The Reluctant Volunteer

While lurking on the subreddit "Am I The Asshole," I came across another story I thought worth sharing.  A mother took her children to the zoo, only for the oldest (a boy of 16) to start making insulting comments about the zookeepers and their "menial" jobs doing dirty labor.  The comments weren't directed at the keepers per se, but the mother is fairly sure that they heard them, and wanted to punish the child, both for his rude behavior and to make him understand the importance of physical labor.

So, she signed him up as a volunteer.  This lead not only to some complaints from the boy himself, but also from the father (they're divorced), which led her to second-guess herself.

AITA for making my son (16M) volunteer at the zoo, after he made some rude comments?

So, is she the asshole?

The jury was split.  Granted, everyone believed that the kid was a little turd who could use a healthy dose of reality, to say nothing of respect for workers of all stripes.  The thing is, making him work at the zoo isn't just a punishment for him.  It's a punishment for the keepers.  They are now saddled with an unruly, whiny kid who will require a lot of supervision, which is kind of like doing your job while wearing a ball and chain.

To be honest, all volunteers are a hassle when they are new - they don't know how to do the job, need a lot of help, and in the end it's easier to do it yourself.  Why do we do deal with it, then?  First, they get better with practice, and if you invest in them, they become more and more proficient.  Secondly, it's good community outreach and a great way to share the zoo's message.  Most importantly, though, we all love animals, and we're willing to put up with some slowness and extra work to help someone else who loves animals start off on their path through the field.  It really can be a major pleasure of the job to mentor someone who is having their first steps in the zoo world.

All of that, of course, is contingent on the volunteer wanting to be there, which this kid doesn't.  And I kind of wonder if this mom is, heart in the right place, reinforcing the belief that this kid has that to do a job like this is a punishment for people who've done something bad to "deserve it."  To which I would respond, "Lady, this isn't our punishment - this is our passion."