These dang kids today

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Hired someone to do odd jobs for me. First day went pretty well. Today would have been second day. He was supposed to start at 4. He texts me saying do you really want me to come, given it's raining. I said yes, we'll have something for you to do. He replies "OK see you at 4:15" but I didn't see that post until he didn't show up at 4 and I checked my messages. So first I was ready to work with him at 4; then I got ready to work with him at 4:15. Then he texts he's running a little late, sorry about that, but he'll be here by 4:35. At 4:37 I text back saying never mind, I don't want to start your shift this late and I don't like last minute changes of plans.

I know what he THOUGHT. He THOUGHT I was a little old lady with nothing to do with her time (wrong!) and he could dictate when he was going to show up, after he got his errands done or whatever. He THOUGHT I was lucky to get someone like him to work for me. He was wrong.

We did not make any future arrangements but I doubt he'll contact me again and I won't contact him. I'd rather take my chances with someone new.

Not all "kids" act that way

The one you hired, does not (necessarily) act like that all the time

Furthermore plenty of adults act that way


You can hire anyone you want

You can hire adults



But no need to make vague statements about an entire generation ("Those Dang Kids Today ")


If a company made those statements, it could get sued for age discrimination

Sometimes, it's the parents...

A couple of kids came around offering to clear some brush from my backyard for $20 each. They were about 16, and seemed to actually want to work, so I said okay. At the end of the day, the results were impressive, so I paid them $25 each and asked them to come back the next day and finish the job.

The next day, their parents showed up and threatened me with legal action for forcing their children to perform manual labor, and for allowing them to use 'dangerous' tools (i.e., axes, loppers, machetes, et cetera). It didn't matter to them that they volunteered, because I "... should have known that a child cannot enter into a contract without a parent's consent" (or something like that).

Then one of them told me that their labor was worth more than the $50 I had shelled out, and that if I gave the parents $50 more as 'compensation', they would drop the whole matter.

"Call my lawyer", I says.

Had to finish the job myself.

Oy!

People should just be more responsible. That's the whole point. Kid or no kid.