Son Number 2

[Cloud]

My youngest son who is19!!!! Text me to see if my boss could give him a job.I said that there was nothing but gave him a number to ring of a company that I know who want people.This was at 11 this morning.My son text me at 6 and wanted to know what time they were there till?!?
Does that sound like someone who wants to really work????????

[lynda66]

lol, maybe the text was delayed??

[Cloud]

Far short of physically dragging him there,What can I do???

[kirsty b]

I don't think they have any sense of urgency
Got a 17yo stepson. Is working as an occasional labourer for a friend of the family but the work is not all that regular. He is making no effort to look for a full time job in the meantime. I'm sure he thinks one will fall into his lap!
He's planning on going to the factory where his dad works on permanent nights once he turns 18 (that way he travels in and out with dad)
In the meantime he's paying peanuts for his keep (only if he's worked that week) and dossing about doing sweet FA to help round the house if he's not working.
It must be something about the age, even though at 17 I was in 6th form and doing my weekend job too.

Its the old cliche Cloud, you can take a horse to water, yada yada...
Honestly though, I'd like to give my personal horse a right good kick up the @rse.

[Alice]

It's a wonderful world and I don't know how it works.
What I do know is in the world I grew up in if you don't work you don't eat.
That applied to men, women and children.
Everybody worked.
Now we pay perfectly able people not to work and they really believe the world owes them a living.
I don't see a solution. If we don't just give them the money, they'll just take it.

[BrideXIII]

beware of tarring everyone with the same brush.
however that's another topic and one i am very sensitive about.
suffice to say even in some families living on benefits through no choice of their own the work ethic is still strong.
My 14 year old earns his own money by working at the butchers on saturdays.
My 12 year old earns his meagre ( by todays standards) allowance by completing a serious amount of chores in a week.
both pay their own mobile phone contracts, xbox live accounts, and online gaming accounts,none of which I could afford to get for them, and still manage to buy their poor ole mum a box of chocs every now and then.
we have never had anything , and they really do understand the value of what they do have, and the sense of achievement that comes from doing things for yourself.
I guess I just wanted to say i am proud of 'em, mea culpa.

[BrideXIII]

beware of tarring everyone with the same brush.
however that's another topic and one i am very sensitive about.
suffice to say even in some families living on benefits through no choice of their own the work ethic is still strong.
My 14 year old earns his own money by working at the butchers on saturdays.
My 12 year old earns his meagre ( by todays standards) allowance by completing a serious amount of chores in a week.
both pay their own mobile phone contracts, xbox live accounts, and online gaming accounts,none of which I could afford to get for them, and still manage to buy their poor ole mum a box of chocs every now and then.
we have never had anything , and they really do understand the value of what they do have, and the sense of achievement that comes from doing things for yourself.
I guess I just wanted to say i am proud of 'em, mea culpa.

[jackie j]

My youngest son will be 21 next month and he is the same he thinks a job will fall in his lap. He stays in his room and doesnt get up, however he is not claiming any money, he hasnt got phone credit so we have to phone him, he doesnt have money to catch the bus for any interviews should he get one. If he applies for a job he doesnt get a reply and I think this is part of the problem, His writing is terrible so he comes to a halt at the first block.
He doesnt live with us so I dont have to feed him but I do help him occasionaly, he has to learn to stand on his own two feet, no job means no money means cant go out etc.
He has been lucky just last week, one of his older brother's girlfriends is a manager of a large drinks company and she has given him a full time job BUT she will not stand for any nonsense from him, he has to be on time even though its two bus rides away from him, he has to be smart in his appearence, dont go sick unless he really is as that is why he usually looses jobs he makes up lame excuses.
We will see how long this lasts.

[kirsty b]

beware of tarring everyone with the same brush.
however that's another topic and one i am very sensitive about.
suffice to say even in some families living on benefits through no choice of their own the work ethic is still strong.
My 14 year old earns his own money by working at the butchers on saturdays.
My 12 year old earns his meagre ( by todays standards) allowance by completing a serious amount of chores in a week.
both pay their own mobile phone contracts, xbox live accounts, and online gaming accounts,none of which I could afford to get for them, and still manage to buy their poor ole mum a box of chocs every now and then.
we have never had anything , and they really do understand the value of what they do have, and the sense of achievement that comes from doing things for yourself.
I guess I just wanted to say i am proud of 'em, mea culpa.

They sound like lovely lads.
Just goes to show not all kids are the same.
My second stepson of 14 has a bit more drive than eldest. Does day release from school to college for a motor mechanics course, rescues old bikes from local dump fixes them up and sells them to get money, and when he has money he hangs on to it unti he sees something he wants instead of just spending for the sake of it.

[lynda66]

my son's friend has been trying to get a job for the last 6 months, there is just no replies to applications, no offers of interviews, nothing to spur them on, he was working at comet around college, but was made redundant, so he's gone back to college for a 3rd year, cos at least he gets his ema .... he wants an apprenticeship, but there just aren't any out there..... it's quite sad really, that those who aren't able to go to university, just don't seem to get chances.

he has just taken over sons job on the market, as he can work round college, but on minimum wage, it's not what he wants to spend his life doing ..... he wants to be a crane driver/mechanic, but will do anything in the mean time.... i'm sure his drive will be rewarded one day .... if he doesn't give up hope in the mean time.

[tootles]

I am starting to understand why people aren't too bothered about working. When we moved and husband was made redundant, we informed everyone. We ahve just recieved a thing from the tax credit people - I was staggered at the amount they were trying to pay us NOT to work. We aren't elegible for any of it though (odd how they got the 'not working' part of the letter, but not the 'moved abroad' bit). Add to that child benefit, unemployment benefit and I am surprised anyone works. Something is seriously wrong with the system...

[Cloud]

Gave my son a number to ring for a job.I got a text back saying"Wot do I say"?????
I told him to use his initiative."Wots that then"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alice]

You must be very proud of your children Bride. Sounds like you've done a great job on them. Best wishes to you all.
I hope you didn't think I was having a go at people on benefits - far from it.
I'm happy to pay my taxes to help the aged, the infirm, children from disadvantaged homes,and people who genuinely need help. I spent my whole working life helping and looking after other people.
What I was saying is there is a minority out there who have decided not to work, or who just don't get the picture. I do grudge my taxes for them.