As did my older brother and I. But I really hated doing deliveries in Minneapolis on Sunday morning, in the winter, just after 8 inches of snow. I also mowed lawns in the summer, raked leaves in the fall, and shoveled sidewalks in the winter. We didn't get an 'allowance', we worked for it.
You did papers in the snow?! Oh no! the horror! I’m Canadian, I feel your pain. I’m poking fun, I get the snow obviously being up north.
Same as you, I never had an allowance either. If I wanted clothes, or a bike or anything, I had to save for it with my own money and buy it. It’s sure a good lesson in what cash is worth.
On a side note I once dated an American cop from the twin cities, she last worked in Winthrop last I heard, but it wasn’t meant to be.
I was given my first job at 13 at a computer shop, doing filing. I had to simply file papers into a filing cabinet in alphabetical order.
But I quickly moved up to the workbench, and at age 14 was building computers on weekends, my weekends, days off, and afterschool were spent building computers.
At age 18 I graduated highschool and looked for other work. I worked in a kitchen (As typical for an 18 year old) but I did computer work on the side. This is 1994.
at age 19 I broke into my own business as a computer technician and consultant. I ran my own company until I was offered permanent position at my dream job of Yale University. Head of helpdesk at age 26. Stayed for a few years, and then left to go back into business for myself.
It wasn’t college that helped me do this. It was working at a young age doing stupid things that turned into better things. It gave me a HUGE advantage in the marketplace, and I think that employment at young ages does nothing but help.