Teens and summer jobs

[Jane in NC]

Last summer I read an article in the Cape Cod Times about summer jobs for high school students. The writer interviewed several college admission people who said that they like seeing summer jobs on kids' applications. In fact, one fellow said that he was put off during interviews by students who expressed the view that bagging groceries or scooping ice cream was "beneath them".

 

I bring this up because my divorced neighbor told me that his daughter could get a job bagging groceries (they are friends with the store manager) but the girl felt that this job was too lowly. She'd rather be a life guard or, preferably, go to camps (at her parents' expense).

 

Whew! Let's just say that Dad is not quite happy since he feels that few lifeguarding opportunities exist where his daughter lives but grocery or fast food jobs abound.

 

Anyway, my sixteen year old does have a job--a glamourous one, in my opinion. He'll be a teaching assistant in a six week long summer science school program. Before that, he will be backpacking in the NC mountains through a camp funded by foundations. The application process was competitive and he was selected--our cost is getting him to the mountains from the coast.

 

Tell me about your kids. Are they working this summer? Studying? Traveling?

 

Jane

[Veronica in VA]

My dd (turning 16 this summer) has a part time job babysitting. She has done a little modeling for a local bridal shop, and hopes to do more with that, too. DS is looking for a job, probably at an ice cream shop or supermarket. He would love to do what your son is doing!

 

Veronica

[Brindee]

My son WILL be getting a job this summer. I'm not sure where it will be though. We've already talked about getting a job that's available, and certain jobs that get experience and money, that may not be "glamorous" but are certainly not beneath him! "Burger flippers" and baggers are needed, so it's a job that will earn him money! He agreed, so hopefully he won't be too picky! He may not LOVE the experience, but that's the way life is sometimes, and he'll learn responsibility and puctuality, etc., even if it's not his favorite job!

[Jane in NC]

He may not LOVE the experience, but that's the way life is sometimes, and he'll learn responsibility and puctuality, etc., even if it's not his favorite job!

 

That was exactly the sentiment expressed by the college admission people in the article to which I referred.

 

Jane

[DollyM]

DD has been working behind the counter at our local Barnes & Noble, in the cafe. Her plans were to work there all summer until she goes off to college (she's 17 now, turns 18 in July.) But they've cut her hours - hired more folks than they need and split the available hours among all the kids who want to work - but she went from 16-20+ hours a week to 8. She can't save anything on that. She's bummed. Hopefully it will pick up again soon. She worked opening shift (7:30am to 2pm) 3-4 days a week for MONTHs when nobody else would take that slot - you'd think that would get her SOME priority for hours. Harumph.

 

And who posted about paying the do-nothing babysitter $12/hour? BN only pays $11. Yikes.

[Gwen in VA]

Dd1, who is finishing up her freshman year at college, will be doing an internship in Europe in her area of interest -- I am so thrilled for her.

 

She is having to pay for a fair amount of the cost. Even with generous grants and stipends, the cost of living there plus the exchange rate means that the experience is not cheap. She is funding out of her savings -- she has worked for four summers as a Civil War camp counselor and as a seamstress in a costume shop. She is REALLY appreciating having a healthy bank account!

 

Ds1 is going to have a more normal summer working outside in the Tidewater heat as a living history interpreter. Neat job, but miserable working conditions. This will be his first paying job, though he has done LOTS of volunteer work.

[Michelle in MO]

may be going to a creative writing camp in northern Illinois, and my youngest will probably go to their science camp. It's just one week.

 

Otherwise, we're still in the decision-making process. I'd like my oldest to try one class at our local cc. We're still uncertain about the whole school issue with the other two, or whether or not to continue homeschooling. (See my other post about my impressions of one of our local schools on this board.)

 

Sounds like your son has a great opportunity lined up, Jane!

 

Brindee, I think it's good for lots of kids to start out at regular jobs, flipping burgers or whatever! My niece in Minnesota once wisely said, "Everyone should work in the service industry at least once in their life!" I agree! There are a lot of valuable skills kids can learn---being polite with customers (even when they're rude), counting change, learning how to hustle (something mine could learn), etc. etc. Your child's summer will be a valuable experience!

