By Shellie Hochstetler
That was the big question in my house. As a parent, you want your kids to grow up to be moral, productive adults with steady, great-paying jobs and have the proverbial house with the white picket fence and the golden retriever on the porch. But they are just children right now, right? They are going to have their whole lives to work and work and work. But there are also some great lessons for teens to learn through having these jobs.
It teaches them responsibility. They have to answer to an employer, keep up with their work schedule, and manage various responsibilities.
It teaches them punctuality. This can be difficult for some teens, especially if it means being somewhere early on a summer morning! (Note: A broken nail is not a good reason for being late to work.)
It teaches them how to manage money. Hopefully. Unless your teen spends every cent as fast as they make it, like I used to! I just could never pass up the good deals at Goody’s!
It teaches them different types of social skills. They will soon learn that not every boss is fair. Also, they will have to learn how to deal with co-workers that could be somewhat challenging.
It teaches them to make choices in managing their time. A summer job could keep them from social activities. That’s not always bad, but sometimes it is. Summer camps, mission trips, vacations, and just down time are really important for our teens. They are in school 180 days for approximately 7 hours a day, which doesn’t include time for homework, extracurricular activities, or even friends. And they are still kids. Big, huge, fat responsibilities are coming quickly for our kids. How well we know that! Balance at this stage is imperative.
My husband and I started allowing our kids to get after-school jobs or summer jobs when they started acquiring more privileges. Driving the car, going to movies with friends, and “hanging out” can get expensive. Those things are privileges, not rights they obtained just because they happened to be born into our family. So it’s good for them to help pay for those privileges. In fact, it will make those privileges more meaningful to them.
Many teens view having a job as a form of independence. They don’t always realize that it also requires sacrifice. A sacrifice of time, mostly. You know your teen the best. Can they handle any more time constraints on their schedule? Do they need to have more responsibilities? I know a man who has four amazing sons, and all of them have grown up to be very successful. I asked this father what his secret was. He looked at me and said, “I kept them so busy they didn’t have time to get in trouble.”
What do you think? What are the pros and cons to teens having summer jobs? And at what age should they start working these jobs?
Great article! My two teenage boys hold summer jobs at our pump repair shop. It’s hard, hot work, but they are learning so much about a good work ethic, managing money, and that some jobs (like the one their dad does) will work your fingers to the bone! They actually enjoy the work. I think it makes then proud to see what they can do with their hands. Great lessons!
Thanks Kristin! I completely agree with you. Lots of great life lessons are born from those first jobs!
My daughter turned 16 in March & has wanted to work since she was 15, maybe even 14. But in TN, there are very few jobs for 15 yr olds. I truely agree with teens having a summer job & staying busy but have a difficult time with her working during the school years because I want her GPA to be her focus. She in in hours classes & on the honor roll, as well as being a part of the show choir program at the school, which is a job within itself. So, I guess I say all that to say, if she can juggle all that & keep her GPA up, then I’m all for my teen working throughout the year. And since we are going into the “Money Matters” phase of bringing up a teenager, this is essential for them. Great article! Thanks
Melanie, I was just like your daughter. My parents decided to allow me to train (I was an all-state distance runner) and study full time rather than get a job, but I certainly don’t disagree with the pros mentioned by Shellie.
Regarding summer options that also augment these skill sets and experiences – I am the co-creator of a camp/conference for 16- and 17-year olds (managingourselves.com) that specifically focuses, through a college-level curriculum, on these exact issues. I welcome all inquiries as we still have some seats open.
Melanie, Lot of wisdom in what you are saying!! Sounds like you are doing a great job guiding your daughter! She’s blessed to have you:) (We need to hear that more!!)
I wouldnt let them work for some unknown adult w an add on a light post named simply Paul(above)but, a real job with a time clock during summer time NOT school.