My son will be 14 in a few weeks. Apparently he's discovered that the legal working age in our province is 14. Thus, his big announcement: "Soon as I'm 14, I'm getting a job!" I advised him to wait until after Christmas and I told him, "If you want a job you're going to have to come up with a resume and go to interviews on your own." "No problem. I look awesome in a tie," says the boy, confidently. And it's true. Also, at 6'1'', and being unusually self-possessed (for anyone, not just as a kid), he looks and acts a lot older than he is. But I'm a bit anxious about this. My best friend says it'll be good for him to get being repeatedly fired for insubordination out of the way before he actually has to live on what he earns. :shock: His dad says he's fine with it as long as the boy keeps up with his school work. Well... except this boy isn't very good at school. He doesn't like it and doesn't see a point to most of what he does there. His grades are wobbly at best. The only reason he goes (and the reason we're not homeschooling, much as I'd love to) is for the other boys. He loves people. This is all new for me, as his big sister has never had any interest in getting out there and earning money. And I sure never worked as a teenager, except for a little babysitting - my mom said school was my job. Does anyone here have working teens? Did you work when you were a teen? When did they or you start? How did it affect your life/education?
I'm afraid I won't be of much help. One of mom's friends worked in a real estate office, and she hired me when I was in 6th grade to do some filing. She quit, so I stopped going. The boss called, and said he still wanted me to file. I had my own key, kept my own hours, and worked at that all through high school. I rarely saw the boss (or anyone else, as I usually worked weekends). He would give me a list of what he wanted done, and I'd do it. I took vacation when I wanted, and then I'd work hard to catch up. My only complaint was that he'd also have me do his dishes. If I was gone for three weeks, he'd just let them pile up. He couldn't even rinse them, and I'd come back and find ants crawling all over them. Boy, did I lay into him about that!!!! I also worked in the school cafeteria in high school. I worked breakfast, and one full lunch period, and part of a second, mostly cashiering.
I'd say let him try it. That's an education in itself. He just might decide that school is easier. Or at least worthwhile. OTOH, he might find something that turns into a real career eventually, and he'll learn what he needs to know in order to do the job.
Oh, yes, absolutely! but again, I set my own hours for the realtor, and there weren't that many of them. I think it would have been different for me if I had a "regular" job with a schedule, and it would interfer with my "social life".
I worked in HS. The family rule was that grades couldn't slip. I had to maintain a B average in order to keep my job. So....set ground rules. Days he can/can't work, times he can/can't work, grades he needs to maintain in order to keep the job, etc. If you set the boundaries first, you have a backup if he fails to meet them.
I worked in an office in high school. Good money for a teen. I also had to mow lawns for my dad (he had commercial rental property) for my dad on the weekends. As a teen girl I HATED that...so hot in the FL sun ~ especially in the summer when I couldn't go to the beach until they were all finished. My BFFs son is 14 and had a job in a manufacturing plant this summer (he's in PS.) She was very surprised at how well he did and how much the boss liked him. I would say it's worth a try...as long as the expectations are clear before he starts. Best wishes!
My first job aside from babysitting was at sixteen. I agree if he can keep up with his scholwork and do it let him. Plenty of part time jobs out there that won't interfere with studdying
I think that having a job is a great education for a teen. Plus like others have stated set rules that he has to maintain his grades, if he really enjoys working it might be the thing he needs to motivate him to work harder at school.
Rachael came home and said the Staples up the road from us is hiring. That might be a good thing for her; plus, I wonder if she could transfer if there was one where she goes to college....
Thanks, everyone! I feel a bit better about it now. I especially like the idea of setting conditions. Although, I think I'll tell him he has to get that overall B average first, before he gets a job. After that, he has to maintain it, in order to keep the job. Maybe this will inspire him to be a bit more conscientious about his homework. Good luck to her! That sounds great.
My dd is 15 and can't wait to get a job when she's 16. Thing is, I don't know how she'd keep up with her schoolwork. I guess it's worth it to let her try. I don't want to hold her back.
