Paper Boy

[joeluke]

When I was a lad I loved having a paper round and was out in all weathers delivering them

Our local paper boy gets ferried around his 'round' by his Mam in her car, her handing him each paper as she slowly drives along

Laziness of the youth of today or mollycoddling by the parent?

[Islay]

Neither, mixture of both who knows.

Maybe the mother does not want to worry that something is going to happen to her son and that she will spend the rest of her life saying 'what if'

[andy-hughes]

Probably both - but considering the differences in child safety today from a generation ago, I cannot blame the mum in question.

[Gavmacp]

The weight of some papers is astounding.

[hc4361]

Child safety is no worse than it has ever been. A child old enough to do a paper round should have good road sense, too

[joeluke]

Didn't realise delivering papers was high-risk?

Surely no more 'dangerous' than walking to and from school?

'Life' is a risk, parents shouldn't wrap kids in cotton wool

[weecalf]

Well he's her Sun no Express delivery there then were you a Spectator to this event ,did not happen in out Times Sorry

[Islay]

Perhaps its not crossing the road but more the kidnap and possible rape and murder that may be playing on said mother's mind.

[hc4361]

Islay, that is probably less of a risk today because everyone is so aware of it.

[viv41]

Mollycoddling.

[New Judge]

The woman is an idiot.

The child must be aged thirteen at least to work as a paper boy. To do what she does she must either consider him to be at risk or that the work is too onerous for him. If she considers he is at risk (which is probably no greater than walking to school – which he probably does not do either) she should refuse him permission to do the work. If she considers the work is too onerous she is storing up huge trouble for him when he gets older. If doing a paper round at 13 is too strenuous how will he cope with a forty hour week?

Either way she is doing him absolutely no favours at all.

[Buenchico]

I agree with NJ.

However parents seem to have some strange ideas about when and where it's safe for their children to be out walking. I remember, from my teaching days, a mother telling me that her 15yo daughter couldn't possibly be kept in detention as she'd miss the school bus and have to walk home at 4pm, which she regarded as far too dangerous. That was despite the fact that I knew her daughter attended the youth club on the school site and walked home at 10pm five times every week!

(BTW: I couldn't do a paper round as it was an automatic expulsion offence if my school found out about it).

[Bazile]

I don't know how much paper boys are paid nowadays - when i had my paper round , it was not a lot .
Surely driving a car with him on the round, is costing more in fuel / wear and tear to vehicle ; than what he gets paid ?.

This also brings back to mind when i had a milk round .
In winter, handling those freezing cold bottles , resulting in the numbness of my fingers was not fun .

[hc4361]

All the paper boys in my area are retired gentlemen accompanied by their dogs :)

[murraymints]

same here..mummy brings him round and has been known to do the deliveries too

[Buenchico]

As Hc4361 points out, many paper deliverers are now adults. (I've seen some jobs advertised specifying that only car drivers should apply).

Perhaps it's actually Mum that the newsagent is paying, with her paying her son to help out?

[Hopkirk]

My paper round was dangerous.

I used to put the heavy bag of Sunday papers on top of the front wheel, and loop the handle round the brake levers.

[Cloverjo]

I didn't know paper boys still existed until recently. My papers have been delivered by men for years. I had to go out early one day last week, and was surprised to see a lad out with the bright green bag over his shoulder.

[ummmm]

My son has a paper round 7 days a week. I have driven round but only if it was raining heavily.

[-SharonA-]

This reminds me of me and my brother. We both had paper rounds, but my Dad had to help my brother do his, all because he was frightened of cats and one of his customers had a cat that keep hissing at him!!!!
My Dad never helped me once!

[mikey4444]

I too enjoyed my paper round. I used to go up to the station with the shop owner to collect them at about 06:00, help him to sort them out and then go out and deliver them. It would never have occurred to me to ask my Mummy for help !

Mollycoddling my daft parents in my opinion Joe !

HC is right here...child safety has nothing to do with this.