S/O: First job.......what about your kids

[DawnM]

My middle son wants to get a job.  A lot of his friends are starting to get jobs.

 

However, DH and I talked last night and have decided to make him wait for a couple of reasons:

 

1. He doesn't have a license yet (his friends who work have them)

2. We really need to go out West and visit my parents this summer, they aren't doing well physically.

3. He is starting a new school in the Fall and it is more academically rigorous and we want him to see if he can handle a job in addition to school.

 

 

Anyway, what have been your kids first jobs?

[bettyandbob]

Dd pet sitting 8 and steadily did similar stuff until lifeguard 15 and swim instructor 16

 

DS weekly paper delivery at 13 and then nothing until lifeguard 20

[The Girls' Mom]

Other than babysitting:

 

My oldest's first job was teaching circus tricks to school kids at a summer program for under-privileged kids.  She loved it, but it was mentally and physically exhausting.  She fell in love with those kiddos, and some of them had some pretty rough lives.  About two weeks after she got that job, she also got a part-time page position at the library.  She put in a lot of hours that summer.  She is still working at the library.

 

One of my twins currently is working at her first job at a thrift store.  She does everything from running the register to cleaning toilets.  

 

My other twin is having a harder time finding a job.  She's picky too though, so that doesn't help.

[creekland]

My kids started working as engineering field surveyors for hubby pretty much as soon as they were old enough to hold the rod.  Now they can do either job - rod holding or machine running.

 

Outside of family, they worked picking strawberries at a UPick Strawberry Farm (since that place also sold picked berries) in season and youngest got a job with Chick Fil A his senior year of high school.

 

The other two got regular jobs outside of family when they went to college - work study jobs.  Oldest was in A/V (audio/visual).  Middle worked in a lab and for Hillel.

[teachermom2834]

My 18 yo and 16 yo ds just both got their first jobs.  18 yo had a sport and a demanding academic schedule so he had not worked before.  

 

The 18 yo is doing warehouse work for a big company.  He works packing boxes and on the loading dock.  He is full time with occasional overtime.  Hard work and long days (he works 4 ten hour shifts). Nothing enjoyable about it but making good money for a kid and he needs to hustle to make as much as he can before going off to college in August.  He will be glad to trade work for school.

 

The 16 yo old is working for a sandwich shop doing food prep/counter service/catering prep.  He works anywhere from 15-30 hours over the summer but he has been able to get off when necessary and it should be something he can continue with reduced hours during the school year picking up more over breaks.  He likes his job.  The owners and manger are nice and he has good relationships with them and it is a bunch of young guys working there and they all get along.  It has been a very positive experience.  

 

I admit is is really nice to have two more family members earning incomes.  18 yo got nice scholarships so he is making enough to pay his college bill and buy books.  16 yo doesn't have specific goals for his earnings other than to have running money and save.  He takes care of his own things without even asking us now.  It is nice to have a little pressure off financially.  

 

I am proud of both of them as we have not required much in the way of chores from them at home but they have stepped up and been responsible in their jobs.  Great life experience for both of them.  I sometimes have pangs of guilt when I see their friends having lazy carefree summers or traveling or doing great volunteer work but I think this experience in the working world was what they needed most this summer.

[kewb]

Ds and dd - lifeguard.

[marbel]

My 17-year-old started babysitting at about 13 or 14.   Last August she got her first job, in a cafe about 1/2 a mile from home.  She works 2-3 days a week and loves it - except for the early morning hours. :-)

 

My 18-year-old worked for 2 weeks last summer helping a contractor friend with some construction work. He learned a bit about building and learned he does not want to dig trenches for a living.  This summer is his first "real" job in my opinion - he is working as a general helper/cleaner in a local welding shop, about a mile from home.  Most days he rides his bike but when it's going to be really hot, I drive him.  He has an interest in welding and blacksmithing (and has taken classes in both), so he's hoping that he'll get a chance to learn something there, though his job does not include doing any welding right now. 

 

Both have gained a lot from having their jobs. I've noticed that my older child has become more responsible at home, and more able and eager to help with projects.  I wouldn't say he was exactly lazy before, but he wasn't the kind who would see something that needed to be done and just do it, kwim?  Not a self-starter.  If asked, he'd do it. Now he is more likely to initiate. 

 

But I am back to doing their laundry.  I am the only person in the family not earning any income right now!  :-)

 

 

Edited June 27, 2016 by marbel

[LisaKinVA]

DS's first "paid" outside job, was a babysitter (one time).

He's earned far more teaching swim lessons, dog sitting and soon, life guarding.

 

DD's first job has been dog sitting.

[Jenny in Florida]

Each of my kids had small, occasional small, one-off entertainment gigs that were paid, but in terms of their first "real" jobs:

 

My daughter started working the front desk at a dance school when she was 17. The week she turned 18 (basically, as soon as she qualified to audition), she was hired as a character performer at a local resort hotel. She kept both jobs and started teaching acting classes for kids once a week until moving to NYC about 18 months later. She saved most of what she made and bankrolled her move and first few months in the city with her savings. Once she was working again, she put the remainder of her savings towards paying tuition for the acting studio. 

