Paper Route Comes to an End!

This week marks the first time in nearly 8 years that one of my kids has not had a paper route. CS started when he was about 12, then the other two followed and we had two and a half routes at one time when they were about 11,13, and 15. TB will be starting baseball again next week, so he decided to give the route up this year as his sister didn't want to sub for him again and I don't blame her. She has a job of her own for one thing. I can't say enough about what a good thing having a route has been for my kids. On the one hand, it has been a grind, 6 days a week for 8 years is no small responsibility. But other that a few times when DH or I have filled in and drop off help on Saturdays, it has been their responsibility. As a result, I think they've learned a good work ethic, some problem solving skills, as well as how to earn and handle money. We've never given them an allowance and I can honestly say never restricted how they spent their paper route money. As a result, they are really very frugal and spend very little of what they have. They've used part of their money for the trips they have gone on every summer with scouts or church youth group, many of which we wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. TB will be without a job for awhile, but he'll go back to his lawn mowing this summer which has worked well with his baseball schedule and is really pretty good money. SD has a couple of choices for summer jobs and CS has his job at school to fall back on if nothing else works out. Now if things were just as certain for DH and I.