Question for Stockwell and others who have CCing kids.

[Mikey P]

My son is moving out this weekend.

He does not want to go to school right now and he found a better deal (so he thinks) than the deal we offered him.

He wants a car and now has to buy his own food and share the bills with his room mates.

The kid has been pretty spoiled up till now. This will be a great experience for him.





But now he wants lots of ours working for good ol' Dad.


How did you work your kids into the biz at first so you didn't lose money by employing them?

 

[bob vawter]

My son is moving out this weekend.

He does not want to go to school right now and he found a better deal (so he thinks) than the deal we offered him.

He wants a car and now has to buy his own food and share the bills with his room mates.

The kid has been pretty spoiled up till now. This will be a great experience for him.





But now he wants lots of ours working for good ol' Dad.


How did you work your kids into the biz at first so you didn't lose money by employing them?

keep the boy AWAY from the Patrón Tequila....
or theres a good chance he will become a magic marker rodeo clown........
SHOW him this post PLUS tell him he held his mud purty good......

 

[Ryan]

My advice... for what little its worth... by him a M-5 and wand for a gift. If he is as independent as his dad I doubt he will work well with you.. just saying.

 

[The Great Oz]

He's out of the house and wants to be treated as an adult. OK, do it.

Let employee (son) know you want him to succeed in life, so during working hours Dad-Pal is gone. You will now require more responsibility of him and he will be subject to the standards of any employee. Let him know that if wants a flexible schedule, shows up late, quality slips or he's difficult to work with you will warn him once then let him go. Follow through and fire him if he needs it. This is important.

If you have even one employee give yourself some separation by putting that employee in charge. I let employees and my son know (talking to them together) that kids get no special treatment, if his lead man thinks he isn't cutting it he gets one warning and then gets released. This has worked well for us, but my son knew I was serious.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

What Bryan said.

I was informed at 13 that at work I was to call my father "Lee" and not "Dad". I was low man on the pay scale and had to earn raises and incentives like everyone else. I was also held to a higher standard of performance, and was told so, because the employees expected I'd get favoritism.

Just like Bryan said, I got warning slips for violations of workplace rules, chewed out twice as badly and twice as often, and was expected to do the crappiest work (literally): Toilet cleaning, truck cleaning, feeding the predatory guard dog that bit everybody, pick up of urine soaked rugs, tear out work in fire jobs, sewage clean up when tennis shoes and bare hands were the PPE of the day.

But it earned me the respect of the other employees, and ultimately of my father.

Your potential biggest problem could be Paula. I don't know her at all (other than she must be an extremely tolerant and indulgent wife). If she's as tolerant and indulgent of her son as she is of her husband, she might not take the "he's just like any other employee" rule too well.

My mother didn't, and sparks flew frequently at home at night.

I learned to hide work related issues from her, as problems with her at home translated to very bad days at work the next day!

If he can hold up to those sorts of rules, it will be an excellent character building experience for him.

 

[Newman]

I assume that by a better deal you mean that you are charging him rent to stay at home, and now it is time for him to face the real world!

When my son started with me, we butted heads and disagreed a lot. I wanted it my way. In a short time I realized that his goal was great quality and service, he just achieved it a bit differently. My son never understood the Boss / Employee relationship. In his mind he was an equal partner from the first day he wielded the wand. I nurtured him throughout his life to be a leader, an independent sprit, and that is who he has become. Now my daughter wants to work with me this summer….

If Davis is out there doing jobs, you are not going broke. Support him, give him more hours, and give him that old sofa in the basement for his new crib. Remember Mikey, the fruit does not fall far from the tree.

 

[The Preacher]

why not have him start his own biz? he can be yore "fiddy cent"!!!

congrates on having a biz he wants to be a part of. if he has the desire to blow customer away with OCD quality like you, he'll have a nicer house than you, and you may end up living in his basement!!! :shock:

PS teach him about living on a budget now if you haven't done so already. and let him know that someone will be the mommy in a room mate living arrangement!!!

 

[bob vawter]

I liked Davis...
although i THINK i skerrt him a bit!

