child exploitation!! -what do you think??

embob74

Uncertain wrote: »

Year by year it got more and more difficult to get to work as the road was gridlocked by doubtless well intentioned parents who drove their children a few hundred yards or less in their Chelsea Tractors.
Seems to me a mixture of hysteria, affluence and wild over protection was not always in the child's best interest.

I would imagine nowadays there are a lot more working mums who simply don't have the time to walk their children to school and return home to pick up their car to then travel to work. Time, not hysteria was always the factor for me! As for affluence I am VERY aware of how much it costs me per mile in the car :eek: and would much rather a cheaper option.

emsywoo123

poet123 wrote: »

2.5 hours in darkness, and all weathers. I would prefer they were doing a sport or even just relaxing with a book. Each to their own.;)

I agree 100%....I agree that at this age a child can "earn" pocket money, but not like this. But yes, each to their own

Valli

ikati5 wrote: »

An adult wouldn't do it for £8.00 so why should a child?

Well then there are some VERY old kids delivering free papers, newspapers and leaflets round here...

yalisrib

DUTR wrote: »

As others have pointed out, fatal risk is not worth any price, At 13 I had a paper round, was £4.50 a week, and the older folk thought I was on megabucks, that was around the time that Carl Bridgewater was found on that farm :eek:

Crossing roads = getting run over
Playing on swings = falling off, hitting head and dying
Rain = getting wet and dying from hyperthermia
Putting the light on = touching something with electricty running through it and running the risk of getting fried.

You can shove your kids in front of an Xbox and then at the age of 18 wave them off to a world full of risks they are not prepared for, or let them take risks with rules attached so they learn to assess and manage them.

poet123

Vejovis wrote: »

last i looked sports were played during the hours of darkness and in all weathers. better to earn a few bob while getting cold and wet

There are indoor sports available, and outdoor sports played indoors during the winter.;)

yalisrib wrote: »

Crossing roads = getting run over
Playing on swings = falling off, hitting head and dying
Rain = getting wet and dying from hyperthermia
Putting the light on = touching something with electricty running through it and running the risk of getting fried.

You can shove your kids in front of an Xbox and then at the age of 18 wave them off to a world full of risks they are not prepared for, or let them take risks with rules attached so they learn to assess and manage them.

Most of those risks are unavoidable, doing a paper round is a choice.

Why is it either or?

My kids never did a paper round, but nor did they sit in front of an xbox all day, or go out into the world unable to assess risk.

PusscatT

My 14yo son has just got a job delivering magazines once a month. He does the whole village (about 180 houses) and is paid around £29 if there's leaflets. Takes him about 3 or 4 hours all told, so not bad money at all! I'm proud that he wants to earn his own money and it helps him to be responsible. After all, there's nothing worse than going out in the cold and rain to deliver papers when the new Xbox game is out, but at least he can buy it himself!

Uncertain

poet123 wrote: »

...... and outdoor sports played indoors during the winter..

That must make for an interesting game of Rugby!

Vejovis

poet123 wrote: »

There are indoor sports available, and outdoor sports played indoors during the winter.;)



Most of those risks are unavoidable, doing a paper round is a choice.

Why is it either or?

My kids never did a paper round, but nor did they sit in front of an xbox all day, or go out into the world unable to assess risk.

my children played outdoor sports outdoors in the winter, none of them were harmed by the darkness or the cold.

poet123

Vejovis wrote: »

my children played outdoor sports outdoors in the winter, none of them were harmed by the darkness or the cold.

So have mine, but they were not doing it because it was a job, or alone, or in all weather (games are called off when it is too wet) Papers are delivered in all weathers, for money, and they are usually alone. Tbh, I can think of better things for my kids to do, and fortunately they agree. You don't have to.

Oldernotwiser

poet123 wrote: »

So have mine, but they were not doing it because it was a job, or alone, or in all weather (games are called off when it is too wet) Papers are delivered in all weathers, for money, and they are usually alone. Tbh, I can think of better things for my kids to do, and fortunately they agree. You don't have to.

A daily paper round I'd quite agree but I don't think an evening a week's a problem.

Neither do I think that children are harmed by being out in the rain - as my mother used to say, "You're not a lump of sugar, you won't melt!"

We played sports in all weathers when I was at school; hockey was only cancelled when we'd damage the turf!