Free advice for the handyman

Mary, there is a difference between what you describe -- which is intolerable, agreed -- and a perfect stranger taking it upon himself to tell the woman who is about to hire him that she either fails to spank her child enough, or fails to show him enough love. The kids were in the back of the yard yelling. They were being obnoxious, but they weren't interfering with his work. If he had been back there trying to work, and the kids were behaving brattily, he ought to have said something to his employer about it (in which case I guarantee you Julie would have died a thousand deaths of embarrassment over the boys' behavior, and come down on them like a ton of bricks). I couldn't agree more that too many parents today are absurdly permissive with their children, especially in terms of what they let them get away with in public. I would think the proper thing for you to do in situations like you describe is to tell the parent that you cannot work under those conditions, and that you will not carry on until she gets the misbehaving child under control. It would not be your place to advise the parent that she is failing to love or spank her child sufficiently.

Rod I'll agree the handyman offered more advice than was required. The upside is it's been my observation that children of Hispanics are the wildest in public places like grocery stores etc. But when interacting with those same parents the same wild childs are very respectful and attentive. I believe that's due to a culture that discourages disciplined behavior by children for the sake of disciplined behavior. They instead encourage disciplined behavior where it's important to have disciplined behavior. For me the interesting aspect of the best thing about you's adventure with someone handy is a person leaves the room with an imperial knowledge about everything. And is replaced by someone with an imperial knowledge about everything....... Oh, and the reason good handypersons are so hard to hire isn't because of their attitudes. It's the attitudes of those that require handypersons that make that field so unattractive. It's one of those careers where there just isn't enough money.........

Franklin Evans and Derek Copold's post about the know it all clients and the handymen with a bud or two in them are (at least in my experience) spot on. Years ago, my father worked as a handyman when his railroad union went out on strike. He talked about how the clients would hire him, then micromanage every aspect of the work when they had no more idea than I would of what needed done, or even better, use my dad as a "babysitter" to keep the kids entertained. ("Look, kids!! Go watch the handyman rewire the electrical box...") (BTW, my dad never showed up for a job with a Bud or two in him, but the handymen he hired later often did. The picture window that was handyman installed, then fell out two days later, and my dad's reaction to said situation is family legend... ;))