 

My son taught some dance classes for about six weeks last summer, when he was 17. This past academic year, he worked very part-time in the theatre shop (props, sets, costumes, show running crew) at his college. This summer, he has his first regularly-scheduled (20-25 hours a week) job. He works the lobby and front desk at an escape room attraction. He likes it a lot and is looking forward to his 90-day review, after which he should be eligible to cross train as an "escape artist," meaning he would be the person who actually sets up and runs games. Now that he's transferring to a school back home, he hopes to keep the job until he finishes college.

 

As I had hoped/feared, he really likes earning a paycheck. He has splurged on a few things and always thinks he can afford to do more than he actually can, but he's also putting a nice chunk in savings. Long-term, the goal is to follow in his big sister's footsteps and have enough in the bank to make it possible for him to move to NYC he's ready. However, his path may be longer, since he is considering trying to get an apartment with his girlfriend locally for the year or so before they graduate.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Jenny in Florida

[Luckymama]

First real jobs with schedules:

 

Ds23 worked as an assistant at a robotics daycamp the summer between junior and senior years of high school. This job lead directly to an on-campus job in IT when he was a college freshman because a former daycamp co-worker told him of the offering before it was published.

 

Dd21 began working in retail the summer after college freshman year.

 

Dd16 wants to find a job this coming school year. She's away studying this summer.

[regentrude]

DD: tutoring physics

 

DS: misc tasks working for small local business that produces jewelry supplies. They had him rotate through all kinds of different tasks when he first started, then he worked putting orders together, and now in customer service.

[JFSinIL]

Oldest dd was hired by Sears at age almost 16 as a cashier - her first interview she lands a job.

Oldest ds worked in the college library freshman year on - he had been a volunteer in his high school library so was able to pass on typical freshman workstudy jobs in food or janitorial and go straight to the "cushy" library gig. As a sophomore he was hired to help with a professor's research, then junior year he was made a chem. lab proctor. One of the perks of going to a college instead of a university is no grad students taking the cool jobs!

Second dd got hired by our City's Parks and Rec. dept., first she worked the seasonal ice rink renting out skates, also teaching preschoolers to skate ,(if I knew how to do so, I'd share the cover of our Parks Dept winter brochure as it features her skating away) then when weather warmed up she was moved to concessions at the soccer/baseball fields, then after a couple years into her current job doing before and after school kidkare (still offered by the Parks Dept., although at area schools). Getting hired by the city means always being able to have a p/t job doing something or other as long as she likes.

 

Now, oldest dd was not an academic powerhouse ,we felt her working at minimum wage might help her realize the importance of getting an education. Weeeeeelllll hasn't panned out that way yet. Oldest son was in Honors and AP and it made more sense for him to NOT work, to concentrate on academics, and he did get top merit scholarships at every school that accepted him.

 

Youngest kidlet, she only worked a few hours a week during the school year, even now in community college I am trying to keep her down to 12.5 hours a week, as she does well in school and we hope she, too, can get merit aid when she transfers to a four-year school.

 

Every kid is different.

Edited June 27, 2016 by JFSinIL

[J-rap]

Besides occasionally babysitting (which none of them really liked too much!), and a few random dog duties for neighbors, they all began working at our yearly family booth at the State Fair when they were about 10.  It was great experience for them.  They had to learn about setting up a little business, advertising, ordering, giving change, and most importantly:  talking to customers!  

 

After that, they all worked at our local coffee/espresso shop starting around 14 and throughout high school.

 

Even now when the kids are home visiting and we're there eating and it gets busy, the owner might grab one of our kids to manage the espresso machine for a bit.  :)

 

 

[Wheres Toto]

My oldest worked the front desk at her dance studio starting at 16, until she graduated.  In college she worked for Target and other retail, and has worked at a sleepaway camp for the past two summers.  She's graduated now so when she comes back from camp, she'll be looking for a full time job and preparing for grad school.

[lllll]

nm

Edited July 4, 2016 by ~ d9n

[AK_Mom4]

#1- life guarding starting at 16

#2- fast food and retail starting at 16

#3- umpiring at 16. Since then he has sold cars one summer and this summer is working. Building theater sets

 

#4 - paid umpire starting at 14 Last winter she volunteered as a ski coach but this winter they will pay her. She plans to umpire again next summer as it is very good money and a nice schedule that leaves her days free.

[Heather in OK]

I'm in a similar situation with my second daughter.  She *really* wants to get a job but the thought right now is very overwhelming. 

My oldest daughter (18) just got her first job two weeks ago working at a locally owned restaurant.  We have two cars and she uses one to get to-from work. 

My second daughter (16) really wants a job to start saving money for college.  I want to encourage her to do this but logistically I can't see how it will work.  My job is such that I have to be available at a moments notice, need a car available 24/7, and I can't leave if I'm working and she needs a ride to or from work.  My husband doesn't drive (vision issues) so I'm his transportation at times, especially in the Fall.  She really needs to have her license AND we need a third vehicle (one is paid for thankfully).  And I don't see either of those happening until maybe the first of the year.  She's starting concurrent classes this Fall so, like your third point, I'd like to see her ease into this new schedule without having a job on top of it all.  She'll be disappointed when we have this conversation but *shrug*.