Certain things in life never get old; Hanging out with the boys, even when your knees crack when you sit down and a night at the bar ends at 7. Coming home to your favorite meal ready for you after a hard day’s work. And taming that great expanse we call home with a riding lawnmower.
Starting Life Right
Fatherhood comes with a few rites of passage. One of those is teaching the kids the basics, including driving. A lot of kids get their start on a mower. Whether you’ve got a little one running around that’s smart as a whip, or you have an older kid who’s a little skittish about taking the plunge and driving a real vehicle, starting out on a mower is a great way to get used to driving.
It opens up a bonding experience for you and your children and allows you to give them that building block in life. While the controls may be a little different depending on the model, the idea is the same. It allows your kids to understand directionality, cause and effect, and to finish up your chores for you while y’all enjoy some teaching time together.
Taking Pride in Work
Not everyone gets to take pride in their work anymore. Where we used to take jobs that meant something to us, too many settle on jobs that bring in money. There’s no passion and no pride – just a paycheck.
When you have a riding mower, you can take pride in the good, hard work you do. You can watch as something unruly and untamed becomes beautiful and functional because of the work you put in.
This is the kind of work you can show, too. Your wife can come and admire it, your kids can aspire to put in that kind of work.
It’s the kind of work a man can take pride in.
A Little Extra Cash
When you do right, people notice. The same goes for when you do your lawn right. With a riding mower, you’re able to cover a lot more land in a lot less time. Because of this, it won’t be long before your neighbors are asking you to come over and trim their lawn.
It never hurts to have the option to earn a little extra cash on the side, and if you end up loving it, it’s an easy profession to get into. (And you’ll already have some customer reviews!)
Taking a Moment to Think
Some people have zen gardens. But you – you have a riding mower. When life’s rough or when you’re facing a situation and you need some time to think, all you have to do is hop on and roll out. You don’t have to worry about getting frustrated as you might with a push mower, as riding mowers tend to be easier to start up, better on fuel, and more fun to use.
Not only do you get to tune the world out and have a moment just to yourself, but you also get to stand back and admire the good you’ve done once you’ve cleared your head.
Leaving a Legacy
A riding lawn mower may not be a legacy in and of itself, but it sure leads to one. Your kids will remember how dad taught them how to drive on a mower first. They’ll remember that proud look in your eyes as they finished the lawn by themselves for the first time. They’ll think about how you worked through your problems while you worked on the lawn. And they’ll understand that you always had enough money to keep them well and happy.
They won’t think about the riding mower needing to be fixed all the time – they’ll think about how you taught them the basics of mechanics by fixing it up with them.
Riding mowers aren’t just a joy because they’re faster and more convenient than push mowers. They’re a joy because they help you to pass on strong values to your kids. They’re a joy because they help your wife see all the hard work you do. They’re a joy because they give you a space of your own, even if it’s only until the job is done.