[brett walker]

Hi everone

just wondered if anyone has their kids helping them, sometimes saturday mornings my 8 yr old son Brad will come to work with me , him being only 8 can now squeegy a window perfectly.  I  take a crate for him to stand on and he does downstairs windows and doors, the customers watch him as he works with amazment - he gets offered more drinks than i do also the odd quid 

Im hoping in years to come when he leaves school he will help me in the business and my other son Curtis 7yrs ols like coming collecting and canvassing , train them young because most of you will know how hard it is to get good reliable staff. 

Brett

[Moderator David@stives]

Brett you have to look at the legal implications ,even though you think what harm can it do .There are authoraties out there who do not see it like that .I have taken my lads out on the odd occasion and after about 4 hours they usually get bored .

My eldest lad now 16 has no interest whatsoever ,and my 13 year old wants to be a shopkeeper.

I want them to explore other avenues of work ,they may find a niche somewhere else .

In reality wc is a hard and at times boring trade ,and most of us do it ,because we cant find the same money elsewhere or are not skilled in enjoyable work .
I would not inflict a life of w/c on my children ,unless it was a last resort.like it was for me .

I did not get into w/c until i was 30 and i am glad i had the oppurtunity to see other jobs and now at least i know ,i have tried other carreers ,and now know what is good for me.and cant see myself doing much else in the future .

Dave

[brett walker]

Hi David

I've been window cleaning 14 yrs and  really enjoy it , i have done numerous jobs before and found that this the job for me.  My son comes out with me saturday mornings because he is bored of being at home if it was left to him we would stay all day, i find it good that someone so young is so interested, most of the 16-17 yr olds that leave school these days dont want work.  Having said that my lad does well at school and yes of course i would like him to go on to do a professional career but he's always got w-c to fall back on because as you know factory jobs etc do not pay the kind of money we can earn.

We would all like our kids to be top solicitors, doctors computor wizards the next David Beckham all my lads interested in right now is being the next Turbo Terry Burrows !  And i think thats great 

Brett

[AuRavelling79]

Hi everone

just wondered if anyone has their kids helping them, sometimes saturday mornings my 8 yr old son Brad will come to work with me , him being only 8 can now squeegy a window perfectly.  I  take a crate for him to stand on and he does downstairs windows and doors, the customers watch him as he works with amazment - he gets offered more drinks than i do also the odd quid 

Im hoping in years to come when he leaves school he will help me in the business and my other son Curtis 7yrs ols like coming collecting and canvassing , train them young because most of you will know how hard it is to get good reliable staff. 

Brett

I'm sure you'll get some stick from the "Yeah and in his spare time he can climb chimneys and sweep them from the insides!" brigade, but if it's occasional and he enjoys it which he clearly does, I think it's good training.

However - there are legal implications as D.S.I. said - insurance, underage and all that - which really should be considered very carefully IMHO.

(I have encouraged my 12 yr old daughter to come and help me on a weekend when no-one is about at a countryside primary school cleaning the cills and the bottoms of doors etc - she gets a few quid and it teaches the value of work.)  

And..... I too did not choose window cleaning as a 1st, or 2nd or even 3rd option and would prefer my kids (all girls) to  become better educated and qualified than I am. Whether it's boys or girls it doesn't necessarily have to always be one of the professions either - a good trade - sparky, plumber. joiner/carpenter, hair and beauty, higher clerical work etc - . Window cleaning will always be there if they need it - and it's great part time work while they get their grades etc.

[Moderator David@stives]

I agree with what you are both saying.
I would like them to try other things first and as Malc said ,window cleaning is a good safety net.

Dave

[Ray Pickering]

Hi Brett.

I think it's absolutely brilliant!!

Teach "em" young the values of working for a living (it sounds like he's enjoying it as well)

But like what's been said his young tender age leaves you wide open to criticism by all the dogooders.

I used to take my eldest son working with me in the building trade when he was about 12 he would mix conrete & mortar all day long--i was so impressed with him i bought him a concrete mixer 

Anyway the moral of the story is--it did him no harm at all, he is now very successful in what he does & he is now 40yrs old.

Regards Ray. ps can i hire your lad--sounds like a good un.

[gaza]

brett and ray:RAINED off aswell I see, took my lad with me for 4/5 days wouldnt get up one morning so I went without him,so much for your just a w/c he complained he was to tired [younguns today] me 50 on Monday Ihope it doesnt rain next week for you,me being in Turkey

I will enjoy my holiday even more knowing you two rebates are working hard 

[brett walker]

Hi Ray
nice to hear from you again we'll have to meet up with Gaza for a pint

Gaza happy birthday for Monday you dont look a day over 49 mate  enjoy your holiday and dont get arrested again    Where you going Chapel st Lenards 

Brett.

[Sarah Sarill]

Hi Gaza.

Happy birthday from me too !!

Turkey eh - what a way to spend the 50th.  Watch those turks they might try to buy you for some camels !!!  Have a good one whatever your up to.

Brett,

Do you think 3 is a little young to start training ?

Regards both,

Sarill

[Thecleanerservice]

I have taken both of my little boys out with me from time to time, but they insist they want to make their own choices.
So I've loosened the reigns a little, after all the oldest is 33 years old earning tons more than me, the other is 27 with wife & 3 kids!  Doing what I do, only better!

Pj

[AuRavelling79]

I have taken both of my little boys out with me from time to time, but they insist they want to make their own choices.
So I've loosened the reigns a little, after all the oldest is 33 years old earning tons more than me, the other is 27 with wife & 3 kids!  Doing what I do, only better!

Pj

Well done mate! You must be very proud of them!

[www.mrgutters.co.uk]

i think window cleaning is a good honest living and also good pay .... i love it !

shawn

[Ray Pickering]

HI Brett & Gaza.

Happy Birthday on Monday Gaza.

Dont forget to take some Flyer's--Business cards etc: to turkey.

As for your age your the oldest window cleaner i know 

How are you going to get your ladders on the plane??

Have a nice break!! 

Regards Ray.

[brett walker]

Thanks for your relpies

Sarill i think 3 maybe a bit young wait till hes 4 lol 

Is your wifes name Sarah?

Brett

[Sarah Sarill]

Hi Brett,

Dam - thought i could get away wit paying less than the minimum wage too !!!

Yeh Sarah's the wife - how do you know that eh !!

Regards,

Sarill

[brett walker]

Hi Sarill

From cleaning pros, the name rang a bell put two and two together and come up with Sarah's the boss. Nice one     
Will she be posting on this site? It would be nice to have more input from the lady window cleaners, keep us men on our toes.

regards

brett

[Sarah Sarill]

Very observant Brett !!!

She joined cleaning pros the othe day cos I think shes feeling a bit left out and can post during the day whilst i am out grafting to keep her in her new Gen 2 car !!!!

She said she will keep away from this site and get another prospective from a different set of w/c's.

Besides she tolerates less cr-p than me and would only cause havoc on this site !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like my space too to am glad for her to post there!!!!!!!!

How u gonna cope without gazza then ?

Regards

Sarill

[Moderator David@stives]

wife    : : :

i think it is your alter-ego

do you go there in your high heels

 

[Sarah Sarill]

What a lovely picture that would make.  A 14 stone man in a size 10 stilleto !!!

Nah Sarah's the wife, married on Nov 9th, 1993 in the Dominican Republic - one daughter Emily and a good w/c round of 7 years.  She works in sales part-time for a local stationers/printers and P/T at home doing the books and paperwork cos i am no good at that !!

You need to trust people more David or are you really Davina too !!!!! and your speaking from experience     

Regards,

Sarill

[Moderator David@stives]

No i am that texas girl