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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect A level son to have weekend job

153 replies

Gomango · 09/04/2017 17:39

My argument us that he does nothing college work wise over the weekend. Hanging out, being hungover, on gadgets. Refuses to get job til exams done. I eouldn't mind if he was revising or handing assignments in on time.

OP posts:
Middleagedmumoftwo · 09/04/2017 20:29

Both of mine had Saturday jobs while doing A levels and both got excellent grades so it clearly didn't impact their studies. When he got very close to exams the youngest took a couple of Saturdays off to do extra revision. I think it's good for them, something to add to their CV, character building and helps them to manage money.

Sparklingbrook · 09/04/2017 20:30

I don't know any of DS1's friends without a part time job.

I had a full time job at 16 so I missed out completely. Grin

Original poster
Gomango · 09/04/2017 20:39

He is apparently saving his energy for revising!
No i don't have a second job, am a teacher and single parent. Understand completely why some say he should concentrate on getting the grades, but honestly he is a lazy sod who does the bare minimum! Job of few hours might do him some good, improve motivation.

OP posts:
Rainydayspending · 09/04/2017 20:42

I saved up for uni whilst doing A Levels. My mum actually did hers over 2 years whilst holding down a fulltime job.
Working helps you learn to manage your time so much better than studying.

jamesk0001 · 09/04/2017 20:46

DC worked as a barista while doing "A" Levels. Got 3 A stars in Chemistry, Biology and Physics and is now studying Medicine at Uni!

I couldn't afford to give pocket money so DC went out and earned it.

Now I can afford it I pay £350 per month allowance because DC really is too busy on the wards to do any extra work. Thank goodness its the last year as I have another one about to start Uni (hopefully).

Crispbutty · 09/04/2017 20:46

If he wants a social life then he should fund it himself by working. Yanbu at all.

Areyoufree · 09/04/2017 20:46

@Ragwort What are you talking about? He's a child in full time education. You expect him to be contributing to the household finances?

Sparklingbrook · 09/04/2017 20:46

DS1 does get quite a few free periods at school. He has footy training one night a week but has the other evenings to study, and Saturday and Sunday mornings too.
He even manages to see his friends and go out to parties etc Shock

I hope when he's at University he will get a P/T job.

somewhereovertherain · 09/04/2017 21:05

Both my DDs have jobs as do most of their friends - small costal town in the Lake District. I think the value of work and money is as important as school. Plenty of weekend jobs round here. cafes, hotels, pet shops, pubs, tourist attractions etc.

AgainstTheOddsNo2 · 09/04/2017 21:16

I have worked in one way or another since I was 14. I was not made to work but found it to be personally and socially beneficial.

I met more and different people, I had some responsibility and I could go out more on the money I earnt.

It was also great employment wise. When I left uni I had 7/8 years of work experience under my belt. I had supervisory experience, customer service skills, cash handling and had some other experiences which I could use in job applications and interviews.

I honestly believe those little weekend jobs gave me 1 up on all the other graduates.

BackforGood · 09/04/2017 21:39

I was talking to a friend recently who recruits for a national company - they get thousands of applicants when they advertise for a new graduate.
One of the first filters is they rule out people who haven't any experience of having a job.

As others say, it's not all about the money.

FlyingSquid · 09/04/2017 21:46

The snag with where we live is that it costs the kids £6.50 to get to the nearest town on the bus. That's a big chunk out of a potential £4 an hour job.

There's only one pub in the village and they can't all work there at once!

Kr1stina · 09/04/2017 23:03

Where are these mythical jobs all your children seem to have?

They are not mythical.

My DDs friends deliver pizzas, work in ASDA , John lewis, next, Debenhams , JD sports and other shops, waitressing, in a chip shop, babysitting, cutting grass. One works in a small local office two hours a week doing " office junior " work.

Best job seems to be a swimming coach ( pays well ) and worst is delivering Dominos pizzas as it pays £4 / hour

Kr1stina · 09/04/2017 23:05

I forgot one works in a veterinary practice.

user1487175389 · 09/04/2017 23:07

My parents insisted I got a weekend job as an A-level student. I ended up dropping an A-level because I simply didn't have enough time.

Biffsboys · 09/04/2017 23:39

My ds worked since he was 16 - the confidence it gave him is amazing . He is in his final year at university , having a job young is not always about money although it helps buy all the beers

PinkCrystal · 09/04/2017 23:50

Both of my older one worked weekends from 16. Has done them a lot of good.

