Are you the parent of a teenager? With school ending, and the summer starting, many of your teen’s peers may be getting summer jobs. Do you have questions or concerns about whether you should allow your teen to get a summer job? There are many great life lessons that your child can learn from a part time job. This article will present some points, good and bad, about summer jobs for teens that parents should consider.
1. Learn the “cost” of having money
Yes, this is the old saying that you probably rolled your eyes at your parent’s for saying, “You need to learn the value of a dollar.” Teen summer jobs can teach them about reasonable spending. Working for a paycheck can really teach teens about what many of the choices they make actually cost. When your teen can equate a pair of designer jeans to their entire two week paycheck, it may make them realize the merits of shopping wisely.
2. Learn to use banks, establish savings and credit
Summer jobs for teens will introduce your child to opening a bank account, getting and cashing a paycheck, saving and managing funds, and using banks and their many benefits (ie interest, debit cards, credit, ect.). It is a good idea for your teen to learn these lessons under your supervision rather then when they are in college or on their own.
3. Responsibility and time management
Summer jobs for teens provide a new source of authority in their life. Suddenly, teens have to please their parents, their own wants (friends and free time), and also, to an extent, their employer. This may teach your teen how to recognize the different requirements of different authorities and how to find ways to please them. This lesson that can be taught by summer jobs for teens is an invaluable skill to have in college and the business world. In addition your child will have to learn time management to balance the things that they need to do for their parents and for work, and still leave time for the things they desire.
4. Employment experience
It is often very hard to get a job with someone that you don’t know if you don’t have any previous work experience. Summer jobs for teens are many peoples’ first work experience. These jobs often come from people or businesses in the community that may know your teen personally. Having positive work experience and references will be a major asset to your teen when the try to get a job after graduation, or when they are in college.
5. Too Busy
A concern for some parents is that summer jobs for teens may take too much time from their child’s already busy schedule. This is a legitimate concern with many teens today. Some of the lessons listed above may be learned through playing a high school sport or other activity. If your teen’s schedule is already packed with sports, activities and academics then a summer job may be an unnecessary stress and distraction. If your busy teen expresses interest in working, don’t necessarily refuse, but make sure they realize the responsibility and time commitment.
These topics are things that you should consider before discussing the topic with your teen. See how they feel and what kind of agreement that you come to. Then start searching for summer jobs for teens in your area of that’s what you decide.
