Where is my red pen?? Somebody stop me!

[mmasmommy]

Came home last night to find this taped to my front door.

 

 

I Can Mow Your Lawn!

I see that your lawn needs to be cut and I would

be happy to mow it. I only charge $20-$25 for

both front and back. I can do your lawn this

summer anytime during the week (Monday Thru

Friday). I do have certain times during the week

because of football though. I have football from

7:30-9:00. Anytime after this during the day is

fine though. Another thing is that I can use

either my dad's lawnmower or yours whichever

you prefer. Lastly, I do live in this community and

if you have and questions or want to schedule

a time for me to cut your lawn just call me @ xxx-

xxx-xxxx.

 

 

 

Everything has been copied exactly as it is written down to the spacing.

I desperately want to mark this with a red pen and put it back on his front door. This child is in HIGH SCHOOL. :glare:

[AvasMom]

Perhaps you can work out a trade! He mows your lawn and you work through WWE 2 with him. lol!

[july19]

Perhaps you can work out a trade! He mows your lawn and you work through WWE 2 with him. lol!

 

:lol: That made spit out orange juice!

[AuntieM]

I hate typos and poor grammar, too. But in this case, I suggest you take your red pen and write this young man a note complementing him on taking initiative to earn some money. So many young ones these days live a life of selfish entitlement, I like to encourage and entrepreneurial spirit.

[Daisy]

I hate typos and poor grammar, too. But in this case, I suggest you take your red pen and write this young man a note complementing him on taking initiative to earn some money. So many young ones these days live a life of selfish entitlement, I like to encourage and entrepreneurial spirit.

 

And then jump on that $20-$25 for the whole lawn. WOW.

[Aubrey]

I taught high school English, & frankly, I'd be THRILLED to see anything that well written. I'd be willing to bet he's an honors student. Why? I've seen flyers written by other people.

[july19]

I hate typos and poor grammar, too. But in this case, I suggest you take your red pen and write this young man a note complementing him on taking initiative to earn some money. So many young ones these days live a life of selfish entitlement, I like to encourage and entrepreneurial spirit.

 

:iagree: I do agree. And I do have to admit, that the $20 is a pretty good rate. Kids out here offered to do ours (not even an 1/8th of an acre) for $70. Ouch.

[AvasMom]

I hate typos and poor grammar, too. But in this case, I suggest you take your red pen and write this young man a note complementing him on taking initiative to earn some money. So many young ones these days live a life of selfish entitlement, I like to encourage and entrepreneurial spirit.

 

An entrepreneurial spirit without a basic education won't get you very far. Both are essential and should be encouraged. A child in high school that lacks basic grammar and conventions skills is going to have problems in the future. A home-based business that doesn't proofread its ads won't be taken very seriously. It's unfortunate that this is representative of many highschoolers today.

[AvasMom]

I taught high school English, & frankly, I'd be THRILLED to see anything that well written. I'd be willing to bet he's an honors student. Why? I've seen flyers written by other people.

 

:leaving:

[Quiver0f10]

I hate typos and poor grammar, too. But in this case, I suggest you take your red pen and write this young man a note complementing him on taking initiative to earn some money. So many young ones these days live a life of selfish entitlement, I like to encourage and entrepreneurial spirit.

 

:iagree:

[DawnM]

You really don't know if the child has a learning disability or not. My oldest could have written this note. He really does want to help and do well, but he would be pulled into a resource class for LA if he were in school.

 

It would hurt me deeply if someone sent him back a note with red marks all over it criticizing his grammar and writing. He knows he can't do it well. It bothers him. He tries so hard to make it better. Now, that said, he would most likely ask me to check it before posting it to the neighbors' doors.

 

Dawn

[JessieC]

I like this kid. He seems hard-working, and I agree with a previous poster that you don't know what struggles he may have in learning.

[Lovedtodeath]

I am thinking that perhaps perfect grammar isn't something I look for in the person who is going to be mowing my lawn? If I were the person distributing this I might not care about putting time and effort into the grammar.

[LidiyaDawn]

I like this kid. He seems hard-working, and I agree with a previous poster that you don't know what struggles he may have in learning.

:iagree:

[mmasmommy]

You really don't know if the child has a learning disability or not. My oldest could have written this note. He really does want to help and do well, but he would be pulled into a resource class for LA if he were in school.

