"Mum how can I possibly fit in a part time job ....

[BigSandyBalls2015]

...... you do realise I'm in year 11 don't you, under enormous stress, with sooooo much revision to do".

Said my DD last night, with a completely straight face, after spending the entire day lying on the sofa under a blanket with her phone, before heading to a mates to get ready for a party

And incidentally, my parents never put me under any pressure to get a job. It was my choice, and I'm glad I did.

My DS is Y11 and has plenty of time to do a p/t job plus his studies, and have a social life. So may teens are utterly pampered and spoiled these days it's untrue.

And far too many parents seem happy to indulge their teenagers in a lounging around lifestyle.

I also used to work in graduate recruitment and it was shocking how few young people had actually done a day's work before applying for a job at age 21+. Those that had done a paper round/baby sitting/shop/restaurant work etc had a much better attitude and approach to their working life.

I was doing paper rounds from 12, graduating to babysitting and then a Saturday job in Woolies when I was in 6th form. Back then (1980s) it was rare not to have a job. I did OK at school and working didn't affect it. I thinking having a pt job teaches you so much that school doesn't eg time management, responsibility, team working, taking orders, and working with all ages. I don't have kids but if I did I would encourage it.

myownprivateidaho you wouldn't want your degree aged child have a job? They'd be like 20

My ds 16 year 11 does have a small 2 hours a week job lifeguard at swim school, he's also delivered the free monthly paper. I know he's going to get busier (I hope) with revising but considering apart from 2 hours homework, 2 hours helping with DIY, from Friday night until now he's spent every other moment bar sleeping and eating on his PC so I'm sure he could fit in a part time job if he wanted

When I was a teenager it was difficult to get part time jobs if you weren't sixteen. I delivered papers, then as soon as I was sixteen had Saturday/Thursday evening jobs plus babysitting. Of course 16 year olds need money, pocket money isn't going to cover underage clubbing and chips before the night bus home! The work experience made it easy to get temp agency work at uni and in university holidays too. I also fitted in a load of responsible out of school activities which looked good for UCAS. Unless GCSEs/A-Levels take up a lot more time than they used to there's no reason not to try and get a job.

I've helped out with recruitment for my employer's (big international corporation) graduate scheme. I don't care whether candidate X has 4A*s and a first from Oxbridge or they scraped a couple of A-levels and have a degree from ex-poly/modern uni (and we have both sorts at my company, doing the same jobs). I'm looking for people who can pass our own internal tests and who have a good set of soft skills. In my experience, young people with a deal of varied work experience are by far the better fit and are more likely to pass their probationary time. If people could stick a minimum-wage job, working irregular hours, on the till, etc, in a team, prove themselves reliable and competent and didn't whinge that it was all beneath them, that's a big plus.

rainbow - I am very impressed that your DS helps with DIY - that is a really useful skill.

Since joining this thread my DS has just received a job offer by telephone of a paper round - I am delighted. .

I had pt jobs from being 15. In a burger place, a local pizza takeaway and then in a pub once I turned 18.

The only reason I got my first proper job in a bank is because I had sales and service experience. Didn't stop me getting very good grades at gcse and a levels.

I was forbidden from getting a part time job in exam years when I was in school. I could work the summer before an exam year and save up so I had spending money during the year, but I wasn't allowed to work during GCSE or A level years

I have a great work ethic

I think I'll say the same with my girls, I'll encourage them to keep up sports and hobbies to destress during exam years, but I won't encourage jobs - it's just one (or 2 if they do a levels) year! there's plenty of time for jobs.

In my experience, young people with a deal of varied work experience are by far the better fit and are more likely to pass their probationary time.

100% agree, but there's lots of time for volunteering and work experience later if you take GCSE year off. I built up a CV of varied work experience and paid part time jobs as a teen as well as taking GCSE year off

My boy is an army cadet and has been since he was 14, he is learning valuable transferable skills including teamwork, leadership and being self sufficient (washing, ironing etc). As the most highly ranking cadet in his platoon, he teaches lessons and has a pastoral role with the younger cadets. However this was very influential in him wanting to get a job as he wanted money to pay for add on equipment - we have always let hime have anything he needed within reason but felt strongly that he wanted to earn his own money.

The first job he applied for, he got, and was told that his cadet experience made him stand out.

*he felt strongly he needed to earn his own money - we didn't push him to work, it was 100% his choice.

Most of my friends in year 11 got Saturday jobs- this was back in 2000/2001. I wasn't made to get one- I wanted one, as I wanted the money for my social life, buying stuff, then later on driving lessons.

