I remember when I was 11 or 12 and I had my first lessons in mowing the yard. Like everything else mom usually did--we didn't get to do it that often because "kids just can't do it right like an adult can." Which always meant that she would always do it better! She would not let us use the weed eater. I moved away from home having never weed eated until after I got married. We could use her 20 year old clippers and we were expected to. I usually got to do that around the shed.
Anyway, usually if mom was working dad would get the opportunity to put us to work while she was at the store or something. If the yard was already done then he saved her the work of doing it. He was sneaky that way. If it wasn't mowed yet and she was home...she usually mowed it or put dad to work mowing if he happened to be around! We had about an acre or two (I think) depending on what area we were mowing at that time that we mowed and some of the time we had a rider--mom did let us do that--but for quite a while we had a push mower. I learned how to mow via push mower first. My parents would trim they yard out and then they would have me take over. I usually left strips behind where I would get off the line or not turn correctly, I was never allowed to mow the bank...only dad or mom did that. Until I got a lot older.
Today N had her first lesson in mowing the yard. It's not 2 acres and she only did the flat area in the front...but I showed her how to turn it on. It was so cute watching her try to pull the cord. She is not strong enough to get it started, so after a while I started it for her. Then she took off. I would whistle when she'd start to stray creating a strip and a couple times I got up and fixed the area for her, but she mowed a few rounds, until she got close to the tree and asked for help. She did a good job and even when I was mowing, she stayed close to watch how I was doing it. It's the first time I've put her to work and she's broke a sweat! LOL. She did well, and I think she'll be willing to do it again! Who knows, we may even share the weed eating with her someday! :) But for now, we'll start her out slow on the easy stuff! Just push this as you walk in circles! WHALA! You can mow a yard now! Last time we mowed we used Chan to pull some weeds and move a bunch of wood. He likes getting out and wearing gloves! We may end up making a worker out of him too eventually! :) It feels good to get out and accomplish making the yard look nice.
6 comments:
OH MY! Poor girl! :)
I am so glad you aren't my mom! I would never make it having to mow the yard, etc. In fact, I can't figure out why you do it and not your hubby...lol!
I guess it really is a matter of what we saw growing up...and the mowing was definately my dad and brother's job!
My sister helped my mom in the garden, but for me, yuk! I hate dirt under my nails and never went barefooted either! LOL!
Guess I am a city girl! Even though I like to camp, I will always have some sandals on my feet!!!!
My mom did everything growing up! I do not do EVERYTHING! Dash and I partner on things.
I've told you before that Dash has problems with his hands and the vibration from the mower hurts him and causes him pain. Besides, I enjoy doing the yard work, so no big deal. He is usually taking care of stuff for me when I'm mowing, it's all good.
Yeah, sounds like this is one of those things where both people in the relationship decide who will be responsible for what.
My dad taught me to mow, but he was never really picky about what it looked like as long as all the grass was actually cut.
When we moved to Pennsylvania we had something like two acres to cut. After I got a job my sister (who was eleven or twelve at the time) ended up with the responsibility to mow the two acres. In retrospect, that was a lot of work.
I tried to mow once. We don't have a self-propelled mower and I don't have the upper body strength to push the mower.
I've always mowed the lawn since I was 10. I remember in California I was the only kid on the street that mowed the lawn. Everyone else had some Mexicans do it. My dad didn't believe in hiring illegal workers.
I was an enthusiastic riding lawnmower teenager. It was the closest thing to driving and I wore a swim suit so I could get a tan. I never liked but sometimes had to to do the push mower. Like Golden, I can just barely push the self propel ones so it's a major struggle.
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