There may already be a thread with the information I am looking for, but if not, here we go. After having had quite a few helpers, apprentices, etc I have tried to draw up guidelines to try to prevent many of the problems I have had with apprentices in the past.

Rules of order, so to speak to try to make it last and keep me from going off the deep end. I felt, like so many of our client problems, that much of it could probably be blamed on my failure to communicate to them exactly what is expected and what things should never happen. I have gotten burnt out many times on having full-time help but for some reason I keep coming back for more every now and then. I do not currently have an apprentice/helper but am working on drawing up provisions, guidelines,rules, terms, whatever you want to call it so that maybe we can both benefit from the arrangement more in the future.

I know many of you have much more experience in this area than me and just want some ideas on what you expect of your helper, associate... Even if you don't have written rules or anything, I am sure most of you do have things that you expect to be understood in this type of arrangement.

I am open to hear anything and appreciate your help in this area.