[Maverick]

My ds just turns 15 this summer, so he is too young for many paying jobs. He hopes to pick cherries this year--that was a pretty lucrative job for a lot of his 15 yo friends last summer. He'll also spend a lot of time swimming and do two weeks as a counsellor-in-training at a Christian youth camp.

[AngieW in Texas]

Up until tonight, every place my dd asked had a minimum hiring age of 16yo.

 

Cici's will actually hire 15yo kids. It's the first place we've found that will. My dd got an application and will return it tomorrow.

 

Every store and fast food place at the mall had a minimum hiring age of 16yo or 18yo. The bookstores, grocery stores, and all the freestanding fast food places had minimum hiring ages of 16yo.

 

The only fast food chain close by that we haven't checked out yet is McDonald's. My dd is going to see if she can get hired at Cici's first. We all hate McD's with a passion, so she'd rather not work there.

[Laura K (NC)]

I don't think I agree with summer jobs just being for summer unless they are truly seasonal work, like lifeguards or working at summer camps. In fact, my son got all excited because they're building yet another fast food place within walking distance, but I told him I didn't want him applying for a job where he can only commit 2 months unless the job itself only lasted that long. That shows a disrespect for an employer that I can't justify.

 

I do think jobs are necessary, but I don't think that traditional jobs like baggers or fast food burger flippers are a justifiable use of time during the school year if it takes away from sports, arts, volunteer work, or school... unless money was a serious financial issue, and it isn't with us. I'd much prefer my sons volunteer, apprentice, or make money doing something that will show them a true career, whether that be with an electrician, photographer, veterinarian, landscape company, etc. Those kind of career-oriented jobs will do more than just teach promptness, financial management, interpersonal skills, etc. In fact, working with other kids in fast food (in particular) could very well teach kids poor work habits. I don't agree that these easy-entry jobs show evidence of a healthy work ethic.

[Christi/NC]

They work at the same restuarant. My oldest has been there for 2 years and my 2nd child has been there nearly 1 year. It has been the best experience that I could have imagined for them. It's not always ideal (crude subject matter discussions, language, saxual harrassment once) but the benefits strongly outweigh the negatives. With my kids still living at home we have been able to walk them through the things they have come across that were new to them and they both have done really well with it. Learning to work with others, especially people you don't like, is an experience that will serve them the rest of their lives. Again, my dh and I have spent lots of time walking them through how to get along with others in that kind of environment and how to be their own person.

 

They have learned responsibility, time management, leadership skills, financial responsibility, communication skills, people skills, customer service skills. They have learned to stand up for what they believe and to stick up for others who aren't their siblings. The owner of the store is also a manager and loves both of my kids. They have a strong work ethic and are polite and responsible. They stand out amongst the crowd and have been rewarded for that.

 

BTW, these two kids are now 18 and 16.

 

HTH,

Christi

 

PS. I know this thread isn't all about jobs and teens but our experience has been so positive that I thought I'd weigh in. My oldest will also be taking her summer clinicals to finish up her CMA.

[Pamela H in Texas]

My 15yo does volunteer work more days than not. I'd much rather her do that full time than even consider a job.

 

My 13yo also does volunteer work but he is interested in working. There is a man in our congregation he is going to ask if he can work with this summer. It'll be hard work but I think that is just what ds needs.

[Anne/Ankara]

I don't think I agree with summer jobs just being for summer unless they are truly seasonal work, like lifeguards or working at summer camps. In fact, my son got all excited because they're building yet another fast food place within walking distance, but I told him I didn't want him applying for a job where he can only commit 2 months unless the job itself only lasted that long. That shows a disrespect for an employer that I can't justify.

 

I do think jobs are necessary, but I don't think that traditional jobs like baggers or fast food burger flippers are a justifiable use of time during the school year if it takes away from sports, arts, volunteer work, or school... unless money was a serious financial issue, and it isn't with us. I'd much prefer my sons volunteer, apprentice, or make money doing something that will show them a true career, whether that be with an electrician, photographer, veterinarian, landscape company, etc. Those kind of career-oriented jobs will do more than just teach promptness, financial management, interpersonal skills, etc. In fact, working with other kids in fast food (in particular) could very well teach kids poor work habits. I don't agree that these easy-entry jobs show evidence of a healthy work ethic.