 

[ronbeatty]

Mike,

Both of my sons and my daughter have worked for me through the years. One of the boys could not show up on time, or pay attention to his responsibilities. He was warned and then let go. He dropped out of college because he didn't like people telling him when to have his work completed. He has to do things the hard way and I gave him the FREEDOM to experience it himself.
The other boy worked when you needed him, finished college, got married, stayed married, got a good job. He didn't mind people telling him what they expected, and then doing it.
My daughter has never had a B in her life, goes to college in California, completes what ever you ask of her and has been a pleasure to raise.
My reason for the reply is, our children are all different, even though they were brought up with the same expectations. We have tried to make them as independent as possible, as early as possible. I think your son's decision to move out, even if it doesn't last, may be a really good lesson to learn.

 

[billyeadon]

What Bryan said.

Just like Bryan said, I got warning slips for violations of workplace rules, chewed out twice as badly and twice as often, and was expected to do the crappiest work (literally): Toilet cleaning, truck cleaning, feeding the predatory guard dog that bit everybody, pick up of urine soaked rugs, tear out work in fire jobs, sewage clean up when tennis shoes and bare hands were the PPE of the day.

The bad part is Jim is talking about his week last week.

 

[KevinL]

Did you just call Mikey a fruit? I thought the term was nut. Did I just call Mikey a nut?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

The bad part is Jim is talking about his week last week.

The work is different, the terror remains...

 

[Desk Jockey]

We have both my son and Dan's son in our business both are good employees both have completely different goals for their career here.

Gabe my son is happy just NOT to be in school, I've managed to force him through three semesters but it's still not taking. He would rather work here no matter how menial a job we throw at him, which we give him the shit since he is not in school. He worked cleaning soot in an attic all day yesterday. LOL

I plan on making him go back again in the fall.

Dan's son is a carpet crew leader and a lead on the On Call team. However he is still in his early twenties and so while he is a very responsible kid he is also young and wants to have time to party. He wants to stay with the business and work his way up. Like your son he would like more money.

What we tell all of our employees, including our sons is there is no money paid for just being here another year. You earn the money by taking on more responsibility.

Give Davis more, but not more for doing what he is already doing, make him earn it. More responsibility, have him do all your late or weekend work but pay him a premium.

You could also give him a percent of new business and send him out prospecting between or after jobs. If there is more in it for him that might be the incentive he is looking for and it would bring in additional sales.

 

[XTREME1]

if he has any entrepreneurial skills or ideas he doesn't have to be in carpet cleaning. I would try to make sure he didn't work for someone just to work but to learn. The education is better than the dollar when you are young. Try to get him to decide what type of business he is interest is and feed that. My oldest is a horrible carpet cleaner so I have tried to get him to run rich cleaner seminars, actually he is a hell of a draftsman and interns at an architectural firm. He is already getting good experience before he graduates high school

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I liked Davis...
although i THINK i skerrt him a bit!

Bawb, he probably thought you were someone like Dennis Hopper in "Blue Velvet"

You don't carry nitrous oxide around now do you?

 

[Bjorn]

"I was informed at 13 that at work I was to call my father "Lee" and not "Dad". I was low man on the pay scale and had to earn raises and incentives like everyone else. I was also held to a higher standard of performance, and was told so, because the employees expected I'd get favoritism. "

has anything really changed Jim except your 50 and still his favorite son.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Other than the fact that I'm overpaid? No, not much!

Seriously, I'm grateful to have him running our websites, supervising both our telemarketers and email marketing as well as preparing our Cleantip each week. To have his help and his keen mind at 78 here is a blessing.

 

[truckmount girl]

You are all missing the excellent point Jim Pemberton made.

It is often not the relationship with the child that suffers nearly as much as the relationships with OTHER family members. If you fire your kid, you can bet SOMEONE in the family is going to have a problem with it...mom, grandma, grandpa, sister, uncle....never mind if there is an EX in the woodwork: "He just fired you because you're smarter than him, and he's threatened by that" or "He fired you because you're my son and he wants to hurt me and spend the money on his little tramp of a new wife" or you will get pressure from others..."Now that you fired KID, he was forced to move in with me (grandparent, sibling, etc.) and he's going to lose his car and his credit rating will be shot and how will he find a decent job with no car and bad credit?".

