DDs first job is turning into a mess

[PerspicaciaTick]

DD has been offered her first ever job. She is thrilled as she's been applying for some time, but it is starting to feel like a huge mess which will impact every member of the family and not in a good way.
She will working 8 hours a week, spread over 3 evenings and Saturday morning. As a 17yo she will be earning a little over £40 a week.
She is studying for 3 A-levels plus a GCSE next summer.
The job means that she will have to change her transport arrangements to school and will no longer be able to travel with her friends at all.
It also means that 3 evenings a week, I will need to finish work on the dot to get her from the station to her job as there is not enough time for her to walk ... No wiggle room and no allowance made for when I need to work in other districts.
She won't be able to eat with the family and so we will start having to run 2 meal times.
No more socialising after school with friends
No after school activities.
I suspect that it will affect her school work as tight travel times on public transport are going to be hugely stressful.
My petrol costs are going to be considerable plus I have just changed my hours to work full time and was looking forward to a change of priorities where 17yo DD was responsible for getting herself to and from school.
Now all I can see is all the additional pressure and sacrifice for us both...for very little money.
Should I advise her that I don't think this is the right job for her right now, or would that be selfish. I'd happily give her the money Is be saving on petrol while she looks for a job that is a better fit.
I feel like I'm being really shitty. I've spent 6 months helping her apply for jobs and now she has one I don't think it is feasible. I wish businesses were more up front about what they want instead of pushing candidates through multiple interviews before changing the location and the shift pattern at the last minute.

@m00rfarm

It simply doesn’t work. Either she passes her driving test and gets a car or she finds a different job.

How does she do any of that for free?

If she’s working from home why is it so tight on time? Do you need to give her a lift home from school?

Is there any reason she can’t set up in the school or local library, or cafe with a laptop? Even the station waiting area? At least until you can get there.

So she'll be working from home. I'm a bit confused as to why that is not feasible. Surely it helps.

If she's just needing to log on, can she do it from school or even on the train? She can use her mobile as a hot spot until she gets home (however that is), or just stay at school until the shift is over? If its 3 evenings plus Saturday it sounds like the shifts are 2 hours each, plus if she's at home/near home then her mealtimes won't be too different to yours unless you eat at 5 on the dot?

I'm guessing the Dd finishes 6th form at say 3:30 and needs to be logged on by 4, but usually has say an hour long journey home by public transport?

So instead Dd will be getting the bus/train back and OP will need to pick her up from bus stop/train station to ensure she is back to be logged on in time?

It sounds very complicated though not I'm not clear exactly why if she works from home.

Not sure that working from home is the useful experience many other jobs would be for a 17 year old. Is there contact with clients involved?

The meals aren't a problem. Leave it to be reheated later or she can get her own. In my house my 16 yo and 20 yo often eat different meals from us or choose to eat at different times.

Can she get something in hospitality instead at a weekend? She needs time for homework and relaxation / socialising and it sounds like that will be eaten into a lot.

It’s far too complicated for a WFH job! Let alone one that only pays £40 a week.

Doesn't sound like its worth the hassle to me.

Total no brainier OP this job essentially has no benefits other than a bit of experience? But I highly doubt that it’s relevant to the career she wants to end up in and sounds like it causes nothing but problems and costs you money.

All WFH jobs I have done stipulated that they must be done over a private internet connection and in a private space. I don’t think that’s unusual.

It would depend for me on if it was the kind of work which would
A) offer valuable experience and development
B) have potential for continuing/ progression

My yr 12 dd isn’t going to be getting any kind of term time work. She has SEN and studying is her job. I would love her to have a summer job though.

Most under 18s don't work nowadays. If you can afford not to - then don't. Education comes first and let this be a life lesson - can you give her the £40 a week?
The past is a different time, it was very different in the 80s etc.

It does affect their A-Levels when they can't stay to after school clubs / extra Maths on a Thursday. A* kids go to these sessions.

