It’s “thunder snowing” outside! I literally just learned that term today! Pink lightning and LOUD thunder all around my house! The weatherman predicted that Winter Storm Niko will pound the northeast; more specifically my city in Connecticut from 4am – 9pm with a total accumulation of 18 inches. I’m looking out my window and it looks like a blizzard as visibility is very low. Right now that prediction looks to be pretty accurate.
My prediction is once the snow stops, the streets will be flooded with adults shoveling and plowing snow; the sounds of engines running and shovels scraping the ground filling the air. Unfortunately, there won’t be a kid in sight but thru the windows you’ll see the reflection of tv lights blinking from video games – giving clues as to which home has children. This is unacceptable to me. I know I’m gonna sound old but when I was young we saw a snowstorm as an opportunity to make money. We would grab our shovels and go house to house, knocking on doors and offering to shovel. We moved in packs as we learned that “many hands make light work!”
After we completed a house we would knock on the door and with a puppy dog look we’d say, “we are finished” and wait to see what the homeowner did next. We were totally at the mercy of the homeowner because we never stated a fee up front. We did all the work and hoped that the homeowner was fair and nice enough to pay us. Even though that was the worst business model, most homeowners were appreciative and we walked away with several hundred dollars to split between us for an honest days work. A few times we were heated as our puppy dog look only got us apples or oranges and we walked away disappointed. However, as I got older I realized that it was always an elderly person who gave them and maybe a piece of fruit was all they had. Maybe we were a godsend to that elderly person who didn’t have the means or physical ability to shovel snow. With maturity brings perspective.
I’ve lived in this house for almost 13 years and only once did kids (a group of brothers) come over and ask to shovel. I was so impressed that I paid each of them separately. Unfortunately, that family moved shortly thereafter and I haven’t seen them since.
“Going shoveling” not only put money in my pocket but more importantly, it taught me work ethic and how to work well with others. Parents, stop coddling these kids! You are enabling them to be lazy children that turn into lazy adults with terrible work ethic! Then you wonder why they feel entitled and never want to work. That lazy 14 year old will be living in your basement at 30. Don’t let these snow days be vacation days for them. Just because it’s a snow day doesn’t mean they don’t have to have any class…
Ronn P ~ The Happy Daddy
Nicely done! I’ve forwarded this to my younger brother!
Thank you sir!
Great article! I totally agree. Like you I was that kid who shoveled w/ her family. We made money, had snowball fights while working, but more importantly served our community. It’s alarming how kids are allowed to stay in , and watch their parents or someonelse shovel from the window chiillen lol… Iif could attach a shovel plow to my car I would lol… I’m about that supply & demand life!
I’ve thought about getting a truck with a plow too!!!