First Jobs

I spent a good part of today looking through (read tearing apart) my desk looking for a gift card that Patrick has been saving until he has enough money to buy a video game he wants. To that end, in the past few weeks he has acquired two jobs. He will be spending a day a week mowing two of our neighbors yards and even has them set up to pay him monthly. Pretty good gig for a 14 year old. He gets to mow our yard as well and though he does not get paid for that chore in the usual sense, he knows that doing his chores here allows him to get some spending money when he asks for it to go and hang out with his friends.

I am very proud of him and as I was looking for the gift card, which I did find, I was trying to remember what were some of the first things I bought when I had my first job. Back then it was delivering newspapers. I had a foot in the door since Dad worked for the local paper and that job plus baby-sitting saw me through high school.

I am sure it was books or clothes because video games were not a big thing in our house. But I know it felt good and I am looking very forward to taking Patrick out this weekend to spend his first "paycheck" and also to open a savings account. Some of that hard earned cash is going to be put away for a car.