Should 16 year olds get pocket money or get a job?

My son was at college and I used to give him £100 a month. This was for transport to the college and food so he didn't miss out when his friends went out. He's now doing an apprenticeship and has started giving me rent money and buying his own foot. Its a difficult one but some money does help x

She barely scraped through her GCSEs despite being predicted relatively good grades, in fact she's had to go to a different college because she couldn't get in her first choice with the grades she got. We've managed to get her on a really good course which can still lead her to uni but she'll have to work very very hard to get there.
I see this often on MN, would this not suggest that perhaps she's not suited for university? doesn't have the ability etc
Too many parents think uni is the only path for their kids.

Agree with all this. In fact I limit my 17 year old’s work to 7 hours a week, maximum, they earn almost £10 an hour and average between £150-£200 a month - so not too many hours imo.

It can be hard for teens these days, a lot of jobs round here wanted a 12 hour weekly minimum. So all day Saturday and an evening shift. Much too much with A levels, hobbies, a bit of socialising and a bit of down time. Well too much for my DC who has a couple of health issues and was under the care of CAHMS, not necessarily all.

She will be at college full time school hours and will have about 1 hour 15- 1 hour 30 of travel either side so she'll be out of the house from approximately 7.30am - 5pm.

Mine was similar, she had plenty of homework and we wanted her to have time for doing other stuff (and just chilling) at the weekend. Also we live in a village with no real employment options for teens.
She did well at A levels, and then got good internships in her uni summer vacs which provided relevant work experience and amply demonstrated her work ethic.

One size doesn't fit all, a casual job may be great or necessary for some teens but it's not important for all of them.

Between my 3, whilst they were 6th formers (16 - 18 yrs) they had the following jobs:
babysitting
working an hour after school 4 days a week, cleaning in a shop
mother's help in school holidays, incl 1/2 terms - looking after 3 dc whilst the Mum wfh
working in an Outdoor shop
working in a local cafe
lifeguarding
Working with a company that did children's parties
working at a softplay / trampoline place

Lifeguarding was best - paid most and was flexible, but babysitting was such an easy earner too. For all those saying "they need time to study" you generally can, once you've put the dc to bed.

However, my point is, there are plenty of jobs out there. Lots of places like U18s as they can pay them less, legally.

@honeylulu the fact your DS has been trying shows his work ethic. It is definitely a lot harder now, me and my friends all had Saturday jobs from 14, even pubs would take you from 15 waiting tables etc. So much harder now.

I genuinely don't believe working leads to worse results, there is no way of proving this via research really either. How can this be proven when there are so many other factors involved, and how can you know what someone would have achieved, just because they weren't working doesn't mean they are studying.

Sometimes the ones wanting to work are those who may not get high exam results anyway, they are the practical ones quite often, this will be my DS2, he has autism, ADHD and a learning difficulty, he should pass just about, then with higher marks in maths and PE I imagine. He could try sit and work for hours at home but won't do any better, he couldn't possibly concentrate for much more time than his school day.

DS1 could have possibly got all 8/9s if he studied more but he got 6-9s anyway and only needed 5 x 4s for his college course. Even if he hadn't been working I don't think he would have studied more really. Absolutely no point in him studying for more hours and not working in his chosen career for results he didn't need. So he would potentially skew research results if only working was taken into account.

Get a job.

Both mine got weekend jobs at 16 and it did them the world of good in terms of maturing/organisation skills/boosting cv as well as giving them fun/clothes money. They managed fine alongside A levels.

When I was a teen I got both. £40 per month from parents (that was the child benefit essentially in the late 80s/ early 90s) and also had a part time job from age 15. I would spend the allowance and save the earnings.

I would say less than half the girls at school had a job (strict all girl school where a lot if them had very sheltered lives). The ones that didn't work at all got better results than me but I suspect that is more to do with strict parents rather than working/ but working per se.

My teen gets £20 per week and phone paid (his dad works in telecoms so costs almost nothing). He has to clear up after himself and be relatively polite and pleasant in return. He can also earn extra by doing specific jobs like hoovering (which we hate) and varnishing garden furniture though he has to do it to a good standard. Also gives up his Saturday night sometimes to babysit for youngest for a modest fee.

He has had a waiter job previously but really struggled with his studies (has late diagnosed adhd and did a LOT of catching up at school after years of messing about but to his credit ended up with ABC a levels to his credit). The restaurant was a bit of a piss take as he had to do a week of (3) trial shifts snd buy his own uniform. Then 3 weeks of shifts, some if them finishing 11.30pm week nights. Then the fourth week no shifts because some other poor sod would be in doing free trial shifts. So because he wasn't in for a full month he wouldn't be eligible for a share of the tip pot. He was struggling a bit with getting into college on time so gave it up before peak exam season which we supported.