 

I agree with Laura-- I would like my kids to work experience that teaches them valuable skills, rather than just fooling around, which is what can happen in a lot of low-skill teen jobs. My ds is only 13 now, but does volunteer work at the science museum. I'd love for him to get into lab science summer jobs (which are available, and nicely paid) when he gets a bit older.

[Linda in NM]

My son (who will be 14--yikes!) will be focusing on hockey (he's the best goalie in the state), with competitive camps all over the country (thanks, mom!)...meanwhile, back at the ranch <grin>, he'll continue his chores and help dad with landscaping, as well as volunteer at least one morning/week for our local vetenarian or wildlife group...

[Linda in NM]

Or vet, since I can't spell it!

[JFSinIL]

This summer (he will be 17 in late Sept.) - no job. Simply because we have a big family trip planned for the first three weeks in June - I figure all the summer jobs will be filled before we get back. He can spend the summer studying for the ACT and PSAT, and doing his summer reading work for Honors/AP English....and practicing driving with me (no license yet.) The plan is that NEXT summer he WILL have his license and WILL get a summer job.

 

We figure this June trip will be our last BIG family vacation :-(

 

Oh - and this summer I want him to build me a backyard deck where a swing set used to be. This is in place of the Eagle Scout project that he is NOT doing since as soon as he made Life Scout he dropped out and refused to continue (IDIOT!!! Now you know why my avatar photo is what it is! Aargh!!!)

[Gwen in VA]

I agree with Anne and Laura -- whatever the kids do during the summer, it should be 'meaningful" and not just whatever minimum wage job is available.

 

That's why my son hasn't had a summer job yet -- he was busy doing Civil Air Patrol stuff and volunteering and couldn't fit a summer job into his schedule!

 

Caveats --

 

1) HOWEVER, not all folks can afford to be fussy about what their kids do for the summer. For some folks, the money is needed, period.

 

2) ALSO, money is nice to have around, no matter what the job is that provides it. My above post mentioned that dd is going to have a dream summer doing an internship that really is a gift from God. When she had to make the decision to commit to the internship, we didn't know how much we would be spending on ds1, who is entering college next year. We couldn't promise her any financial support whatsoever. If she hadn't had the money in the bank, she could not have accepted this internship.

 

I am SO glad that she had the moiney in the bank so she could accept this internship!

 

After seeing how the money in her bank account has enabled her to take advantage of opportunities that otherwise might not have been possible, we are going to be more serious about making sure that ds2 and dd2 go off to college with a fair amount of money in the bank -- even if they have to work at McD's to do it!

[TexasTea]

My just turned 16 year old dd wants to get a summer job at a local movie theatre. We live in a small town and have a small theatre.

She worked all school year as a teacher aid on Fridays with a mom's morning out program. That was a paid job and will go back to it next school year.

[Bev in B'ville]

My dd has been working since she was 13. She's a soccer umpire. The work is rather seasonal (fall and spring) and she has to keep up with her credentials. The more experience she's acquired, the more responsibility she's been given. She started off as a side line ref (you know, the ref's with the flags who call offsides or out of bounds or other things) and has worked her way up to center ref (the ref on the field in charge of the entire game).

 

The skill set she's gained from this I really couldn't have anticipated. She's learned to be diplomatic and stearn, dealing with both irate players and/or their parents, and also how to deal with the occasional emergency (broken bones, concussions, etc.) She has to fill out the proper paperwork for each game, work pretty much independently, provide minimal supervision over the sideline refs, and sometimes teach (especially the younger groups who may not understand what they did wrong or what they're supposed to do next).

 

She's also learned how to juggle her school and work schedule, which is in itself an invaluable life lesson. She's also learned how to say "no" to her boss when her boss wants dd to work, but dd has schoolwork to do.

 

As jobs go, it's pretty low key, but I wouldn't think dd would be able to learn the things she's learned bagging groceries.