 

It would hurt me deeply if someone sent him back a note with red marks all over it criticizing his grammar and writing. He knows he can't do it well. It bothers him. He tries so hard to make it better. Now, that said, he would most likely ask me to check it before posting it to the neighbors' doors.

 

Dawn

 

I like this kid. He seems hard-working, and I agree with a previous poster that you don't know what struggles he may have in learning.

 

I understand this. However, if you knew your child struggled with a LD wouldn't you make a point to proof read his flyer before allowing him to distribute it?

 

I am thinking that perhaps perfect grammar isn't something I look for in the person who is going to be mowing my lawn? If I were the person distributing this I might not care about putting time and effort into the grammar.

 

Well I can tell you that if I was going to pay some one to mow my lawn it would not be this person. He begins his flyer by insulting his potential client. I would also be concerned that he didn't take the time and care to create a professional flyer how can I believe he would take the time and care to mow my lawn professionally?

[lionfamily1999]

An entrepreneurial spirit without a basic education won't get you very far. Both are essential and should be encouraged. A child in high school that lacks basic grammar and conventions skills is going to have problems in the future. A home-based business that doesn't proofread its ads won't be taken very seriously. It's unfortunate that this is representative of many highschoolers today.

I think that most adults would not even notice the issues with this flyer. While some place a high value on grammar, most would be excited to see it's not in text message short-hand.

 

I guess this is another example of how things vary from place to place.

I understand this. However, if you knew your child struggled with a LD wouldn't you make a point to proof read his flyer before allowing him to distribute it?

 

No, because I would want to support him in exercising his wings and flying solo. This is his business, I might offer my help, but I would not force it upon him.

 

Well I can tell you that if I was going to pay some one to mow my lawn it would not be this person. He begins his flyer by insulting his potential client. I would also be concerned that he didn't take the time and care to create a professional flyer how can I believe he would take the time and care to mow my lawn professionally?

:lol: He's in high school. I wouldn't expect it to be done professionally. Not to mention the price. I see no mention of edging or weed wacking. If he was offering landscaping, then I could agree, but he just wants to cut grass :lol:

[unsinkable]

I see this as the product of an enthusiatic, upbeat young man. It needs to be polished and the writer needs to be reminded of the purpose of the flyer and his target audience.

[Perry]

You really don't know if the child has a learning disability or not. My oldest could have written this note. He really does want to help and do well, but he would be pulled into a resource class for LA if he were in school.

 

It would hurt me deeply if someone sent him back a note with red marks all over it criticizing his grammar and writing. He knows he can't do it well. It bothers him. He tries so hard to make it better. Now, that said, he would most likely ask me to check it before posting it to the neighbors' doors.

 

Dawn

:iagree:

 

I would be thrilled if my son were capable of writing this.

[AvasMom]

I think that most adults would not even notice the issues with this flyer. While some place a high value on grammar, most would be excited to see it's not in text message short-hand.

 

 

 

Meaning we don't expect much from our teens? That's a pretty significant problem. I admire the kid for getting out there and wanting to earn money but, like it or not, your marketing is important. That's something that kids need to be taught. If you have a child with an LD, part of educating them is helping them do things like proofread. I'm sure we can find 1001 reasons why the child's ad is not what it should be for a high school student but that doesn't mean the conclusion should be "Oh well, he's just a teenager, what can you expect?" The point is that things like this are NOT being taught to most kids and they should be.

[mom4him]

I hate typos and poor grammar, too. But in this case, I suggest you take your red pen and write this young man a note complementing him on taking initiative to earn some money. So many young ones these days live a life of selfish entitlement, I like to encourage and entrepreneurial spirit.

:iagree:

As a side note, my oldest daughter was 5 months away from graduating from HS when she asked to be brought home for school(I was already schooling her younger brother). I realized very soon in the schooling process that she did not know how to write a correct sentence say nothing about a paragraph.:tongue_smilie:It took her two more years to graduate but she did it and you know what? She has great grammar now.:D She had never been taught the basics and no one bothered to care. That was in the days that I assumed the ps was doing their job.:001_huh:

[Perry]

I also have to laugh at the irony of people criticizing this young man's grammar when their posts are riddled with grammatical mistakes. And they are homeschooling their kids, not mowing lawns. :lol:

[Lovedtodeath]

I also have to laugh at the irony of people criticizing this young man's grammar when their posts are riddled with grammatical mistakes. And they are homeschooling their kids, not mowing lawns. :lol:

That was my thought. I don't know if my grammar in my posts is deplorable, and I shouldn't have to care. They are posts on a message board.

