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?

It's a good time to start looking for a part time job to sit alongside fulltime studying for the next 2 years.
We lived in a town 40 mins from London. Both my dds struggled to find such work. The sort of plentiful retail jobs I had at that age simply don't exist and the supermarket jobs were few and far between. Too young to work in pubs.

YABU come on when’s the next times they’ll get a summer holiday. Plenty of time for working to come.
Unless you can’t afford to keep them anymore without them working I’d say it’s a bit mean. If it’s just about a career maybe compromise and say two weeks work experience in a chosen field.

Local temp jobs are hard to do find. When I was 16 I tried to find a job for the summer holiday. The only temporary jobs I could find were miles away, I didn't have a car. I eventually found one that was only a few miles away, but had to lie as it was permanant. They got rid of my friend and I 2 days later, when they realised that we were going to college in September. It was stressful. Maybe he can cut lawns/wash cars locally but don't let him stress about finding a job. It's not that easy.

FT work for most of the summer at 16 is really, really unreasonable.

Part-time or on-and-off work (e.g. couple of weeks at virtually full-time hours, couple of weeks off), fine, and a good idea at 16, particularly if it uses or builds good skills (which most jobs do at this age in some form or other). I wouldn't make my dc at this age, but I would strongly recommend it in terms of the benefits to their real-world experience/work ethic/pocket money budget.

My parents discouraged me from working in (school and university) holidays, very much for their own reasons, and in retrospect that wasn't ideal. It hasn't done me long-term harm, but in the short and medium term the lack of work experience (I did a v theoretical and academic degree) did make things more difficult.

Full time work is hardly feasible, but I'd definitely say they should work a bit. I loved working at that age and it taught me loads about responsibility, the value of my own money etc (and how to grit my teeth when a co-worker or customer was an arsehole - very valuable life skill), plus years later I still appreciate the novelty of having graduated to a grown-up job where I get every weekend off.

Part time yes, full time YABU

Yeah, pretty U - there aren’t millions of local temp jobs going begging.

I’d maybe encourage them to have a look to see if they can get some hours somewhere - but so many places won’t take on under 18’s any more.

Also they are 16, just done GCSEs. If they worked hard and are a decent kid, why not just let them be?

I was pleased that DD was working during holidays and around school at 17 because I thought it would open her eyes and encourage her to try hard at school.

All credit to her, mid 20s she has an amazing work ethic, but at 17 it just turned her off school in favour of world of pizza sales. She dropped out before A levels.

At 18 or 19,
but 16 - no, there are so many jobs they are too young to do.

I think a Saturday job is good for teenagers. As others point out, jobs are thin in the ground for that now. I would encourage my child to look at volunteering etc to build their skills and CV. You can't force them though.

I think Yabu to expect full time. You are also being un in your understanding of the world and that things have changed in many ways since you were a 16 year old. You sound quite lacking in empathy tbh

I had a catering sat job from 14, and my employer often pressured me to work FT in school holidays. Quit just before GCSEs and got a crappy catering job, full time, all summer. My parents wanted us to work.

It was hard even way back then, living in a city, to get temp work.

It was shit, I was knackered and hated it. On the upside, was a good lesson in dealing with employers and hostile co workers, and motivated me to work hard at A level and beyond to get better work.

A savvy friend did some switchboard, IT and typing training and we were all jealous as she had temp office work at 16.

Babysitting, including holiday care, was a pretty good racket!

Mine had a Saturday and holiday job at 16 through to 18 in a department store and then worked full time for a year. But now at university in a big city they have applied for over 60 part time jobs and got nothing at all. It’s harder to get jobs now than even just a few years ago.

God no. Just because you did it? You don’t seriously understand then that your child might need a break after all the stress of exams?

Wow.

Catering temp work.

McDonalds will take them on. My DD's friend left school in June and went straight to working for them.

My DD had the whole six weeks off to relax and enjoy herself. It's only just now a year after leaving school she has found a part time job. It's not easy anymore. Lots want over 18s.

I thought many teenagers did NCS after GCSE, so that would rule out full time working. Factor in a family holiday (if they still want to go on one) then that is most of the time covered before college starts.

A part-time job might be good though, if there are any in your area

Full time? Ease up a bit. A few days a week maybe. Surely he's allowed a bit of fun over the summer. He's got the rest of his life to work full time.

No I wouldn't expect my 16 year old who has just finished a year of stressful revision and exams to charge out and get a full time job over the summer. I hope you're not harassing your child about it constantly either. My parents used to and I hated them for it.

I think it is the principle of it isn’t it OP? They are dicking around all day, lying in bed, while we are out at work.

What a horrible, mean attitude to take towards your kids. They're still kids at 16 and they need a break.

The point of working at that age is to have a bit of pocket money and to get an introduction to the world of work, not to have to account for every minute of the day and prove their productivity. They have 50+ years of that ahead of them.

If they want and can get a part time job, great, but it's not so easy these days.

Now this is where the voting button would actually be very useful, not like that other incomprehensible post which mentioned "Husbands" later on.
I vote YABU.

DS1 has just finished GCSE's. He's mentally knackered. I've given him two weeks grace but would like him to be doing a bit of casual work after that. Of the ten or so places he's approached though, only one has taken his details. It's far more difficult to get than you think. And FT is ridiculous.

My son didnt have a job through the holidays .When you have spent all year working for GCSES ,then go on to A levels you most certainly need a break!.As others have said here its almost impossible to secure work for such a short period of time anyway.Could he do some dog walking,jobs around the home (yours and friends )maybe, to earn extra cash?.Why not let him chill and use this time to chat /hang out with his chums?

Mine worked about 4 days a week.

It gave them plenty of money and also plenty of time off.

Zero hours contacts worked in their favour because they could just say they weren't available if they had made plans to do something but if they had nothing planned they would go in and do a shift.

They both enjoyed it, got a sense of purpose and pride, something to put on a cv and also a reference.

What's more, they both saved loads which helped them during their first year at university.

But I wouldn't expect them to work full time if they didn't need the money.

@wafflyversatile You have won MN today with your response. Perfect.