 

As always, just my $.02

[ccm]

My niece in Minnesota once wisely said, "Everyone should work in the service industry at least once in their life!" I agree!

 

:iagree: My older children have worked summer/afterschool jobs in retail (Wal-Mart, Kohl's and American Eagle) and they have learned SO much about dealing with people. Their jobs have been teaching them lessons I could not provide for them. They only work about 20 hours per week, not for the money necessarily (the middle two children are both extremely frugal) but for the experience. They have time for volunteering and fun with their friends. :auto: :grouphug::lurk5:

[Dee22]

started volunteering at a photography studio in March. She was interested in photography and we thought this was a great way for her to learn. We were surprised and happy when they asked if she would stay on for the summer if they would pay her. :001_smile:

[Cheryl B in VA]

There are many firsts for my son this summer and I am pleased with the life skills that he will be garnering from his summer. He will be gone three weeks out of the summer so we did not think that an actual summer job was doable. He will be getting a job in Sept., though, after he gets his driver's license.

 

DS will be going on his first missions trip out of the country. He is going with the church youth group to Jamaica. This is not cheap so he is learning how to raise money. We paid the $250 deposit and he has to come up with the rest. The church came up with a fundraiser called "Run for the Glory." The students collected pledges for laps running around the church (it is a BIG church). They had a calling night at the church where students were given member's phone numbers and called for pledges. This was on top of what the students could get from their friends and family. As a homeschooler, this is the first time he has had to raise funds for anything. He had to work on his communication skills to do this - which he really needed. He raised around $900.

 

The second week he is gone will be a family vacation to Williamsburg with my dad. Can we say history and fun?

 

His third week of travel will be to South Carolina for the Assemblies of God National Fine Arts competition. This was his first year participating and the youth choir advanced to nationals. He also entered the short sermon category but did not advance. Next year he will register for more categories.

 

And, lastly, he still needs to make some money this summer. Also, he needs a little more funds for the missions trip. He began mowing our lawn at age 11 and has occasionally mowed neighbors' lawns over the years. I have three boys, ages 16, 13, and 9, and they make up Bolt Brothers Lawn Care. They advertised two weeks ago and now how 4 clients plus our lawn (which they get paid for). Oldest DS is responsible for client communication, bookkeeping, and the mowing. Second DS does the trimming, and DS three does the bagging and blowing. My husband made a business notebook with a calendar to schedule the jobs, income record, expense record, etc.

 

Now, after saying all that let me clarify something - DS is not a self-motivated person. Would he rather take a nap than mow someone's lawn? Yes. Would he rather visit internet forums than fundraise? Yes. We are gently nudging him into being more responsible.

 

Thanks for letting me share!:001_smile:

[Brindee]

Well, I remember working at McDonald's when I was 17. I learned a LOT there. We DO need our son to get a job to help with expenses. Maybe those that don't allow their children to do low level jobs can afford to be picky. We really can't, this is a smaller town area and we don't have fancier, high-paying jobs available.

 

Also, we go into these jobs telling the people hiring that it's a summer interest, because he'll need to be in school in the Fall. These places know good and well that it's a short-term job. They WANT people for the summer jobs because they have more business then. So we are not being dishonest or not following through with commitments, or being unfair to the employer by having a summer job.

 

My kids also volunteer at the local Humane Society, and for our church. Since my ds14 is pretty sure he wants to be a pastor, the Pastor of our church is mentoring him. They meet once a week and discuss Bible books and break down the chapters and look up meanings. My ds is also taking Greek and wants to start Hebrew soon. He's going on a 2 week mission trip to Chile in July. He, also, is learning about fund-raising! :)

 

My ds16 (soon to be 17) just got back from a mission trip to an Indian reservation where they helped build a couple of buildings, worked with the kids, and had meetings with the people there.

 

So I'm not depriving my kids from volunteering and positive experiences to stick them into a low-paying burger job (or whatever job may show itself)! They may NOT do that kind of job. I just want them to be willing to do the work that needs to be done, whether it's low-pay or high pay! And I DO believe they gain valuable experience from this kind of thing, as well as from the other experiences they are having.

