Boy calls Police because his mum made him do household chores.

I'd help out around the house... dusting, vacuuming, shovelling snow, and washing/vacuuming out the car (which is the one job I got some extra money for). What kids need to learn (and Mrs Metal's niece especially does) is that you earn trust and responsiblity. If you're good, do as you're told, your parents give you more respect and responsiblity. If you blow it, you lose some of that. If done right, you become more afraid of disappointing and losing your reputation than you do any punishment.

[timwilky]

Shovelling snow was not a chore, it was a precursor to the best of breakfasts.

Our drive was about 400 yards long and dad being self employed had to leave each morning and drop us of at school on the way. So we kids plus dad would be up at 5, the driveway lights on, fighting for who got to drive the tractor etc. Who had shovels and who had brushes.

Come 7, home cured bacon, fresh eggs, warm home baked bread. Then uniform on and school. We had it hard back then. Dad would pick us up on his way home of an evening, and you just hoped it hadn't snowed during the day as we would have to clear the snow again so he could get his car in the garage. Strange how I now think of it as a happy time.

Even as good as staying up late in the summer to do the hay making.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by timwilky

Shovelling snow was not a chore, it was a precursor to the best of breakfasts.

Our drive was about 400 yards long and dad being self employed had to leave each morning and drop us of at school on the way. So we kids plus dad would be up at 5, the driveway lights on, fighting for who got to drive the tractor etc. Who had shovels and who had brushes.

Come 7, home cured bacon, fresh eggs, warm home baked bread. Then uniform on and school. We had it hard back then. Dad would pick us up on his way home of an evening, and you just hoped it hadn't snowed during the day as we would have to clear the snow again so he could get his car in the garage. Strange how I now think of it as a happy time.

Even as good as staying up late in the summer to do the hay making.

I don't see that as a hard life at all, I see it as a rich and nurtured life. Something which is missing in family life today, of computers and xboxs, Wiis, Nike Trainers and all the brands you reallly must own(actually we have brand wh0res in our house)
A full English as a reward for a job well done, the young of today would be expecting 20 quid and a full English!

I see you scenario as a calm and fullfilling childhood, rather than the race of todays life.