Be sure there will be implications and repurcussions that affect your extended family and friends.

Certainly, you don't want to give hours that aren't there to give, if you do, you start cutting into profit and your personal lifestyle can be cramped...the wife may push either way on that...

You tread on thin ice, my dear friend....BUT that is your style.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[FB7777]

thanks for all the personal experience here guys... my boys are both still fairly young, but its nice to hear how you all have managed to get your kids involved


too bad stockwell hasn't chimed in but he's prolly sleeping in after he had to bang out a steakhouse that the bosses kid blew off cuz he was up all night playing Halo on Xbox

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Spending time with my wife.

I could write a book, but will spare you. Your son will likely NOT end up being your "employee"...it's too painful.

I raised five excellent kids, and they all are great cleaners. I made them all get jobs elsewhere for at least a year before coming back "officially".

Each kid is different and has different goals and motivators. I certainly wasn't an ideal teacher either. My relationship with each as a PERSON was more important that business. Great for family, probably hindered the business.

Jeremy: Perfectionist and leader. Best installer in the region (and that's not just dad talking) Just got his own TM.

Joshua: Was my best cleaner. Got an OSHA degree, worked as a safety engineer for major construction company and now loss-prevention for big insurance company.

Jason: Best attitude. Still cleans carpets in August, but lives in Nicaragua with his wife and children doing work similar to Steve T.

Ginger: could outwork, and definately outcharm the boys. Helped me immensely when I got hurt. Motherhood is her fulltime job now.

Justin: Too much like me. He bought Jason's part of the business and to keep peace it was better that he have his own "stand alone" business. He's very people-oriented and is a go getter. Hates the Internet though...considers it a waste. (sometimes he's right)

Five great kids. None of them now work "for" me, though each would help in a heartbeat. I'm good with that.

Thanks,
Lee

 

[Mikey P]

Thread of the month IMO.

 

[Jeff]

I've only been fired once in all my 27 years working, and it was by my father when I was 15. By the way my younger brother got canned the same time, we thought we had it rough so we voiced our opinion. It took us a week but we got hired back on, never had a problem again with his expectations of us.

5 boys in my family and all of us started in the family business under our father, he played no favorites and his expectations were the same with us and any other employee. Not one of us boys have ever had a problem providing for our families. We were taught how to work hard.

By the way... 9 kids in my family so my father knew how to work as well.

 

[hogjowl]

I really wish I could use my son in my business. We are close, but we just can't work together well. We get along fine, but he is just too absent minded at this point in his life to survive me. Last time he cleaned with me he left a 6 x 10 foot dirty patch right in the middle of a 20x20 room. He rolled up his hoses and was ready to go when I decided to check his work.

He's always doing stuff like that ... drives me crazy.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Marty at that age his mind is on girls and partying, how can you blame him? :wink:

It's a tough one but you need to let him get yelled at by the customer.

When we train our WDR guys we try to take them back to see what they did wrong. Nothing makes you more responsible than to have to answer for the work you performed. The next time around he will be sure to inspect his work.

He's young, keep pushing him, he will be fine.

 

[Mark Saiger]

Our middle daughter is our full tiime employee. She has been a challenge (and a beauty school drop out). She is now a very good employee and can clean carpets, remove stains, move and block furniture, what ever it takes. She is lucky if she is 90 pounds sopping wet. It has been a tough year at times since she has days where she will call in sick and get lazy. We have gotten to a point to let her figure out when she gets low on money, she know she has to work. She bought a house last year and is doing fine. She loves water damages and does a great job of monitoring and figuring out how to get things dry fast. She also just got certified on Tuesday for the new Lead based paint guidelines. She had the worst time in school, but she passed the test with flying colors. She had a terrible time in school and was diagnosed as attention defeceit. We make her earn raises and she is doing well at this time. She has also been fired by us, but actually her mom fired her. Made me laugh at that point because it takes a lot to get her mom that mad.

Tough position Mike, but you will figure out what works best for you and your family. Somehow or another, it will still cost everyone some money, but I always say "education isn't free".

Hope things work out well for you also.

Mark