Did you make your teen get a job?

[LiveWhatULove]

Neither my 14 or 16 year olds have jobs yet.

Yes, I am bragging, but I think they are awesome, responsible kids and am torn between the pros and cons of making one and letting the other get a job.

Pros, obviously learning valuable people/life skills, practice grit, and more money management skills

Cons, adds stress to already busy complex lives/schedule when in reality, they have like another 50+ years to go to work; makes my life more complex in terms of transportation, as I am waiting another year before buying our 4th vehicle; and I’d miss having them around home for the short time they have left, prior to launching into adulthood.

Just curious what you did growing up & what your kid did.

I have pretty much been working since I was like 12, so I feel a bit like my kids are spoiled, compared to me. But they do work really hard in school and activities.

[highlandmum]

Mine wanted jobs. All three of them went and got their own jobs at 16 years old. They wanted their own money, they wanted to start savings for both a car and put money into a investment account. My three were lucky they all found jobs that worked with the student employees and that allowed them to balance school, work and competitive activities.

[mater-three]

No - and I wish I had especially with my middle daughter. She had a huge wake-up call.

[mcginnisc]

My 18 year old slid into her job. She was already at the karate dojo constantly for classes and would go a bit early for class. She would help out during other classes and so they told her they were going to make her a Jr. Instructor. She worked there for 3 years until she went to college. Her 15 year old sister just did the same thing..slid into a Jr. Instructor position at the dojo. I work there too so it's not a big issue as dd just goes with me for the moment. She might get a car when she turns 16 in August and then she can drive herself which is what happened with her sister when she turned 16.

[MrsDavidB]

My 2 older sons yes. When they started driving. I didn't mind still paying for insurance but they needed to have their own money for gas, movies, beer etc. LOL just kidding on the beer. Hopefully. My daughter (16) goes to an elite high school on a campus and lives 2 hours away and those students are not allowed to have jobs while attending. So she won't have to work until whenever she wants. College I suppose.

[mommy_jules]

My oldest is 14, and I haven’t given that much thought yet. I started working when I was 12, so I can relate to that last bit…lol.

[Olioxenfree]

Yes, they have/will get jobs. My 12 and 13 year olds already have jobs that don’t require working permits, we’ve already agreed that all of our kids will have to get at least a part time summer job at 14.

Part of it is more what works for our family. Teens start getting more independence and start wanting to do things like go to the movies or out with friends, and in our house they need to pay for those extras. We provide what is needed for our kids plus some extras, but we budget for things like their college funds and so we do not supply general wants outside of special occasions. So if they want to do those things with friends, they need to make the money. Same with if they want a car/gas, they need to pay for it.

If a family chooses to fund their kids entire wants through high school, that’s up to them. But the main reason why our kids will have jobs is how the job market is right now. My husband is a hiring manager as part of his responsibilities and he sees so many nice “kids” come in for entry level jobs with blank resumes and lack of knowledge of how to market yourself. They may very well be responsible, but “my mom thinks I’m responsible” isn’t going to cut it. I’ve have a job since I was 12 and it 100% put me ahead for internships and jobs in and post college and society has gotten even more competitive. Even a basic dish washer/paper delivery/etc. job comes with marketable resume builders like inventory, professional communication, time management, etc. so even if they don’t care about having extra spending money, they still need something.

We still spend a lot of time with them. It takes more work for us to coordinate around their sports, homework, social, and work, but it’s worth it, and we believe in quality of time over quantity. Plus I think it means something to them to see us put in the effort to spend time with them vs casual time because they happen to be around.

[AZOldGal66]

Make them? No.

Their "job" was school and whatever activities they were involved in.

However, if they had wanted to, they could have.

[Heyteacher]

If they want to drive, yes, they will need a part time job. Our insurance will sky rocket adding 2 new drivers, I am not paying for that. Right now they have chores and receive an allowance. Our oldest is in little league and discovered he lost his mitt. He immediately said “it’s OK I will have to use my money to replace it”. So he is already learning!

My parents lived paycheck to paycheck. We didn’t starve but we didn’t have fancy food, or trips to the beach. So I was babysitting from 12 years old, and then when I turned 16 I worked in a Deli, then Taco Bell then a craft store, and finally a shoe store before graduating college and getting married.

[WellPreserved]

We asked that they didn’t work while in school but both got either summer jobs or internships during vacations. They are both out of school and my daughter works a full time job and has a side gig. My son works a fulk time job and two part time jobs. Neither pay rent but do put a substantial amount away for savings.