Probably - but people too lazy to cook their own christmas dinner are spoiling mine

[SheinIsShite]

My youngest DS is 16 and works in a pub kitchen. Dish washing, food prep, plating starters/dessert. He is contracted to do 8 hours a week which is usually OK. Obviously this time of year is busy and because he is not at school he has more shifts.

School finished on Friday, he worked Friday evening. And Saturday, and Sunday. Did an extra shift on Monday afternoon as they were short. Yesterday was rostered 11-6 but got home at 22.50 as they were so busy and needed to prep for the 700 covers they have booked today between 12 and 4.30pm. He starts again at 10am this morning, and although they have said he'll be done by 6.30 I don't believe that so he will more than likely miss our family meal.

So all of you paying £85 a head for Christmas lunch in a very standard chain pub, thanks for that.

Totally appreciate that some people have to work and we are all grateful to the police, fire, midwives etc. But going out for your Chrtistmas lunch is not essential.

He works in hospitality, is probably being paid £20-£30 per hour for working today as a 16 year old would you have preferred to earn £150+ tips or spend a day with your parents eating sprouts 🤷🏻‍♂️

If my 16 year old child was being taken advantage of like this then I would go down the pub and collect him at 6.30.l when his shift finishes. Non negotiable.

there are laws for working at this age. Hours, breaks, rest between shifts etc.
he is 16 and I assume quite resilient by the sounds of it (good on him!). But still just a kid.

he’s done his fair share of the hard work. The pots and pans can wait for someone else now

Collect him at 6.30 so he can have a Christmas evening with his family.

My DS is working in our village pub today. He is happy to be working, the tips tend to be more generous.

We have shifted meal timings to work round his shift. It has the makings of a far more relaxed day.

Yabu, Xmas for many pubs will be make or break. No Xmas trade,pub closes and everyone loses their job.

Crikey. That'll really set him up for the real world........

My DS is 17 and works in hospitality. He has done loads of hours over the past week. He’s not working today but DD is (she’s a care worker). We’ll have dinner together later when she’s finished. If that wasn’t possible we’d just do our Xmas meal together on a different day. I’m proud of them both for working hard and earning their own money.

You're completely mad.

Actually, let me comment. Changed my mind.

Firstly, laziness is not (always) the reason.
Secondly, hard work never killed anyone.
And thirdly and most importantly, from the other side, that shit restaurants serve to customers today doesn't deserve a second thought.

So here you have another point of view.
Enjoy your Christmas dinner.

I could argue but where would it get me? No one was forcing me to work there. And actually it did me good to get out of the house for a bit. It’s not all doom and gloom working at Xmas. That said the ops son is doing too many hours which weren’t agreed in advance but I wouldn’t blame the people buying the dinners I would blame the managers.

I would be very proud of your DS. Such a positive attitude to work should be encouraged in my opinion. Sometime in life we have to prioritise the team, not the individual. Your DS is learning some great life skills

My 16 year old DS works as a lifeguard, specifically so he doesn’t have to work Christmas Day. He should find a different job.

We didn’t get to do traditional Christmas the year my son was 16 either as my dad was in hospital and I had to stay with my mum who had dementia. We worked around it. As we would have done had DS been working. Life is different today than when a lot of us were young, and for all those who are having to work Christmas because they are rota’d in, there will be some people who don’t celebrate Christmas, or for whatever other reason, they don’t mind working. We are lucky this year as my DIL who works for emergency services is not on until tomorrow evening - so we will be going out for our lunch. To a bog-standard pub where we are paying £85 for our meal. We are looking forward to it.

Firstly, laziness is not (always) the reason.

Even when it is, people are allowed to be lazy for this. It's not a moral failing to decide you'd rather go out for your Christmas meal than go to all the hassle of shopping, cooking and washing up. It's not slavery, people are paid to do it.

He didn't have to work he probably likes the independent money more than having dinner at home, you are being absolutely ridiculous, truly ridiculous.

I would hate to do it and I'm glad none of my teens ever worked on Christmas day but my son, daughter and husband all worked Christmas eve or Boxing day and it did leave the rest of us feeling a bit flat. DD2 volunteered to work Christmas day because she knew that they would be appreciated, that they would have a fun day and she liked the team in the cafe where she worked. It's been the same for all of their friends who had jobs in catering - the parents were all disappointed, the kids had the time of their lives - and extra cash and tips.

As you yourself have pointed out it's hard for 16 year olds to find jobs. Good on him for working hard and I am sure he will enjoy receiving his pay packet at the end of the week.

I don't think the employer can make a 16 year old do those hours. Is he in full time education? In fact as a sixth form college teacher I'm 100 % certain they absolutely can't. I'm amazed at the vote. I'd be fuming if my child did all that instead of taking part in our family Christmas. I agree that all of retail inc hospitality should close properly for a proper Christmas break and that NO ONE needs to go out and be waited on for their Christmas dinner. Nobody needs to shop on boxing day either. The world's gone mad and your child needs to be at home opening his presents and having dinner with you. Relentless capitalism can sod off for a couple of days, surely?

You’re not the brightest Christmas bulb are you?

Person has job? 🤷‍♀️

Oh do wind your neck in dear!

People who are too lazy to use capital letters correctly in the title of their thread are ruining my Christmas. Just saying.

He's going to start looking in the New Year - should be easier now that he has 6 months' experience under his belt.

And yes he is still at school full time, but it's the holidays. The employer doesn't seem overly bothered by things like laws around getting breaks or working late. He is the only under-18 in the kitchen, all the front of house staff are 18 or older.

Next time you nip to the shops because you've forgotten something beyond 5pm, or on a Sunday, be grateful that they're open...because back in the day you wouldn't be able to when everything was closed at 5.
Welcome to the modern world that caters for everyone.

This is what I think. Well done to him ( and how you've raised him). That experience will help him so much over the next few years, and yes I bet he loves the pay. Hopefully good tips too. Is he saving up for anything?

Oh fgs OP, surely you realise that this is what working in hospitality entails?