Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Don't We Have Child Labor Laws?

So this morning I had an appointment in town. Chicken Mama was doing some work at her home. Erin (Garden Now - Think Later) and #2 son were occupied in town. The "boys" (Erin's hubby with his #1 son, and Papa Pea) set off to clear our hiking loop behind the house of blow downs that had accumulated this past summer.

#1 son is seven years old. He worked like a seventeen year old.

I would have trouble picking up that log!

Word has it that he never stopped the whole two hours they worked. And he did it in snowshoes which he had never worn before.

Erin's hubby was more than happy to jump in and do the chainsaw work. (I wonder what Papa Pea was doing? Oh right, taking the pictures.)

They had to shed layers because they all got a little warm.

Now there's a happy boy . . . but do you see what he has in his hands?! That's right. It's a chainsaw. I asked if they actually let him use it. They said only for a little while. I mean, he is only seven years old.

17 comments:

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

Remind me not to visit you in the winter. I am tired just reading. Now I bet your going to make them hike that trail, aren't you? Those kids are going to sleep for the next week.

The Apple Pie Gal said...

Well at least he had ear protection on! But that means he couldn't hear "TIMBER!" either!

When you are done with them all, send them my way, would ya? I'll start making out my list now. :o)

Anonymous said...

I think that is excellent... start 'em working hard when they still think it's fun and they continue for a lifetime. And nothin' wrong with using a chainsaw either. That's on my list of things I want to learn, but not from my hubby! LOL

Jennifer Jo said...

I love seeing pictures of kids doing REAL work.

Alla said...

It's good to let little ones help, even with the chain saw, with supervision. I think it helps them to grow up knowing how and wanting to help and work. Love those pictures.

mtnchild said...

Jane might not want to visit in the winter, lol, but I'd love it. I would want to hike the trail after a warm cup of tea ... maybe I'd change my mind if I saw it, but still ...

We've had well over 14 inches in the last 2 days, and most of it today! I shovel, rest, it snows, I shovel, rest, it snows ... ALL day. I just finished the last shovel full when my friend stopped by with the plow for the driveway ... I'm tired - he's totally beat.
Many happy snows!
Yvette

Chicken Mama said...

His mother's gonna have a FIT when she sees this last one! ;)

Mama Pea said...

Jane - Post tomorrow on the LENGTHY hike we all took this afternoon. Yep, the kids have been falling asleep in the car on the way back to their little cabin in town every night. Heeheehee.

APG - Well, when they head for the East Coast, they probably could swing by you . . .

Erin told me how sweet you were to offer them a port in the storm should they hit bad weather. You are the best!

Hope, Joy and Faith Farm - You know, kids truly do want to do big people's work. I think it's such a shame when they are told they aren't big enough. It's amazing what they can do and it gives them such a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.

P.S. Just for the record, the guys did NOT let him near a running chainsaw. Thankfully.

JJ - Hey, it's free labor. And doesn't hurt them a bit especially when they BEG to do it.

Alla - That's just it. How are they going to learn if they're never taught?

Yvette - There is nothing like hiking in the winter time (the air could not be fresher!) and then coming in for a hot cuppa.

That's the only thing wrong with all that beautiful snow. It falls in pathways, on driveways, on walk areas, etc. Pace yourself with your shoveling, please.

Mama Pea said...

Chicken Mama - She already saw it on my camera earlier today and asked that I send her a copy. And I repeat, the guys did NOT let him hold it while it was running. I think. Unless they out-and-out lied to me. They wouldn't do that, would they?

Amy Dingmann said...

Love it. Absolutely love it! Those little men want to get in there just as much as the big men. LOVE IT!!!

Sparkless said...

I bet those boys slept like logs. Get it? LOL! Sorry couldn't help myself. Nothing wrong with a kid getting some exercise. Not too sure about using the chainsaw but I guess what we don't know can't hurt us, right?

Patty said...

Erin should be proud! I'm glad you're all having such a great time. :)

The Apple Pie Gal said...

I believe Erin referred to my offer as something like The Underground Railroad of blog land. Something like that. LOL!

Anonymous said...

I just knew it! You are blogging it all LOL! Yep it's Erin posing as anonymous again since I have no Internet here, but I kind of like it! It's all true everyone, we are having an amazing time in the Great White North - I admit I'm wondering how long it would take the guv'ment to notice if hubby didn't show up for work next week! I can't wait to download my photos when I get home and see what I've got. Mama & Papa Pea & Chicken Mama are the best - definitely the type of folks you want to call friends, I suspect many of us bloggers would fall into that category, I think the world would be a great place indeed if we could organize and take over LOL!

Jenyfer Matthews said...

So how exactly did he "use it for a little while" while it wasn't running?? I watched my father trying to start a crabby chain saw this summer and it made me nervous - seems like they could make that part easier??

My son helped his grandma clear her trails this summer and loved every minute of it ;)

Kim said...

There is nothing worse than a grown man that doesn't know how to do anything. Now that little guy can grow up and say, "I was running a chainsaw when I was 7 yrs. old!" Good for him!

Mama Pea said...

Mama Tea - You have first-hand experience with boys wanting to do everything their dad does, for sure. They'll grow up knowing what real work is . . . and that is just wonderful.

Sparkless - The picture of Erin's #1 son with the chainsaw was totally posed. No way in the world would he be allowed to even hold a running chainsaw let alone try to use it. Besides that, a 7-year old wouldn't be physically strong enough to do more than hold one for a few seconds for the picture. Those buggers are HEAVY and you have to be "big person" strong to use one.

Patty - You KNOW Erin and hubby are raising good kids!

APG - Yes, that was it! Cool idea, huh?

Erin - I can just see Sally Field up on that factory table holding a sign, "Bloggers Unite!" (Tee-hee.)

Jen - Nope, no use of the chainsaw (running or not!) for the little guy. Just a posed photo op.

There must be something of the lumberjack that comes out when males are out in the woods. They seem to love doing "work" out there.

Kim - Well, he'll be able to show off the posed picture of him HOLDING a non-running chainsaw when he was 7 but that's as close as he'll be able to get in the bragging category. But he worked his little tush off clearing what his dad had cut, that's for sure!