Teaching kids to beg

[EatinAintCheatin]

Again today, I encountered what I despise. In front of Dorignac's (could be Breaux Mart, Winn Dixie, or any of several other merchants) were a group of young girls begging for money to help them go somewhere and play softball.

This practice is not limited to softball teams. I've see it with Brownie troops, Dixie youth boy teams and Cub Scouts.

On more than one occasion I ask the kids, "so you're asking for money....what do you provide in return?" More than one parent has been upset with me. I don't care. You're teaching your kid to beg and be lazy.

I realize that "it's for a good cause." But playing softball is a choice. They play because they want to and because it's fun for them. If they want to make money so they can have fun, then earn it.

I'm first in line when I see a lemonade stand or a car wash run by kids. And if your kid knocks on my door offering to pick up the sticks and leaves in my yard, absolutely. I did that when I was a kid.

Man I hate that begging $hit.

Anticipating questions from parents of young daughters or sons about providing a service for monetary reward here are a few suggestions that I, and probably several others, would sponsor:

1. Nursing Homes - there is always a need for young people to help, comfort and befriend the elderly. Help carry their lunch tray to the table. Play a card game with them. Be creative.

2. Offer, with the help of a parent if the kid doesn't drive, to make the weekly grocery run for an elderly couple.

3. Tutor a less fortunate kid.

4. Pick up litter in your neighborhood.

5. Carwash.

The bottom line is: do something to earn the money. You might learn a little humility, a badly needed lesson for many.

[Penny Lane]

Amen. But even more revolting is when young people farm out the old people to beg on the corner. I have witnessed healthy twenty somethings pull up to a corner and park. They sit with their doors open smoking cigarettes and send grandpa to the corner to beg. This happened right at the corner of Poydras and Claiborne. Apparently, this was a common occurrence because Grandpa walked right over and picked up a ready made sign in the seemingly usual spot. Oh, and it was a nice car too!

[justagirl]

Like the Texas contractor in Treme said tonight, " No disrespect, but y'all got a defective work ethic down here."

I agree EAC, it's disturbing every time I encounter it. I didn't grow up here and it's one of the things I'll never get used to. It's also something I notice doesn't exist when I travel.

When we were kids we worked for what we wanted. We had car washes, we picked up 'empties' for nickles, ect. If someone these days can tell me why they want my money then sure, I'm nice enough, but if you mumble something to me and expect a $5, then think again.

[bam bam]

Penny,

A few years ago (and it's on YouTube, I'll search for the link) a TV station in Houston did one of those sweeps month exposes in which they followed the esteemed members of Houston's begging community. It turns out that like most of them make $60k a year and live in nice houses and treat it like a 9 to 5 job.

I remember being in Baltimore once and falling for it. We were at the Inner Harbor and this well to do looking white guy came up to me with some sob story about how his car was broke down and he needed some cash to take the bus. So in a moment of weakness and the fact that I believed this line of BS, I gave him $2 or $3. Well the next day, I am outside of Camden Yards and the same guy comes up to me and starts the same BS. I go "sorry I fell for that yesterday." And he apologizes and runs off trying to scam the next person. I am still pissed but I did kinda admire his chutzpah.

There's a complete degenerate who stands in front of the Walgreen's at the Riverbend and asks everyday for money. It took him about six months but he finally got the picture and now doesn't ask me but I cringe every time I see one of these do gooder uptown types throw him some change before they get in their Mercedes.

Yeah and they would be soooo charitable if he was hanging in front of their house on State or Nashville.

As for begging as a form of fund raising, I agree with EAC. There seems to be a lot able bodied young teens could do if they wanted to take a softball trip somewhere. I mean even having a raffle gives off the pretense of not begging.

[cstoehr]

It is really bad in front of Sam's Club.........you get accosted by a swarm of them upon leaving. I agree with all of the other posters.........what happened to car washes, bake sales, yard work, etc. Everyone wants it for free. It is called laziness!

[bam bam]

http://www.click2houston.com/news/18688348/detail.htm

There's one of the stories. I couldn't locate the video on YouTube.

[Shannon]

My kids will not be allowed to do this. Period. We will provide the money necessary for their activities or they will earn it. And I don't like them earning it by selling junk that people don't want. (You know, your co-workers all come to work with brochures of wrapping paper and useless gifts, or the frozen cookie dough - right? And all of the kids are selling the same junk.)

When I was in school and raising money for whatever trip or other activity we were doing, it was car washes in New Orleans, or working at the Dome nacho stands (I know they still do this - because it was a fundraising option for my 4th graders school trip to Orlando this past year). We had to work, and my kids will too.

[Penny Lane]

I don't find it hard to believe at all that these professional beggars make 50 grand. So there are a couple of things I truly insist upon if I am going to support these bums: First the sign. I mean they need to have a good sign. Not some crappy old worn out sign that has been used for days. And secondly a limp. I am simply not going to give a healthy strapping man some cash for doing nothing. He has to have a limp.

Concerning the kids outside of the grocery store, I agree that this is ridiculous. They will ask an old lady for money as she slowly goes out to put her groceries in her car. How about having the children go out and offer to help people load the groceries in their car in the hopes (but not expectations) of getting tips? It is quite easy to see how this entitlement mentality is being proliferated to the next generation.

[LauraMc]

I can't stand this practice either. When I was a teen, our CYO went to Mexico to do mission work. We raised all the money through car washes, bake sales and renting ourselves out for baby sitting, cleaning yards, etc.
I hate to drive through the intersection under I-10 at St. Charles Ave where the homeless all hang out.
In old Jeff at the Winn Dixie, there is some jerk who brings a kid, maybe 3 or 4 with him to beg. He claims he needs money for the bus to get back to the Westbank. The moron didn't realize I saw him get off the bus when I entered the store. When he asked for money, I asked why he got off the bus just to beg and he got ticked off. I refuse to give those people money.

[#7 throw away to do list.]

the baseball/softball begging at wal mart to pay to go to a tournament somewhere is terrible. sell cookies, do a carwash. i understand scammers begging on the corner, but pimping out your kid for a baseball trip? wtf? i have to pay for my kids to play sports at the local rec department. i dont have the kind of jack to send them to play for a week at disney.just awful.