 

So, we all have our opinions, and that's good. That's why God made us all different---it's more interesting that way! :)

[Annie G]

Our teens are spending 5 weeks this summer as unpaid teen counselors for various drama and musical theater camps. That's pretty typical for our kids. Our older kids didn't work a traditional job until they were 17, and we were ok with that. I wouldn't mind our teens working a regular job but I'd want them to save much of their earnings. Too many of their friends have too much disposable income...Starbucks is an every day thing, and shopping is a weekly event.

I love hearing what everyone else's teens are doing... great ideas!

[Jeannie in NJ]

we live in a seashore resort town with a wonderful Boardwalk on the ocean. There are so many jobs available for kids that teens form Russia are brought over every summer to work here. My dd is only 13 and working age is 14, she can't wait till next summer to be able to work on the Broadwalk (we are up there several times a week). Her best friend who is already 14 will be working there this summer.

I even worked there, before children, at a bookstore and loved it. During breaks I would sit on a bench and just look at and enjoy the ocean.

My son, age 10, says that he wants to work at the yo-yo store when he is old enough (he has even discussed this with the owner).

[Hilary]

My DD (19), home from college this summer, will be working afternoons in the art studio of our city's children's museum. She likes art, but I'm not sure how she'll do with the small children ... she's never had much patience with her youngest brother, so we'll see. It pays $8 an hour, and this will be her first real paying job. Last summer she applied different places but because we were going to Paris for 10 days in the middle of the summer, I didn't encourage her to look too hard ... knowing that this absence would not be viewed as an asset by any prospective employer. I'm glad she's found a job where her hours are flexible, because she's also going to be taking Italian 2 at the university.

 

We would have strongly encouraged DS (17) to get a job, but just found out he's been accepted in our state's Governor's Scholars Program, which is five weeks long. The state pays all the expenses and program graduates get full-tuition scholarships at state universities or $6,000 per year at some very good private schools in the state, so it's hard to say "no ... you have to go get a job at Wal-mart instead."

 

One factor that really enters in to the summer job thing is where you live. The economy is so bad right now, and I think there are places, especially smaller towns, where it's very hard for a teen to get a job.

[mcconnellboys]

My teen son will participate in a week long theatre camp which he's done for years. This year, he's old enough to intern for them, as well, so will also do that for some period of time during the summer. This is a volunteer position.

 

He did part of his school required volunteer work at our local branch of the library this year and he's continuing that now. They have offered to hire him as a page when he turns 16 this summer.

 

He is a year-round swimmer and will swim both long-course and summer teams this year - IF he hasn't damaged a shoulder. We're waiting to find out right now......

[ckweyant]

My 14dd just got accepted to the community college and will start class the middle of May. However, she is wanting to purchase a car from her grandfather, so, she just found a babysitting job. I went with her for her 1st interview, and that went well. The lady needs a job, but she wants an evening job, so my dd would only need to be there a few hours each day. She told the lady that she couldn't work Wed., because of church; I was proud of her for that.

So far that is the only job she can really do, until she turns 15. I am really proud of her for taking the initiative.

[kjprice]

My daughter wants to try to find a job this summer ... she just mentioned it yesterday! I'm all for it!

[readwithem]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120890790273636403.html?mod=hpp_us_inside_today

 

Thought this was interesting and timely in light of you post, Jane :)

[1bassoon]

Here's the summer plan as it stands right now:

 

Dd is serving as summer intern for the church youth mission adventure program. She does volunteer office hours, works a 6-week program. It's very little money, but a tremendous experience.

 

The week after July 4, she is running a ballet camp in our garage. She's done this for a few years - hoping to get 15-20 girls to come (split shifts, one in afternoon). It's really a great experience in entreprenurial skills. Plus, she's thinking dance education as a major.

 

What else? I'm not sure how she could schedule an actual "job" - other than hopefully babysitting a little - in with these commitments, plus family vacation, and the dance classes she's required to take.

 

Next summer, though - I'm thinking she might need something to earn a little more money.

[LisaNY]

My older dd began working two summers ago in the office where her aunt works. She did filing and clerical work. This summer, she wants to do something else - possibly retail, or at a restaurant. She kind of went stir crazy working in an office. She likes a lot of activity.