 

The flyer is for lawn mowing, not tutoring.

[Aubrey]

Well I can tell you that if I was going to pay some one to mow my lawn it would not be this person. He begins his flyer by insulting his potential client. I would also be concerned that he didn't take the time and care to create a professional flyer how can I believe he would take the time and care to mow my lawn professionally?

 

Wow. I'm betting it costs you a lot more than $25 to get your lawn mowed.

 

We've always had to hire someone to mow our lawn (dh is allergic), & not one of the people who have done the work could have written a flyer half as literate as the one in the OP. All did an excellent job, for $30 or less, including edging. If I'd waited for someone with good grammar, I don't think I could have had it done for $100, even from a professional company, as they generally hire less than educated individuals.

 

To expect "professional" levels of grammar in a lawn guy...do you expect that at lemonade stands, too? At Wal-Mart? You must spend a lot of your life very, very disappointed.

[Perry]

I would also be concerned that he didn't take the time and care to create a professional flyer how can I believe he would take the time and care to mow my lawn professionally?

 

Priorities. My son isn't capable of writing that flyer, but he does an amazing job of mowing, trimming and edging. If you wouldn't hire him because he can't spell, it would be your loss.

[SonshineLearner]

I have to say, that given the work ethic I've seen around here, I'm just happy he wants to work! :)

[lionfamily1999]

Meaning we don't expect much from our teens? That's a pretty significant problem. I admire the kid for getting out there and wanting to earn money but, like it or not, your marketing is important. That's something that kids need to be taught. If you have a child with an LD, part of educating them is helping them do things like proofread. I'm sure we can find 1001 reasons why the child's ad is not what it should be for a high school student but that doesn't mean the conclusion should be "Oh well, he's just a teenager, what can you expect?" The point is that things like this are NOT being taught to most kids and they should be.

And my point was that the emphasis is not there in general, so it's a. not surprising and b. (imo) not worth becoming that neighbor over.

 

I would not expect someone that is mowing lawns for 20-25 dollars to put a premium on grammar. He's not starting a landscaping company, he's trying to make some cash for the summer. Bravo to him! I hope that his hopes are not overly dampened by people that put a higher premium on his grammar than his whether or not he can run a lawn mower and follow through.

[lionfamily1999]

That was my thought. I don't know if my grammar in my posts is deplorable, and I shouldn't have to care. They are posts on a message board.

 

The flyer is for lawn mowing, not tutoring.

:iagree:

[Jen500]

He sounds like a hard worker.

At least he didn't write in text-talk.

[EKS]

I just went through this with my green pen, and while I found several places needing commas and lots of awkward phrasing, I didn't find any grammatical mistakes. What am I missing?

[lionfamily1999]

:lol:

I said the same thing :D

[WishboneDawn]

I like this kid. He seems hard-working, and I agree with a previous poster that you don't know what struggles he may have in learning.

 

But still, could you resist the urge to edit? :D

[EKS]

If you wouldn't hire him because he can't spell, it would be your loss.

 

:iagree:

[lionfamily1999]

I just went through this with my green pen, and while I found several places needing commas and lots of awkward phrasing, I didn't find any grammatical mistakes. What am I missing?

The emporer is not wearing clothes!

[JessieC]

I just went through this with my green pen, and while I found several places needing commas and lots of awkward phrasing, I didn't find any grammatical mistakes. What am I missing?

 

I think many people use the term "grammar" to refer to all mechanics/conventions in writing. It's not really accurate, but I see this a lot.

[homeschoolally]

 

To expect "professional" levels of grammar in a lawn guy...do you expect that at lemonade stands, too? At Wal-Mart? You must spend a lot of your life very, very disappointed.

 

:iagree: :iagree::iagree:

 

Seriously???

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one who finds this :001_huh:!!

Edited June 28, 2011 by homeschoolally

[Mrs Mungo]

I place a high value on spelling, punctuation and grammar. When *I* was in high school i turned down a date with a guy who wrote me a note telling me how "finne" I was. However, I can see both sides of this.

