Summer job for 15yo - how many hours?

[SKL]

What is a reasonable number of work hours for a 15yo during summer weeks?  Thoughts appreciated.

[Brittany1116]

Your state may have a guideline. When I worked summers starting at 14, my shifts were 6-7 hours, and I never worked weekends. 

[Kassia]

16 minutes ago, SKL said:

What is a reasonable number of work hours for a 15yo during summer weeks?  Thoughts appreciated.

If there's nothing else going on then I think full-time is fine if that's what they want.  I wouldn't push a full-time job on a teen but I think it's reasonable.  I worked full-time at 15 as an assistant camp counselor.  It was a fun job.  DH worked full-time in the summer at 15 in a small Italian grocery store.

 

[Kassia]

1 minute ago, Brittany1116 said:

Your state may have a guideline. When I worked summers starting at 14, my shifts were 6-7 hours, and I never worked weekends. 

Oh, I forgot about that.  In Ohio, you have to get a work permit at that age.

[QueenCat]

I think there are many factors. What else is she involved with? In our family, extracurriculars were just as important, if not more important, than paid jobs. Both of mine did a lot of pet sitting and house sitting in high school. This was more flexible than a regular job. It enabled them to be very active in theater and scouts. 

[gardenmom5]

dh had an internship with a software testing company when he was 15 (no weekends) - summer rules here are more relaxed than during the school year.  I don't remember how many hours - but it was maybe 35?

[katilac]

Summer? As many as they want, and as is reasonable to get them to and fro. 

[Terabith]

If I recall correctly, you have a lot of other activities that you want your kids to participate in?  I think it makes a difference, if a) the job is the kid's idea, and b) what else is on the agenda?  

[AngieC]

As many as they want provided it doesn’t interfere with the rest of your family’s activities. 
 

My daughter had a bunch of activities going on and worked three days a week over the past two summers and that was perfect. It was around 16-19 hours a week. 

[Annie G]

It depends. Summer break might be needed to recharge from school and activities, so a job just needs to be enough to keep her busy but not too busy.  If that makes any sense.  Teens don’t need two months of nothing, but they also don’t need to be overscheduled. Good luck finding that balance. G

[Tap]

My older kids got jobs right at 16. I preferred they only work 25 or so, but it was up to them. They both stuck to that number, so they could still have some time with friends and family. Since all their friends had jobs, it wasn't easy for them to hang out together even tho they all worked part time.

[Tenaj]

My almost 17 yo has just gotten his first job and has been working just shy of 30 hours a week for the past month.  The only reason it is working out is because it's is a less than five minute commute and we homeschool.  I'm interested to see if his hours increase in the summer or stay the same.  

 

[Nart]

My 13 and 15 year olds are getting paid to be junior umpires for little league baseball games. They worked 5 hours (8:15-10:45 then 2:15-4:45) this past Saturday. The 15 year old had a guitar lesson in between games. I thought 5 hours of work a day was a good balance for a 15 year old. Enough time to learn responsibility but not too much time to lose focus or not have time to do other things. 

Edited April 25, 2022 by Nart

[Carrie12345]

Whatever fits into life.

I, personally, don’t like non-drivers to work 10/11pm closing shifts anywhere, simply because I like to be dead asleep by then, so that would be a factor here.  However, I’m available for 7am start times, so it balances out!

[sweet2ndchance]

When I was a teenager back in the days of the dinosaurs, we could work up to 40 hours a week in the summer. During the school year, we were capped at 20 hours a week by the state.

[Tenaj]

1 hour ago, Carrie12345 said:

Whatever fits into life.

I, personally, don’t like non-drivers to work 10/11pm closing shifts anywhere, simply because I like to be dead asleep by then, so that would be a factor here.  However, I’m available for 7am start times, so it balances out!

I'm thankful that my husband is usually able to do the late night pickup.  My ds works until 10 most nights and 11 on Saturday but this past weekend he didn't get off work until 12:40 am.  Ice cream/restaurant closes at 10 but they had been so busy because of the nice weather that no clean up could start until after 10.  He said it was a mess and we expect more late nights as the season turns warmer.  

[Emba]

My DD started a part time job a couple of weeks ago at the same place i it work. Right now, it’s about five a week. In the summer it will be more like fifteen. She probably could find a job somewhere else with more hours but for her first job I figure it’s enough. She isn’t quite driving yet, so she rides with me there and back. By summer she should have a license, but I figure she’ll still ride with me most days. I might haul my kids around to work a one-time gig or very occasional gig,  but I would not be willing to do it regularly.

 When I was 16, I worked full time in the summer. Before that I’d had only after school jobs that were less than ten hours a week. I don’t remember full time work cramping my social life, possibly because I didn’t have a very busy social life. The other option was hang around the house and work for my mom for free, so. . .

 Also, re: social life, my parents made me buy my own gas and none of my friends worked or had vehicles, so my work pretty much made a social life posible for me.