 

My younger dd will probably get a job the day she turns 14. Talk about 13 going on 30. :001_rolleyes:

[QueenCat]

My senior just turned 18. He'll start flipping burgers next week. We pay his gas and insurance but he needs spending money. We also want him to start saving some for the future. He was upfront during the interview about working no more than 20 hours a week during the school year. He'll be going to college locally, and living at home. If 20 hours turns out to be too much for him with classes and a 5 hour/week on-campus assignment (part of a scholarship), then he'll have to either renegotiate the hours or quit. His time for volunteering will decrease but at this point, he needs to go this route.

[Gwen in VA]

Thanks for posting the link, readwithem.

 

I really appreciated what the article said about gas prices. If ds1 gets his job of choice, it will be 17 miles from home. (34 miles per day.....170 miles per week)

 

Dh and I will pay for the gas so ds1 can get the benefit of his earnings, but at $3.50 - $4 per gallon we are subsidizing a fair amount! (At least it's an interesting job as a costumed interpreter!)

 

Is anybody else starting to really watch the mileage they rack up?

[GreenKitty]

My kids will be mowing and cleaning up yards for people in our neighborhood.

[mamao32001]

I was just wondering today if Catherine and James would be involved in the drama. Sarah and Ben made the lottery. Funny to find my answer on a national (international?) website!!

 

My son, 16, already has a part-time job. Last year he thought he'd get a summer job but between church activities: camp and volunteer projects, there just wasn't any time!

[Luanne]

DD has been working behind the counter at our local Barnes & Noble, in the cafe. Her plans were to work there all summer until she goes off to college (she's 17 now, turns 18 in July.) But they've cut her hours - hired more folks than they need and split the available hours among all the kids who want to work - but she went from 16-20+ hours a week to 8. She can't save anything on that. She's bummed. Hopefully it will pick up again soon. She worked opening shift (7:30am to 2pm) 3-4 days a week for MONTHs when nobody else would take that slot - you'd think that would get her SOME priority for hours. Harumph.

 

And who posted about paying the do-nothing babysitter $12/hour? BN only pays $11. Yikes.

 

I've been working as a cashier at Wal-Mart for 3 years now and I only make $9.20 per hour... and they just now started giving me full-time hours.

[sweetbaby]

My son will have a job very soon and I think it's a great dose of real life skills.

[Jean in Wisc]

Dd is job hunting. Ds is going to be working full time for a carpentry crew.

 

We have a few weeks that we will be gone--CAP camp, homeschool alumni get-together, missionary's camp, and state fair.

 

J

[danielle]

Ever since reading "What high Schools Don't Tell You" I've really been thinking about the importance of summers in building a college "resume". My dd is only 14, but she will spend this summer working on a "business plan" to promote her harp playing to churches, wedding planners, etc. and practicing her instrument and working with a teacher on composition (who is willing to trade for babysitting Yeah!!) And beginning work on the Congressional Award.

 

I expect her to earn money via harp to pay for some of the huge costs associated with studying this instrument. However, after thinking thru that book's suggestions, we also sat down and planned out ideas for subsequent summers (music camps and institutes, prep for competitions, possible public service projects, etc.). She needs to earn money, yes, but landing--say--a full scholarship by college is worth more to our budget than anything she could earn in the summers at teen wage jobs.

 

We are lucky to live in a large metro area, so opportunities for meaningful volunteer work, starting businesses or charity work are all there. And, altho this instrument study costs a fortune, she can make some money playing it. However, working on the Congressional Award would be meaningful work for any teen, IMHO.

Danielle

[Rebecca in VA]

will be going with us on a two-week family vacation to England and Scotland. He'll continue his time-consuming work as Senior Patrol Leader for Scouts -- he even plans to bring his laptop overseas to stay on top of things. He hopes to get a summer job in a local law office (one of the Assistant Scoutmasters is a partner there). He plans to take the freshman writing course online at Patrick Henry College. If he still has extra time on his hands, I'll hire him as a "computer science" and "Fischertechnik expert" tutor for his 11-year-old sister (she's going to have a tech summer!).