I got a Saturday job washing up in a pub as soon as I turned sixteen. Then did an extra evening shift or two during my A levels which got me a promotion into the kitchen
At uni I worked in a student bar 3 nights a week. Then in the holidays I went back to the pub and did as many shifts as I could get.

I did very well at school, I still had plenty of down-time to see friends/boyfriend, have hobbies and study. I enjoyed it and made some great friends.

And again no child taking GCSEs or a levels should have to work. Mine are now 28 and 24 never made them work studying and getting some down time is more important

I've never made my dc work. They chose to, so they could earn some money, have some independence, build up some work experience. They've both always had plenty of downtime too.

I also think I need to point out that it isn't a straight choice between a teenager getting a job and then only getting 'average' or even 'poor' GCSE results, against not getting a job and then getting brilliant GCSE result. Outside the world of MN, the vast majority of dc are going to get 'average' GCSE results however much study time they put in - academia isn't for everyone. For those students, then I'd say the work experience is incredibly valuable.

For some (capable but not really motivated to work) pupils, then experiencing the boredom and frustration of a lowly paid job for a few months, brings home to them the difference between how their life might be if they carry on not working, and how their life could be if they got their fingers out and cracked on with some study.
For some - highly intelligent - pupils, then GCSEs are a bit of a doddle anyway, and working 8 hrs a week isn't going to really dip into any time they should be studying.
As others have said - dc are all different.
There are relatively few jobs for under 16s, but obviously quite a lot of children turn 16 early in the school year of course.

I think it's a good idea for kids to have a job before they go to uni, as it stands them in better stead for juggling university commitments and being independent.

It also builds self-confidence and helps them to communicate with people from different age groups, as school just exposes them to people their own age and is a bit of a bubble.

I'm studying a vocational subject, and the 18 year olds who've never had to work find our placements more stressful, purely because they've not had the chance to develop communication skills. They slip into a pupil-teacher role, expecting to be provided with work by older people, and are generally less pro-active than those who've had a gap year and worked.

Not working during GSCE year doesn't = not working at all as a teenager!

You can have that year off and get under 18 work experience, it's not mutually exclusive

i agree, time works like this...if you are awake, you can work. the only time you cant schedule is sleep time. if you have time to eat, you can work as well by answering emails or whatever. You need to teach her that she is only a husk that business needs to exploit or it will die. Business is more important than human.

oh its a he.sorry..also try to make the work physically exhausting and dangerous as well for added reality. No thinking allowed!

《sarcastic posts obvs》

I had school on Saturdays only leaving Sundays, and a normal school day didn't finish until gone 430 unless you had a sports fixture in which case it was later. That only leaves Sunday for your own time, home work, hobbies etc. I certainly wouldn't have had time for a job pre 6th form, even if I or my parents had wanted me to have one.

As a Senior Section (Guides age 14+) leader I was talking to my group a couple of weeks ago about whether they worked. Of the 12 school-age girls there, 3 of them had jobs. Only one of those had got her job by handing out her CV and actually applying - the others had both been given jobs by family friends who ran businesses. Several of the other girls told me that they had applied for jobs and sometimes got as far as interview before being told that the shop/company would only employ those willing to work at least 16 or 20 hours a week.

A lot of the girls who don't have jobs, volunteer (either in Guiding/Scouting or for other charities) or commit a lot of time to taking part in other things to a high level, e.g. sports, dance, or music. All of them are capable young women with good teamwork, communication, life skills, etc.

They also, I'm sure, spend plenty of time lazing around at home and going to parties - so do/did I. Everyone needs downtime.

Wow loads of replies, thank you. Interesting to read.

I think if DD was genuinely interested in studying for her GCSEs and I could see some effort going into it then I'd think fair enough and wouldn't mention part time work.

But she does the absolute bare minimum and spends hours and hours horizontal on some sort of gadget. Or out socialising. She still does a sport twice a week which I'm thrilled about but if she's not studying then I'd like to see her doing some sort of part time work like her sister. Still plenty of down time around that.

It's great experience to work in a shop for example, dealing with customers, using the till, having to be there on time etc etc. And her social life is expensive, she needs to start contributing to it.

I don't want to see her up a chimney, but a few hours in Londis won't do her any harm.

And I've noticed with my other DD how bloody careful they are with the money they've earnt compared to mum and dads dosh. She said to me recently isn't it expensive getting lunch out when you're shopping and said she had shared a sandwich with a friend!

With me they're quite happy to stroll into a Pret and chuck a baguette, crisps, drink, cookie in the basket!