topic Re: Where Are The Parents? in Community Chat

Where Are The Parents?

aj1980 — Thu, 04 May 2023 20:40:27 GMT

Two 10-year-old children were found working at a Louisville McDonald’s restaurant sometimes until 2 a.m.

“Investigators from the department’s Wage and Hour Division found two 10-year-old workers at a Louisville McDonald’s restaurant among many violations of federal labor laws committed by three Kentucky McDonald’s franchise operators,” the release said. “Investigators also determined two 10-year-old children were employed – but not paid – and sometimes worked as late as 2 a.m.”

Re: Where Are The Parents?

candyagain — Thu, 04 May 2023 20:43:51 GMT

Back home....

Re: Where Are The Parents?

RollTide2008 — Thu, 04 May 2023 20:47:45 GMT

The parent was the store manager.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

Trinity11 — Thu, 04 May 2023 20:50:05 GMT

@RollTide2008 wrote:
The parent was the store manager.

In my near 70 years, I have been in many family run businesses where the kids work. It's been going on for years. No reflection on parents of today.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

moonandthestars — Thu, 04 May 2023 20:50:27 GMT

the parent was the manager of that mcdonalds? interesting. in your eyes, does that make the story better or understandable?

Re: Where Are The Parents?

RollTide2008 — Thu, 04 May 2023 20:52:42 GMT

@Trinity11 wrote:
@RollTide2008 wrote:
The parent was the store manager.
In my near 70 years, I have been in many family run businesses where the kids work. It's been going on for years. No reflection on parents of today.

But can't we agree fifth graders probably ought not to be manning the fryer at McDonald's past midnight?

Re: Where Are The Parents?

chessylady — Thu, 04 May 2023 20:52:59 GMT

Expoitation of child labor laws are taking place in states across the country. Arkansaw just passed a law to eliminate the form that was previously submitted to the state for 14 and 15 year old workers. That sends a message to the employer. If I had to guess, I would say these underage workers are from poor families that need that extra money to get by. This in the weathiest country in the world. We can do better.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

Trinity11 — Thu, 04 May 2023 20:57:17 GMT

@RollTide2008 wrote:
@Trinity11 wrote:
@RollTide2008 wrote:
The parent was the store manager.
In my near 70 years, I have been in many family run businesses where the kids work. It's been going on for years. No reflection on parents of today.
But can't we agree fifth graders probably ought not to be manning the fryer at McDonald's past midnight?

Well, that is a given @RollTide2008 . However, if this is another thread about "today's parents" being negligent... there have always been negligent parents.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

kaydee50 — Thu, 04 May 2023 21:12:06 GMT

If the store manager was truly the parent I see nothing wrong with it. My DH worked for his uncle's bakery when he was 10 or maybe even younger. DH has very fond memories of that time.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

Glittergal — Thu, 04 May 2023 21:18:44 GMT

Children should get to be children, not forced to work.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

RoughDraft — Thu, 04 May 2023 21:51:43 GMT

Too many unknowns in these kinds of situations.

Families on the ege of poverty trying to survive may feel forced to include children into the mix OR they may not have anyone to tend to the children while they are working.

Is the idea of leaving children home alone better? Do the "home alone" children decide they are bored and hit the streets to get into trouble? The parents lose either way.

Life, as most of us know, is complicated.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

JaneMarple — Thu, 04 May 2023 21:57:33 GMT

@RoughDraft wrote:
Too many unknowns in these kinds of situations.

Families on the ege of poverty trying to survive may feel forced to include children into the mix OR they may not have anyone to tend to the children while they are working.

Is the idea of leaving children home alone better? Do the "home alone" children decide they are bored and hit the streets to get into trouble? The parents lose either way.

Life, as most of us know, is complicated.

Not to make light of the situation but this has been going on for centuries. Anyone remember reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair?

Re: Where Are The Parents?

mspemberley — Thu, 04 May 2023 21:58:29 GMT

A long time ago I owned a franchise and my kids helped out. That's probably what's going on here. You can never trust a headline...

However, I did pay my kids. They were my most trusted team members. In the end, most franchises are family businesses.

I'll also add, at 2am they're doing clean up and some prep. I certainly wouldn't have made a 10 year old do that at 2am. But with the price of childcare, they did come to work with me!

Re: Where Are The Parents?

Linmo — Thu, 04 May 2023 22:05:40 GMT

Ten year olds should be asleep at 2 am. If a parent can't afford childcare, at least have a sofa or cot that the child can sleep on in the back room.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

hckynutjohn — Thu, 04 May 2023 22:21:30 GMT

(thread title)

@aj1980

I had only 1 parent, my mother. I had a paper route at 8 years old, and started working at a Drive-in restaurant right after I turned 12.

Family owned? Yes, but not my family. I did work the huge grilles and deep fryers. I generally got home about 1:15am during week nights.

hckynut 🇺🇸

Re: Where Are The Parents?

MamaWick — Thu, 04 May 2023 22:23:48 GMT

I started working in my parents Ben Franklin 5&10 when I was 5...truly. It was a different world back then and wouldn't trade that for anything. I would not condone a child working in McDonald's.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

Love my grandkids — Thu, 04 May 2023 22:38:55 GMT

@Trinity11 NO 10 year old kids should be working those kinds of hours. They belong home in bed at that time.

Would you allow your 10 year old to work those hours?

Re: Where Are The Parents?

Trinity11 — Thu, 04 May 2023 23:00:57 GMT

@Love my grandkids wrote:
@Trinity11 NO 10 year old kids should be working those kinds of hours. They belong home in bed at that time.

Would you allow your 10 year old to work those hours?

You inferred WRONG @Love my grandkids .🙄

I never once said I condoned it. What I DID SAY was that it was ever thus. Kids have been working in their family businesses for years. It is not just today's parents who make these bad decisions.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

stevieb — Thu, 04 May 2023 23:08:50 GMT

@Glittergal wrote:
Children should get to be children, not forced to work.

Lots and lots of things should and shouldn't happen in the world in which we live. As we all know, life is often not remotely fair.

Re: Where Are The Parents?

Carmie — Thu, 04 May 2023 23:19:57 GMT

The parent took the kids to work and didn't have to pay a babysitter.

IT is against the law for children to be working and also to be operating a fryer. In most states you need to be 18 to operate or work near a grease fryer. The children didn't get paid.

I hope the parent was arrested and I know they had to be fired. McD would never allow this. The manager probably cost them big money in fines.