To expect my 16 yr old to get full time work for the summer?

[whatthewhatthewhat]

At least 8 weeks until they go back to school for A-Levels. I worked full time at that age. AIBU to think they should get a job for the summer?

After you find the work!

Maybe a good compromise is to volunteer? I volunteered in a shop and got great benefits from it. Experience for my CV which I'm sure helped me get interviews and in the environment I was in I happened to make great friends (customers and coworkers) too.

My parents pushed me to get a full time job over the summer when I was 17. I started before my a level equivalents were finished. My boss- who knew fine I was just there for a summer - was awkward about giving me time off not just for exams, but expected me to work more hours than i was being paid for, and tried to shift the goalposts in late summer by telling me I had to work during freshers week and the first week of my uni term.

I really hated it, did badly in my exams and promptly spent all the money I'd saved in the pub when I moved out and failed the first year of my degree. There were other factors involved but I don't think the horrible summer job helped.

I'd be careful what you wish for OP!

Yabu
You still receive child benefit for them that summer because they are a child. Then if they stay in full time education, the child benefit continues even more.
I think they deserve a summer of dossing after GCSEs personally. There’s little time in life for dossing so this is a nice opportunity.

And OP, at 16 I don't think your child should be paying rent

Even when my parents were being dicks about summer jobs when I was at Uni they never charged me rent!

16? Absolutely not
Part time yes

And no no no to rent

When I was 16 the local factories gave us all full time work - there was no long ‘ interview process ‘we just filled in an application form and started for the summer break . It was valuable life experience, I hated it but I think it was good for me to understand what it’s like for people in low skilled jobs . I felt grateful in my post uni jobs.

That was the nineties and my mum made me. I wanted to lounge around all summer at that age.

In the 90s many factories let 12 year olds come in to do a bit of packing after school for cash in hand. (It’s how I earned my spending money). Just because they did something in the past doesn’t make it right.

I agree with the principle of knowing how to work hard and where money comes from, but I also think full-time, short-term, convenient work for someone young and inexperienced is not going to be that easy to come by.

I'd encourage them to look for part-time work, definitely. I worked part-time at this age. I didn't need loads of money as I was still living with my parents, but it was good to earn some of my own.

My DS has just left school & thinks that he can get £5 a day out of us whilst doing fuck all! His dad runs a business & even offered him a job with a good hourly rate but he has turned it down, he will txt me at work telling me how hungry he is & what shit parents we are! When my DD was his age she had a little job through the hols then also did that 3 days a week whilst at college & 3 days a week at college, he seems to bloody think he is entitled to everything for nothing!

I'd be grateful if they could find a few hours a week casual work. You should be encouraging them to find a more long term weekend/ part time job.

Hard enough for my 17 year old to get full time work/apprenticeship permanently and he’s left school there at end of may
Surely a part time job is enough between school and a levels
Seems harsh tbh

The only temp full time work I can think of is agency work but they won't employ a 16 year old as have to be 18 and if they suggest lying about their age don't as not not covered by insurance for accidents. Other than that the only reasonable option I can think is a part time job unless very lucky and can get seasonal work or you know someone that will take on for that period.

YABU. Students today are under so much more pressure than they were even 10 years ago so you cannot compare your experience. A part time job would be a suitable balance/compromise

I think it is not unreasonable for a 16 year old to Try to find something purposeful to do with their 8 week, whether that is volunteering or a job a few hours per week. I worked a Saturday job and all school holidays from being 14 so that I could buy clothes and go to raves . I know that was back in the day and all but I think its important. Not to pay rent but for some financial independence and responsibility. And tbh most students are really not under so much more pressure. It just costs them more.

A little part time work yes - but full time for the whole summer? No.

Who are you expecting to employ a kid ft for a few weeks when there are millions of long term unemployed? Give the poor kid a break, give him jobs to do at home every day if you want him to contribute to family life. He'll likely be working for nearly 60 years the way things are going.

It’s really hard for kids to find jobs these days but I certainly wouldn’t expect my 16 year old to work full time, they’re only kids once.

My 37 year old has only had one 8 month job in her life and that was part time. She's had lots of odd jobs, don't know how her husband puts up with it.....................

The world has changed nothing for 16 year olds these days all those types of jobs done by Mums and much older students

My recommendation OP, as a mother of two that had part time work from 13 starting with paper rounds then cafe and retail, is forget a full time summer job.

Encourage and cajole them to look very hard for a Saturday or Sunday part time job as others have said, where during the holidays they can pick up extra shifts. This is what mine did, as well as the paper round one worked in a cafe and then River Island and the other a local jewellers and then Tesco, all were on between a 6-8 hour contract but could work 20 hours in the holidays and it did them university.

Now is an ideal time to start asking round because the local kids that are in the those jobs right now may well be leaving in September to go to university and yours can take the slot.

Hope for the best but don’t expect anything before September.

Personally I was really pleased that mine planned Reading Festival & Boardmasters .. and worked inbetween to afford both. That's enough !! GCSES are hard going cut them some slack !