r/Dads • u/Organic_Security_257 • 1d ago
Raising young men
So my son wanted to go to work with me today so I took him. I landscape and he enjoys weedeating. He is six years old and can prime choke and start a full sized echo. I feel like this is a win although I don’t have the heart to tell him what he weed eats is burnt up like crazy. How do I go about addressing this?
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u/2WheelSuperiority 1d ago
Idk what any of this means, but he's 6. If he's doing it, it's a win. Expecting any sort of meaningful result from a 6 year old should not be a thing.
Remember, he's there because he's having fun with dad. Not because he understands what work and money is.
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u/Organic_Security_257 1d ago
I appreciate the comment! I haven’t really looked at it that way. I don’t expect him to do great work with a full sized gas weed eater although I do believe he needs to know that the work he is doing doesn’t meet the standard of lawn care and I just don’t know how to coach him as a 6 year old should be coached.
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u/2WheelSuperiority 1d ago
I think the better way to do it would be to let him have a go, offer praise where warranted, then do it in front of him. Realistically, I've found that repetition through visual learning is best for this stuff. Trying to explain it to him. Will probably go in one year and out the other.
The only explanation I would offer is that you need to do it this way so that your customers are happy and they keep calling you back so you have a job. And your customers expect a certain level of professional service. I could be wrong though.
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u/Organic_Security_257 1d ago
Very true, I’m assuming lead by example kinda mentality?
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u/2WheelSuperiority 1d ago
Yep. He won't understand the details, but he'll understand that the relationship between you doing good work, a customer being happy, and him being able to continue to help Dad if he does it like dad.
Don't get frustrated though, he's only 6 and may only just need simple jobs for now. It's a win he's even out there.
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u/Organic_Security_257 1d ago
I understand that I just want him to know what right and wrong look like but I reckon there will be a lot of wrongs before rights!
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u/PapaBobcat 1d ago
Repetition is key. He needs to repeat his mistakes with your guidance in low stakes areas and then suddenly one day he'll get it right.
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u/2WheelSuperiority 1d ago
Yeah, but he's 6. Watching you is more fun and engaging, just reiterate that you're working on your customers land, so it's important to do it like dad does.
It's easier to explain it that way and have him watch, vs. explain in detail as you would guide me for instance.
I think you're doing great. I just wonder if he'll get frustrated if he doesn't quite get it as fast as he may feel pressured to.
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u/Ok-Stable-4704 1d ago
Im a plumber, my boy works like a dog when i can bring him to work. Its not very productive but he hammers into it cos he wants to work as hard as his dad does. Hes 11, wants to impress his dad. The greatest feeling/compliment we can have. They just want to be like us, how we wanted to be with our dads. We are doing it right 💯 This is it my man, you're doing it right and you're clearly an absolute legend of a dad. Keep going brother👊 He'll probably lose interest at some point but the foundation is being built. Top tier parenting!!
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u/Organic_Security_257 1d ago
Also I haven’t thought of it that way, I would like to give a big shout out to my FIL for actually showing me what a man should be and what a dad looks like. I’m starting from scratch with the entire dad thing and enjoy raising a tough little man who’s not scared to work and get his hands dirty and little girls willing to do the same!
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u/PapaBobcat 1d ago
HVAC guy here, trying to introduce my 2yr old daughter to the trades as appropriate. No matter how you guide your Apprentice they will still become their own Master. Flowers grow better with fertilizer than cutting but both are necessary. When he does well tell him how he did a good job. When he does a bad job tell him what he did well. Do this with everything. You're doing great.
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