He's tried his best to get a summer job, applied for more than 20 but as he had three trips away booked (and was honest about that) he didn't get very far. He's off to uni in a couple of weeks and we're going to provide the recommended minimum parental top up but if he wants more he'll need to get a part time job, presumably will avoid waiting tables - not a good mix with adhd.

I don't think he's got no work ethic. He did a week of unpaid work experience last year and got very good feedback.

I'm afraid once mine is at college he'll have to get a job to cover the 'extras,' we simply can't afford to give him £20+ a week as well as paying phone etc. Luckily, he wants to do an apprenticeship.

He's desperate for a job (15 currently) and I've said he can't even get one at 16 straight away, as he has quite a late in the year birthday and I'd rather he focussed on GCSEs. He can get a part time job once he's finished school. We will then cover a bus pass (if he wants one, he walks a lot through choice) and his phone. He can do the extras.

He currently gets £25 a month pocket money, we pay his phone and he can come to the gym with us. That suits him fine.

This!

At 16/18 our DC got an allowance ,I didn’t want them working during the exam years

Yeah, it's hard for 16yos to get paid work now. My 16yo will be in college five days, and at an extra curricular 8.30-5 on Saturdays, so only had Sundays and evenings.

Almost everywhere she's looked either wants 18yos, or people who can offer either more hours or more flexibily. Which pretty much leaves McDonald's, with the result that it's super competitive - she and half her mates have been rejected from there.

The jobs my friends and I did as 16yos were either as "Saturday girls" just doing 6-8 hours in a shop, or cash in hand fruit picking and packing. These jobs now seem to want full timers, or at least 16hrs minimum either expectation of overtime.

It definitely does depend on circumstances, if transport is an issue and lack of jobs etc then that is tricky. We live in a busy city so a fair amount of work around.

Having 35 hrs traveling/college/studying isn't really loads IMO. That's basically 9-4 every day including study. My DC do sports also but most of the boys in their teams also work around school/college/sports. Different people have different capabilities, motivation and opportunities so it's not one size fits all.

Both unless you are really tight financially.
At 16 they have 50 years of work ahead. I much prefer that they work hard at school and have fun. A very small part time job is good for them in the sense of learning about work.
Time to teach her budgeting so I suggest you stop buying all clothes and toiletries and start a proper allowance to cover them. Added to money for travel, lunches and socialising.
If she gets a job it's a bonus.

Our supermarket is not keen on hiring them at 16. Our department starts at 5.00 and 6.00am, (online pickers) That's too early for a 16 yr old and they have to come in later, also they won't just hire them for a Sat, they want both Sat and Sunday, which means the 16 yr olds get no break, apart from term times when they are expected to help out more. Checkouts aren't too keen either because they need an adult member of staff to constantly supervise sale of alcohol, etc.
I do feel a bit sorry for our younger members of staff, most of them look exhausted.

I wouldn’t ‘expect’ dc s to get a part time job whilst still in full time non- advanced education. There’s a reason that child benefit and tax credits are still paid ( to those parents who qualify) for this age group. They are dependants. So I’d still just give them money. If they wanted a Saturday job, I would be fine with that as long as it didn’t affect their studies - which have to be the ultimate priority.

My DS1 has worked all the way through school and 1st year college, he got the highest mark in his class for the 1st year results, so it's just anecdotal isn't it.

We pay for specific stuff for our 17 yo, he's at college so I pay for travel and lunch. He's just going into his 2nd year. He buys all his clothes and luxury stuff plus for going out as he has a really high paid job around college. He has worked since he was 12, it's never affected his schooling and is now relevant to his college course so is fine.

DS2 is 15 and has a Saturday/holiday job. He pays for luxury clothing (specific items he wants not needs) and going out with his mates. We pay for everything else. I would expect them at 16 to be working weekly even if just a Saturday. Personally if they cannot manage a few hrs work plus their A levels then they are on the wrong course. Some degrees don't allow/encourage students to work as well which would be a different scenario.

My DGCs parents don’t qualify for Child benefit. The oldest (16) found herself a p/t job at the beginning of the year, and just got great GCSEs, mainly 9s. No financial need for her to work, both parents high earners, but she feels pride in earning her own money. A strong work ethic plus some job experience, when added to good academic results, whats not to like?

She should get basic pocket money as you suggest whilst still in full time education at this age. But in return for doing her chores round the house (and homework?)
Then if she wanted to supplement that with a weekend job it’s up to her, but not essential.

For me there was the added complication that both my kids were studying and went onto study performing arts subjects that required a lot of extra curriculars (dance classes, piano lessons, show rehearsals etc etc)

There's evidence this is the case, so unless you have a super high flier then I would, like you, be wary

Mine has had jobs since 16, now 17.5, he got straight As in his N5 and highers so was able to fit it around his studying. I think kids should be working from 16 but I’d still give them some money.