 

Random thoughts:

1. I have seen Dawn's posts about their struggles to hire adults without criminal records. Grammar is the least of their problems.

 

2. People wouldn't like it if I corrected every post or email that came my way.

 

3. He is a kid, but he isn't my kid to teach.

 

Eta: I do expect signs at Walmart and places like that to be correct. I *have* corrected paper signs with a red sharpie.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Mrs Mungo

[lionfamily1999]

Wow. I'm betting it costs you a lot more than $25 to get your lawn mowed.

 

We've always had to hire someone to mow our lawn (dh is allergic), & not one of the people who have done the work could have written a flyer half as literate as the one in the OP. All did an excellent job, for $30 or less, including edging. If I'd waited for someone with good grammar, I don't think I could have had it done for $100, even from a professional company, as they generally hire less than educated individuals.

 

To expect "professional" levels of grammar in a lawn guy...do you expect that at lemonade stands, too? At Wal-Mart? You must spend a lot of your life very, very disappointed.

Could this be another example of demanding over qualification from anyone wishing to work? I want my mechanic to quote the classics while changing my oil and my McDonald's with a side of Calculus thank you very much.

[LaxMom]

I also have to laugh at the irony of people criticizing this young man's grammar when their posts are riddled with grammatical mistakes. And they are homeschooling their kids, not mowing lawns. :lol:

 

Watt, our u tokng abut!

 

Seriously, I'm not allowed to get our regional paper anymore; refusing to acknowledge conventions of spelling and grammar in a publication is inexcusable, and I started droppin off the corrected paper at the local office with notes begging them to get an editor.

 

That said, I've seen far worse flyers from businesses. I may wince and hope that he expands his knowledge/skills in professional communication, but he'd be the first person I'd call if I needed my lawn mowed.

[MrsMe]

:iagree: I do agree. And I do have to admit, that the $20 is a pretty good rate. Kids out here offered to do ours (not even an 1/8th of an acre) for $70. Ouch.

 

OT, but $70? That's the part where kids don't want to work up to, but just want to make the high wage now. I'd hope he didn't get work.

[WishboneDawn]

I also have to laugh at the irony of people criticizing this young man's grammar when their posts are riddled with grammatical mistakes. And they are homeschooling their kids, not mowing lawns. :lol:

 

This is a message board, not a business flyer being distributed throughout the neighborhood.

 

I think the urge to pull out the red pen should not be construed as any kind of criticism of the young man himself. We don't need to get defensive on his behalf. The failing here isn't his, it's his school's.

 

Anyhow, I'd hire the kid in a heartbeat! $20 for my 2 acre lot would be fantastic.:D

[LauraGB]

 

 

 

Well I can tell you that if I was going to pay some one to mow my lawn it would not be this person. He begins his flyer by insulting his potential client. I would also be concerned that he didn't take the time and care to create a professional flyer how can I believe he would take the time and care to mow my lawn professionally?

 

He may be copying other lawn care services because he is not in fact a professional. I mean, how "high school" is he? Fourteen, possibly? I get mailings practically weekly trying to make me feel guilty about the state of my lawn so I will hire them and their chemically fantastic services. Heck, I even get phone calls that start out, "Hi Mrs. BlahBlah. I'm from Dream Green Toxic Lawn Care Svc and I was driving past your house the other day and noticed your front lawn is over-run by weeds. Does the back look the same?" :lol::lol:

 

I just spent $8 on gas to cut my lawn (er, um, weed patch) the other day. That kid can come over, use my mower, and mow it for me for $20 any ol' time.

 

I like the red pen as much as anyone, but in the case of something like this, I probably wouldn't go there. If the flyer was to tutor my kids in grammar, well, that would be different.

Edited June 28, 2011 by LauraGB

[WishboneDawn]

Well I can tell you that if I was going to pay some one to mow my lawn it would not be this person. He begins his flyer by insulting his potential client. I would also be concerned that he didn't take the time and care to create a professional flyer how can I believe he would take the time and care to mow my lawn professionally?

 

 

? You don't know what you don't know. If his education hasn't given him the skills to write a proper flyer, time and care aren't going to help.

 

I get the urge to edit the flyer and to shake my head at his school but I don't get making judgments about his lawn-mowing based on the flyer.

