asked their mum in passing if any of her kids wanted to water our house plants for a £5 a go - they’d be left in the utility so they’d just have to let themselves in, fill up the jug, water them and lock the door behind them but I’d explain where everything was if she wanted to send one over before we went.

She’s sheepishly came over to say that her kids are impossible to do anything outside of their bedrooms and that she’ll happily do it for free. I’ve sorted it out as I didn’t want to be a CF.

DP said it was really weird offering in the first place but I don’t really think it is? As a kid I would have jumped at the chance to earn £15 as a kid and I often did vacuuming out cars/running down the shop/bit of weeding/posting Christmas cards for neighbours for a couple of quid but maybe that’s because half the time I asked if anyone needed a hand?

No, not weird at all! My 10 year old would have taken that job VERY seriously

I think it was a lovely idea. I guess the kids must have no need for the money, perhaps they get a load of pocket money or everything bought/paid for for them. I'd be pretty disappointed in them if I was their mother tbh.

I don’t think that’s weird at all. I would have loved that as a kid. A bit of responsibility and a bit of earnings - hell yeah!

I would be mortified to be their mother.

This is a very standard thing where I live - watering plants and gardens, feeding cats, taking in post. All done by youngsters who are delighted by the trust and the money.

Don’t think it’s weird at all, I think it’s great!

Not weird at all.

Yes a lovely offer OP. My teens would have bitten your hand off. They are most disappointed in me that I don't know any families with primary aged kids any more and therefore can't facilitate babysitting opportunities for them.

Not weird at all! One of the children on my street , if she spots me coming back with heavy bags then she runs out to lock my car and open my door and says "£1 PLEASE"
I think she's about 5 and it cracks me up every time

She is doing her children a disservice to not let them have some responsibility. It should be a simple learning thing.

It’s a little bit odd on your part. I’m not surprised teenagers aren’t motivated for a fiver. Primary aged kids, maybe…

Why wouldn’t you water your own house plants? Especially If you’re moving them all into the utility room? Or are you going away, in which case how regular would this job be? Is it £5 every week, every month, whenever you remember?

Why wouldn’t you just ask your neighbour? I would much rather do a small reciprocal favour than a barely-paid “job”, even as a child. I used to feed my neighbour’s cat as a teenager when they were on holiday.

Aww my 8 year old would jump at the chance for this. All she would think would be £5 for robux .

Not weird at all.

In my street the neighbours kids have set up a cracking business washing cars in the summer.
Admittedly the bucket of water and sponge is a little dirty by the time they get to my house, but they wash my tyres and number plate.
They are really busy on my street.

£5 seems extremely generous for what must be a 5–10 minute job. Maybe because you wanted to pay such a high amount she feels like it's charity or something?

@NMC2022 thats adorable

I would have been delighted with that as a child or teen. Partly for the money but more for the validation that I was seen as trustworthy and reliable. I feel a bit sorry for your neighbor actually, she must be having a tough time with 3 kids who won't motivate themselves even that much!

@MasterBeth

I did think a fiver was a little stingy but it would literally take a couple of minutes of their day. I only really needed it done once but I thought that a couple of times would make it worth it (ten minutes out of their Xmas holiday for a tenner) but as there’s 3 kids (wasn’t expecting the 16 year old to jump at it but you never know) I thought three times might save an argument of who gets it or one kid might end up with £15.

I also thought if one of them did this ‘job’ for me I could probably find them other things during the year that couldn’t be bothered to do and didn’t want them thinking if they get £10 for 2 minutes work that they’d be hard done by for 30 minutes of raking leaves for the same amount.

I thought primary age would probably be too young with having to unlock and lock the door behind them.

@INeedNewShoes

£5 seems extremely generous for what must be a 5–10 minute job. Maybe because you wanted to pay such a high amount she feels like it's charity or something?

She's not the one objecting though her kids don't want to do it

My 11yo would jump at the chance but would need to be supervised, my 15yo would feel a bit awkward and probably need me to come along assist the first time but would agree. I would love someone to ask them though, it's a good step towards being more independent and working for money.

[quote MintyGreenDream]@NMC2022 thats adorable[/quote]
I try and grab some sweets when I remember so sometimes she gets paid in Freddos

Yanbu whatsoever. However maybe the mum feels her children are less responsible than they seem and she doesn't want them in your home unsupervised in case they break something, make a mess etc. I would have had your hand off for the extra pocket money, as would my 11 yo DD.

Absolutely not weird at all!! I would have snatched their hand off!! I had part time seasonal jobs from the age of 13, I loved having money in my pocket having earned it myself. Youngsters these days seem to get expensive stuff handed to them on a plate. So many Youngsters getting cars for their 18th birthdays etc. I got a Leo Sayer album for my 18th!!

I have kids similar ages and hear about this sort of thing. Some kids are money oriented and would jump at the chance. Some get enough pocket money and don't have the desire. I would have done it, and I think 1 of mine would the other 2 less so.

Don't find it odd either.

It's common around my town for teens to do some car washing and gardening for elderly residents.

One paid my friends kid £50 for removing a tree root. It took him 5 hours so good rate!

[quote Foreverlodger]@MasterBeth

I did think a fiver was a little stingy but it would literally take a couple of minutes of their day. I only really needed it done once but I thought that a couple of times would make it worth it (ten minutes out of their Xmas holiday for a tenner) but as there’s 3 kids (wasn’t expecting the 16 year old to jump at it but you never know) I thought three times might save an argument of who gets it or one kid might end up with £15.

I also thought if one of them did this ‘job’ for me I could probably find them other things during the year that couldn’t be bothered to do and didn’t want them thinking if they get £10 for 2 minutes work that they’d be hard done by for 30 minutes of raking leaves for the same amount.

I thought primary age would probably be too young with having to unlock and lock the door behind them.[/quote]
I don’t know… it just sounds somewhere between a real job and an unpaid favour. You’re not being mean to give a fiver for a few minutes activity, but monetising it in that way makes it into something it’s not.

It’s a bit different to kids doing a “round” of car washing or dog walking or whatever, where kids can earn a decent wedge if they work hard. It’s because it only needs doing once or twice that it becomes more like the kind of thing a neighbour does for nothing and you bring them a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates as a thank-you.

Not weird at all! My kids would do this without a second thought!