Quote:
Originally Posted by jyl
I guess part of the answer is that kids are in fact going into the trades - it’s just more non-white immigrant kids.
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It depends.
I live in a fairly rural area and there are plenty of kids of all backgrounds in the trades.
But, big but, kids in this area grow up, in the mean, knowing how to work since they are raised on farms or in families that value having their children know how to work. Almost all the HVAC folks are as white as the soles of my feet.
I have written here before that my son had friends that absolutely loved working on my farm when they were in HS and, later, when some were in college.
Make your kids work, they want to work. Will they *****? Probably, but that is when you turn off the TV and internet, take their cars keys and phone and let them know who the f is in charge. That is what parents used to do.
Starting around 12, my Dad gave me a punch list on weekends I needed to get done on the ranch....all age appropriate and I could work in sporting events if i was playing. My sisters as well.
There was zero debate and if you tried to mommy/daddy them, complain, god help you.
I have friends who live in nice houses with lawns their teenagers didn't mow, didn't prune, move mulch, rake, sweep: get **** done.
Again, Manuel Labor isn't a Cuban Jockey. Get to work. BTW, I ask my son every few months for a day of help: There are just some things on the farm that require two men that trust each other to get accomplished. He gives me his schedule, constraints and we work it out. He is a busy lawyer. He drives up from Norfolk after work on Friday and we get it done on Saturday, bleed over into Sunday once in a while.
There are about 1000 kids a year that are true geniuses that get a pass from working...I have yet to meet one.