TheCraicDealer · 09/04/2017 23:54

I was thinking about this and really there's a lot less of the Summer/Saturday-type jobs out there.

Paper round- fewer people taking a daily newspaper, less rounds available.
Video store - Hahahaha.
Fast food delivery - need a licence, now way harder and more costly to learn to drive.
Working in high street retail - many stores like Boots, Debenhams, etc introduced centralised recruitment a long time ago. The days of going in and dropping off cv's in town and getting a job out of it are gone. Now they go in a pile and you're directed to (if you're lucky) the website where you go through an automated selection process. It takes a lot longer to actually get that start date. The chances of getting hours only on Saturdays are slim, and if you complain they'll point you towards the door as you're expendable.

The retail/catering jobs that would have been suitable for a-level students fifteen, twenty years ago either aren't there or are now taken by older people supplementing their pension, people with previous experience who might not have been able to progress due to redundancy/lack or opportunity as a result of the recession, or economic migrants. Realistically unless you're somewhere with decent seasonal work available then a job where you only turn in on Saturdays, you're allowed some leeway during exam time and yet get more hours in school holidays are few and far between- if you're lucky enough to get one you keep it. And those are the type of roles that you hear about through word of mouth, or because your mum or dad knows someone.

Tink06 · 10/04/2017 00:07

My eldest never worked through a levels or first 2 years at uni and to be honest I think he is lazy and has a definite sense of entitlement. Most of his friends have part time jobs. He has no work ethic at all and sneers at some of his less academic (but hard working) peers. I think work experience will look much better to an employer when he finishes. Luckily he has got something lined up for the summer.
My other 2 both doing a levels have had part time jobs since they were 16. The difference was they wanted expensive make up, clothes and things I couldn't afford. I think it does them good. Both love having their own money. One finds her job a bit boring, the other loves hers. It hasn't impacted on study or socialising time and 1 of them is going away with friends as result.
Most of their friends work, retail, fast food, leisure industry.

ErrolTheDragon · 10/04/2017 00:32

The snag with where we live is that it costs the kids £6.50 to get to the nearest town on the bus. That's a big chunk out of a potential £4 an hour job.
*
There's only one pub in the village and they can't all work there at once!*

Same here - there's nowhere mine could work locally that I can think of. But she's putting a lot of work into her A levels, which IMO is what she should be doing.

I reckon if the OP tries to make her DS take a job now then he'll blame her for bad A level grades rather than it being down to his own laziness... he needs to get his act together on his A level work as a priority.

noschooll4mee · 10/04/2017 00:37

Yes he definitely should! Lazy bugger . My daughter has wirked through her 2 big exam years at school . No excuse!

ExplodedCloud · 10/04/2017 01:01

I worked 2 evenings and a half day Saturday in our local supermarket. It was a great lesson in playing to my strengths and I carved out a niche for myself. I had holiday hours too so between A Levels and uni I had f/t work. And then a holiday job for the asking.

kmc1111 · 10/04/2017 04:59

Where I work we won't hire anyone out of school unless they've had a job or two, or else a lot of volunteer work. The jobs very, very rarely relate at all to the work they do with us, but the point is that it shows a certain amount of drive, an ability to balance two priorities, and they come in with a basic understanding of a workplace.

We offer 100+ work experience places a year too btw, and a lot of those kids go on to get a proper job with us.

My DC all had jobs from 15. Usually 20-25 hours a week (at least one weekend day and a few shifts after school). They all did brilliantly at school and now at uni. They've all gone/are going into industries where the norm is 50-60hr work weeks, so it's been good practice.

MaryTheCanary · 10/04/2017 05:37

"My DC all had jobs from 15. Usually 20-25 hours a week (at least one weekend day and a few shifts after school). "

That is way over the top, sorry.

You may have been lucky with your kids, but the people I know who made their kids sweat through hour after hour of paid employment on top of study all seemed to wind up disappointed with their kids' grades. The kids would end up knackered, and buggering off to the pub or shops to spend their hard-earned money because the last thing they wanted to do after all that was study.

A limited amount of paid employment is a great thing, on the other hand (as long as you can get it!). It teaches life skills and employers look favorably on it.

somewhereovertherain · 10/04/2017 05:40

One of the other benefits for my eldest DD is confidence as very introverted. Now 16 and in her 3rd year working it's been brilliant for her.

And she's been able to buy lots of things we wouldn't afford.

She's doing her GCSEs and will work through. Again the break from the pressure put on by school is important.