[AvasMom]

This is a message board, not a business flyer being distributed throughout the neighborhood.

 

I think the urge to pull out the red pen should not be construed as any kind of criticism of the young man himself. We don't need to get defensive on his behalf. The failing here isn't his, it's his school's.

 

Anyhow, I'd hire the kid in a heartbeat! $20 for my 2 acre lot would be fantastic.:D

 

:iagree:

[july19]

OT, but $70? That's the part where kids don't want to work up to, but just want to make the high wage now. I'd hope he didn't get work.

 

Oh no. We know the kids, and they came over and asked. We politely declined. I'm sorry, but I agree with you - it felt like usury at that point. My husband shrugged his shoulders and chalked it up to where we live. I, on the other hand, was just...:confused: for hours afterward.

[EKS]

And then jump on that $20-$25 for the whole lawn. WOW.

 

I think whether or not this is a reasonable wage depends entirely on the size of the lawn.

[Bootsie]

Want to get out your red pen? Below is part of the brochure our local university sends out to prospective employers of its students. These sentences are taken directly from from the Recruiter's Brochure. The entire document is this way. I know at least one local business called and said that if this was indicative of the university, the business wouldn't be hiring any of the grads from that school. Even with this, the university still has this document on its web site for the entire world to see:

 

 

Those who were accepted to interview can begin signing up for a timeslot on a first-come-first-serve basis one before the interview date.

Interested student who meet your minimum qualifications as set by your company are automatically allowed to sign-up on your interview schedule.

 

The University Career Center provides accommodations for employers seeking a location to conduct interviews. Interview scheduling is handled between the employer and UTSA students. an interview room must be reserved through the Recruiting Coordinator no later than 1-week before the desired date.

[Cassy]

An entrepreneurial spirit without a basic education won't get you very far. Both are essential and should be encouraged. A child in high school that lacks basic grammar and conventions skills is going to have problems in the future. A home-based business that doesn't proofread its ads won't be taken very seriously. It's unfortunate that this is representative of many highschoolers today.

 

My DH is dyslexic. His spelling is appalling, and even a spell-checker doesn't help (in fact, it often makes things worse). He speaks beautifully and is highly intelligent, but writing costs him enormous effort. He achieved a masters degree and doctorate in bio-chemistry from Oxford University, later doing an MBA. He is now a company director earning a good six figure salary. He still can't write anywhere near as well as the boy who wrote that flyer.

 

Cassy

[OnTheBrink]

So many young ones these days live a life of selfish entitlement, I like to encourage and entrepreneurial spirit.

 

And then jump on that $20-$25 for the whole lawn. WOW.

 

I have to say, that given the work ethic I've seen around here, I'm just happy he wants to work! :)

 

:iagree::iagree:

[Meriwether]

I hate typos and poor grammar, too. But in this case, I suggest you take your red pen and write this young man a note complementing him on taking initiative to earn some money. So many young ones these days live a life of selfish entitlement, I like to encourage and entrepreneurial spirit.

:iagree:

 

ETA: Except that I wouldn't actually pay someone else to mow my lawn. Dh does a fantastic job mowing. Soon after we were married he asked me to mow while he was at work (I was home for the summer). I went out to mow and couldn't even figure out how to start the lawn mower. Dh hasn't asked since. Not being able to start that thing was probably one of the best things to happen to me since I've been married. With that being said, I would figure out how to mow before paying for it.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Meriwether

[Perry]

However, if you knew your child struggled with a LD wouldn't you make a point to proof read his flyer before allowing him to distribute it?

How do you know he didn't have it proofread?

 

If you have a child with an LD, part of educating them is helping them do things like proofread.

Maybe he spent hours on this, and did have it proofread.

 

 

This is a message board, not a business flyer being distributed throughout the neighborhood.

 

But it's very public, and as homeschoolers, we should have higher standards. I cringe when I see glaring mistakes on teachers' message boards, and I imagine many people would be horrified to read some of the posts written by homeschoolers.

 

I make plenty of mistakes. I rush, I don't always proofread, and I seem to be getting dumber as I get older. Homeschooling and this forum have made me realize that my education wasn't as great as I thought it was. But if I were to criticize someone's grammar I'd sure as heck proofread that post carefully!