Hoyden Report post Posted March 27, 2007 Okay, my five year old daughter has shown quite the talent for helping Mom with leather dog collars. She's been oiling my carved leather straps prior to dying, cleaning paint brushes, using the "pokey tool" to clean all the bits out of the hole punches, rubbing in leather balm, etc. All the easy stuff a kid can do. The Gremlin (yes, that IS her nickname) is saving to pay the shipping fees for a dog**, so my husband gave her the bright idea that Mommy should pay her for doing all the edge slicking because she's so good at it. She sits infront of cartoon network with the gum tragacanth, a towel and a bone folding tool and does it. And I must say the kid does a really good job at it too. Each collar is about 28 to 40 inches long on each side. Since I HATE doing it and my husband & I can't agree on an amount, I though I'd ask here. This is the Gremlin, no I don't pick out her clothes, I just buy them. Or in the case of her jeans, she picks out the embroidery & the fabric and I make her jeans "cool". (** The Gremlin wants her OWN pit bull for agility and conformation showing, so a friend who owns a kennel is giving her a dog, she just has to pay the shipping fees. She has already saved and earned half the money she needs.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolvenstien Report post Posted March 27, 2007 I would say for you to pick a flat rate to give her per week..... say $10 or whatever... (great thing about having kids... it isnt called child labor when they are yours... LOL) then figure out how many inches or total collars she does do and divide the amount by that, and tell her that she will get like $1 per collar if she does 10 a week... or whatever you set it for her to get per week... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Romey Report post Posted March 27, 2007 I think thats awesome and deserving of a good wage! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Major Report post Posted March 27, 2007 $0.10 per furlong. You don't want to cut into that profit margin too much. Seriously though, I would say $1-$2 a collar Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johanna Report post Posted March 27, 2007 I think it's neat that she is participating in the family business constructively, and that she has set goals and is working to meet them. Maybe an hourly wage with a bonus for XX items completed in a given length of time? Or a big chart on the wall with how many collars she needs to do before you give her the balance she needs for her dog? Then a chart to earn his shots, food, toys, etc? Johanna ps your Gremlin is a cutie! Be sure to post a pic of her and her well-deserved dog! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chitin Report post Posted March 27, 2007 How much is shipping on the dog? I'd say rather than paying per collar, give her a set amount of collars to do and when she's done them you pay for the whole thing. Then if she wants to keep doing 'em, a couple bucks a collar should do it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoyden Report post Posted April 3, 2007 Thank you for your replies. We've been a bit busy, so I haven't had a chance to let you know what we decided to do. We agreed that I would give her 5% of the collar's selling price for doing the edges for me. Then we showed her how to calculate 5% using a calculator because she can't multiply yet. She was excited to deposit the $15.00 she made this week into her savings account before Kindergarten this afternoon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
