Do your teenagers work part time?

[thinneratforty]

Sorry, thread following on from another thread. But do your teenagers work part time if they're studying as well? What work do they do and was it their idea to work or did you encourage them?

Yes, all have worked since about 12, first as babysitters/mother's help and then on to regular employment. DS had a handful of odd job/gardening clients that got him more income than babysitting. The DDs were able to get a saturday job answering the phone and doing general office dogsbody in our parish centre; DD1 did some weeknights there too from age 16 and always took her books with her. DD2 is currently doing that job. DD1 also got herself a summer job from 17 on as errand girl/lunchtime receptionist/filing clerk/general dogsbody in a law office and DD2 will follow in her footsteps at that office this summer. DD1 did it for two summers and hopefully DD2 will do the same. It hasn't interfered with their studies at all. They have all done very well in school, learned to manage their time. DS didn't put in half the effort in school that the DDs did but has managed to turn it around now in his first year at university. He will have some sort of job this summer and has a lot of applications out at the moment.

When DD1 went to university (in the US) she got a work study job doing general office work on campus in her first year, max hours she could work was I think 10 hours a week, but she also did a good deal of babysitting and did a bartender course but didn't get any bar work, just mixing drinks at private parties with catering firms. She managed to get a job in her second year that was somehow characterised as an internship so she could work as many hours as she could fit in, and stayed there for summer and winter breaks, subletting a room close by. She has never been without money.

Backforgood, no, the TA are trained just like regular soldiers (he's off to the brecon beacons in a couple of weeks to fire artillery), and they're paid the same.

He's 17

my dd is at college and works in a supermarket she did apply in school for jobs but they are like hens teeth round here , she was lucky enough to be kept on from a christmas temp job , i didnt see why them working affects studying it really shouldnt imo

DS117 had paper round, football reffing and now works in a shop
DD had paper round, but hers was one that was culled recently, so she's supposed to be cleaning at home to pay for her phone, but she's not doing a very good job of it. She 15.
DS2 has paper round. His wasn't culled, luckily.

We can't afford pocket money, so they've had to work for their money. DS1 very good money manager, DD's money always burns a hole in her pocket, as does chocolate and DS2 does spend his money on stuff, but doesn't fritter it, just spends it on things like iPod Touch, speakers, DVD player, etc.

I think it's really good for teenagers to have to earn some money. Lots of their friends' parents are telling their DC to get jobs now as they can no longer afford to subsidise them so much and it's been a big shock for them. The friends cannot believe how much stuff costs!

Agree it's hard to find jobs now. DS1 just spent about a week applying online and going round shops to find his job. I think he found one because he really worked at getting it. His friends aren't finding it so easy, but they aren't applying themselves to the "job" of getting a job.

My dd got herself a job in the local chip shop, I'm pleased as punch and told her we will all come and eat on a weekend day when she works. Only pt I said fri-sun only unless it school hols. No more sponging off me to pay her phone/clothes/party's etc. obviously I will still buy the stuff she really really wants but this is the best news for her self esteem I hope, give her confidence where I believe she lacks due to the way she behaves towards us lot. Here's to a new dd yay x

Reading this with interest. My daughter is 17 next month and despite much nagging encouragment hasn't got a part-time job. She says she wants one, and most of her friends have found something, but I just can't seem to get her motivated to get off her bottom and go and look.

Doea anyone have any ideas how to get her motivated? I have asked just about everyone I know if they know of any jobs going, but I seem to know the sort of people who work where there are not many jobs going for teenagers eg they are teachers or work for the NHS etc etc.

Jellicle, I found that too. We don't work in jobs where there are "connections". A lot of my kid's friends got part-time jobs from friends of their parents - just by asking, rather than the slog and misery of multiple rejections - but if you haven't got these, it can be really difficult.

Your daughter will need to produce a CV and be prepared to go around all the local possible places - pubs, shops, cafes, where they might take someone on, if there aren't any jobs in the local paper or signs in shop windows. Jobs are like hen's teeth around where I live and worse, you have to have transport to get to a lot of places where there might be jobs.

Ds didnt get any of his jobs through our connections.
The job at comet, he heard from a friend they were recruiting, he applied online and went through the full interview process.
The sport centre job,he had been going to there for swimming lessons since a baby, but he took his nplq in half term and put in his cv at the time they were looking to recruit 8 new staff.

Thanks Coffee. I had decided she needed to go down the CV and go and ask route, trouble is convincing her! She is just about to start exams so guess it will have to wait till afterwards now. Her best friend is doing catering at the local football club (well think pies and chips, maybe "catering" is a bit grand), so maybe they will be taking on more people for next season .

bruffin, my DS1 has just done his nplq and has an interview for a casual job at leisure centre. Fingers crossed for him.
A friend's son did this at 16 and is just in his final year at uni. It has stood him in good stead for those years with regular holiday work.

Good luck Secretsquirrels ds
My ds really enjoys it, even the cleaning of the changing room

DS is 15 and he 'sticks up' for the Tuesday night skittles team at the pub. £15 for a few hours work. He wanted a job but DH arranged it for him.

Thanks bruffin. I've warned him it won't be all whistle blowing and chatting up the female lifeguards . Told him to stress at the interview his willingness to do anything.

DS got to blow his whistle for the first time on Sunday He has been there since January and it was his first official stint as a life guard at a public swim.
They have events at the leisure centre so they need staff to be around. DS spent the evening watching The Inbetweeners and playing table tennis and eating pizza.