A large % of people don't work until they are graduates nowadays!

@Justajot

I'd ditch it, but I don't see a job at 17 as a priority unless you (as a family) are struggling. Studying is her real job at the moment. £5 an hour is a pittance. I'd ditch it and give her the petrol money. Maybe put some study based conditions on it that make £5 an hour.

Yes, unless you need the money I wouldn’t bother. DD is 16 and I don’t expect her to get a job during A levels for a variety of reasons. If she wants to I will encourage it but it’s not an expectation for us.

A levels are the most important thing here. Job doesn't fit. A Saturday or Sunday job would be best.

All that hassle fir 8 lousy hours when teenagers are usually treated like crap at work anyway with extended probation and unpaid trial periods.. nah..

I'd just encourage her to pick.up some baby sitting or dog walking ir something. 8 hours should not impact you all that much its ridiculous.

If she can't get there under her own steam then it's not workable imo. You can't guarantee that you'll finish on time every day, surely! That's too much impact on you.

Are there no other jobs near you? Round here teenagers are always setting up on their own to earn money, they can get about £15 ph washing cars or dog walking or basic gardening etc and there's a lot of demand.

I would encourage her to keep looking for a job but if this one isn’t going to workable transport wise then maybe it’s not the one. I actually do think getting a bit of work experience at the age of 17 is a good thing.

Some of your concerns are a bit much though - you won’t need to cook a separate meal for a 17 year old!

personally I wouldn't do anything after a week or two she will come to the same conclusion you have and realise it's not really worth the hassle.

I don't understand - if this job is working from home, why all the discussion about public transport, learning to drive, "petrol money", etc? Unless I've completely misunderstood?

It's so important to build your CV at that age and get work experience. If she's going to college/uni and comes out without any actual experience, it's much harder to find a job. You need to try and make it work, then start applying for more jobs straightaway and it will get a lot easier to get them

If the hours and location have changed so its too inconvenient then it's not going to work. I wouldn't be giving her money to not work though. That makes no sense.

@Mildmanneredmum

I don't understand - if this job is working from home, why all the discussion about public transport, learning to drive, "petrol money", etc? Unless I've completely misunderstood?

You have misunderstood.

OP’s DD needs to back from school on public transport to make it back home in time to log on to WFH. That means the OP will need to collect her from the train station by car, when usually her DD would walk home independently. Therefore extra petrol cost to OP, OP leaving work early to facilitate the lift home.

We have a lot of 16 years old working as pickers in a supermarket. It's a 6.00 am start, so l see many tired looking parents dropping them off at 5.45 am at the weekends. Some are in the sixth form, so at school Mon -Fri then Sat and Sunday spent picking until midday at least. The money is quite good, but they obviously don't get much of a break.
My 16 year old son left school at 16 and is now 20 and has worked full time ever since. He's always had to get his own way to and fro, as l am working and on my own. He drives now, but was riding a motorbike which he brought and insured himself. I think it does them good to be independent , but know this isn't always practical. Shift patterns are very different now, and public transport can take forever and is unreliable. The roads are dangerous for young cyclists on bikes, mopeds, motorbikes. It is easy to look back and say " Well l did it", but it is a much different world now. I used to worry myself sick when my son was out on his motorbike. I didn't have a car, so we were stuck, his job involved a lot of travelling to and fro different places, he was on an apprenticehip and the others couldn't always give him a lift.
It's good that 16 yr olds want to work and earn their own money, but it does also seen to impact on the rest of the family.
In this case is it worth the stress?

To be independent your DD could use a scooter, much cheaper than a car and can arrange a provisional licence quicker.
You need secure parking though.

If it's about wanting some generic work experience, she could volunteer at weekends or in the holidays. Maybe at something related to a hobby? My kids have volunteered at Brownies, kids classes etc in the past. And fine babysitting for the families (paid). One wants to work with kids so it is also good for her CV.

Done babysitting