jobs

[choirfarm]

Just musing here. Growing up, my family never, ever traveled anywhere. It was the expectation that after you got your driver's liscence, that you would work during the summer. I was not allowed to work during the school year. My parents told me that school WAS my job. They expected me to participate in extra-curriculars and get good grades.

 

So now oldest is 16 and driving and I look to this summer and I see:

 

May- mission trip with family to Honduras during the last two weeks, leadership camp in June ( Mon-Fri: hate for him to miss this!) Haiti mission trip with youth group in July, and family camping vacation for 2 weeks in August. How does a job work around that?????School starts the third week in August at the CC.

[creekland]

My older two have not had jobs except for helping hubby with his engineering field work when needed. They've been too involved with other things to work a normal job - plus - they've had high enough stats to get decent merit aid for college.

 

Youngest might be different. Next fall he might start a job. We're still debating it. He's not likely to have the scores the others do and will need more $$ plus he's not getting as much from hubby as when the economy was going well.

[J-rap]

It is tricky... there are so many more opportunities these days! My kids have all worked starting at age 15 or 16 (or even earlier), but were fortunate in that they had an employer who worked/works around their schedule. So, if they are in a sport and can't work a season, that's fine. If their extra-curricular choir has a two-week tour, plus another family vacation for two weeks later in the summer, that's fine too. Because of a very understanding and flexible employer, all of my children have been able to hold part-time jobs off and on throughout their high school years, get good grades, and participate in summer activities.

[Chris in VA]

I'd just call this upcoming summer a wash, as far as working a 9-to-5, and concentrate on making those family memories.

Is a Friday night or Saturday job a possibility during the school year? It does add up. I know babysitting (even if you are a guy) can really add to the bank.

 

There does come a time, however (and it's usually, for us, the last two summers of high school before college), when camps and that sort of thing are out. Mission trips and shorter fam vacas are ok, so maybe 2 weeks of "special" stuff, but mostly it's work. It's kinda sad, in a way--I had to let go of the idea that we'd all be together on vacation.

 

For our family, ds22 graduated a semester early, so he was able to work a few extra months, and he also had a nice boss who let him take a week in July for a mission trip. We took our family vaca very late in Aug, so he quit right before it.

[choirfarm]

There does come a time, however (and it's usually, for us, the last two summers of high school before college), when camps and that sort of thing are out. Mission trips and shorter fam vacas are ok, so maybe 2 weeks of "special" stuff, but mostly it's work. It's kinda sad, in a way--I had to let go of the idea that we'd all be together on vacation.

 

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Yep, it is my husband that is going to have the hard time. He is really looking forward to this summer. This is the first school year that we haven't gone on any trips because the boys are in cc and online classes. He HATES it. That has always been a problem with extra-curriculars, especially sports. I hated it when the boys were younger because we would still take trips even during sports seasons. To him, family comes first. To me, the team is depending on you. I have always worked hard to make my music stuff work around vacations. ( Hubby typically takes off 2 weeks every quarter. In a way he has to. He generally leaves at 5 or 6am and gets back at 7 or 8pm. He works one or two weekends a month as well. So those 2 weeks, he really looks forward to just spending with the kids. He did take a week off a couple of weeks ago and just stayed hom to do things around the house. He worked from sun up to sun down doing things, including some fun things with the kids.) He hates this school year.

[merylvdm]

My kids also found it hard to fit in a job around the activities (for us it is family vacation, 4-H and choir tours at minimum).

 

As a result I encouraged them all to start their own businesses and all did from an early age. 3 have done tutoring (youngest started this year - she is 11 and teaches Scratch programming), one started a photography business, one made DVDs, one builds websites and makes Youtube videos (earns from Adsense) and all do affiliate marketing online.

 

They do all pick up short jobs on occasions, but they would never manage to have enough time to work a regular summer job.

[AK_Mom4]

Just musing here. Growing up, my family never, ever traveled anywhere. It was the expectation that after you got your driver's liscence, that you would work during the summer. I was not allowed to work during the school year. My parents told me that school WAS my job. They expected me to participate in extra-curriculars and get good grades.

 

So now oldest is 16 and driving and I look to this summer and I see:

 

May- mission trip with family to Honduras during the last two weeks, leadership camp in June ( Mon-Fri: hate for him to miss this!) Haiti mission trip with youth group in July, and family camping vacation for 2 weeks in August. How does a job work around that?????School starts the third week in August at the CC.

 

DD17 found the flexibility she needed thru giving music lessons and babysitting. She has added a retail job for now since her school schedule is pretty fixed, but it is only part-time. DS15 has umpired baseball games for the last 3 years.

 

Look for flexible opportunities and I wouldn't stress about gettting a 9-5 job since they are busy with other opportunities.

[Samiam]

Most companies that hire High Schools do so for part-time hours. They are aware that high schoolers are busy. It's not just us homeschoolers who are busy in high school, most public school students in high school are very busy as well, if they choose to be. The options are there, if they want to take advantage of them. I know I was.

 

Companies that hire high schoolers are usually aware they will have to work around hectic schedules. Most are willing to work around planned events, especially with enough notice.

 

If your child has a way to earn income, and will have the grades to get scholarships, I think that a part-time job is not a priority.

 

I see the benefits to having a part-time job, on the other hand, most adults will work for the majority of their lives, so I think that allowing a teenager to focus on their school and have the freedom to enjoy life while they are young and not alot of life responsibilities has something going for it as well.

 

I think, for my children, when they get to that age, I will leave it up to them, and their circumstances as to whether they get a part time job. If they are frugal with their money, and using their free time productively, probably no push for a job.