I picked yes, year-round, but it wasn't my primary source of spending money. I would babysit a couple of times a month and I wrote for the teen section of our local newspaper ... but none of that compared to cash we got from our grandparents and our allowance.
There was one summer when I didn't work at all; my parents let me do one of those programs where you take six-weeks of college courses while living on campus. That summer was one of my absolute favorites.
Post by tacosforlife on Nov 22, 2014 21:13:01 GMT -5
I turned 16 the summer after 10th grade, and it was hard to find a job pre-16. So I worked summers and spring semesters after 10th grade. Fall semesters I couldn't work because of marching band - practice was 2 hours/day after school. The only people I know who both worked and were in band either weren't in honors classes or had mediocre grades because they just didn't have the time to put in.
Worked summers at a day camp after 10th and 11th grade. Started working in a bakery in the fall of my senior year, and pretty much worked solid since then - part time during school (10-20 hours/week).
yes, I babysat and then later got a job for the last 2 years of high school at the local library 12 hours a week. I grew up to become a librarian, lol. I loved working in high school and making spending money.
I work at a high school now and I have noticed that not a lot of my students work. A lot of them seem so much more overextended in sports and extracurricular activities these days that it seems like it'd be hard to fit a job in. Not all of them are this busy though (I have several regulars who spend 2-3 hours a day in my library watching TV online and playing video games after school).
I worked many jobs off and on. I grew up on a busy farm, so at various times of the year it was more work than others. We had beef cattle, so there were always daily chores. I also cleaned houses and babysat for a neighbor. I worked in a pizza place delivering pizzas starting when I was 16 and I also worked delivering flowers my senior year.
I still managed to be in a ton of activities and graduated at the top of my class. I have no idea where I found the energy.
Post by everafter07 on Nov 22, 2014 21:30:04 GMT -5
I've worked since I was 15. I think it was 3-5 days a week/end while in school and often full time + in the summer. I worked in the mall, at a restaurant, at a discount department store and a movie theater between 15-18.
I was only in one extra curricular and I often busted ass to get my homework done as much as possible while in school. I did well in school, had a good social life, and I'm very glad that I worked. It was important to me to make my own money.
Yep, year round. I started in a restaurant the summer before I turned 16. I worked there a few nights and weekend afternoons/evenings through college. I also waitresses at another restaurant mornings/mid afternoon and on the weekends during the summer (sometimes worked 80 hours/week between the 2 jobs). My parents didn't give me anything except like $20/week for lunch money so I was on my own for gas, car insurance, car, clothing outside the beginning of the year money. We lived at a poverty level so I didn't ask for anything from them and preferred to use my own money. My sisters are another story and likely still getting help from one or both of my parents!
Looking back, I really wish they had made me earn my own money. I had a very generous allowance which I did nothing to earn. If I had earned my money (even from them by doing chores) I think I would have started off better financially.
Post by lobstertail on Nov 22, 2014 21:45:49 GMT -5
I worked the summer between my junior and senior year, and the summer after, before I went to college. During that senior year, I needed to concentrate on school, college apps, and clubs/sports.
We lived in walking distance from a dairy farm with an ice cream shop that was only open from June through October. I worked there after 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. If I did not live so close I wouldn't have had a job before I got my license at the end of 11th grade.
In January of my senior year, I got a job at Kmart, where I worked until college.
It was unusual in my high school for people not to have jobs. I only can remember one person who did not, and she and her family were Christian fundamentalists with unusual views about women working.
My high school wasn't demanding. I held a job, played sports, did drama club, yearbook, etc because academics were a joke. I can understand why people at serious high schools wouldn't work.
DH and I both worked in high school (he practically worked full time, I worked a few evenings a week and weekends). So naturally we are a little vexed that his brother is given a car, etc. and not expected to work for it.
Kind of? Not a standard job. I taught music lessons, which averaged about three hours per week. And babysitting. My dad was really opposed to me having a standard after school job, still not sure why, but it afforded me some other experiences.
As a result I spent most of my time involved in extracurricular activities and volunteering with/ for various groups, which were certainly valuable experiences but didn't add to my savings account.
For our kids, the expectation will likely be that they are involved in some activity that will contribute some value to their future. If not extracurriculars or volunteering, then some sort of job. Lazing around home or just hanging out with friends all day every day is not an option.
My parents believed that my job was school so I wasn't "allowed" to work during school.
Then I got tired of being teased about being the spoiled rich girl who didn't need to work so I BEGGED my parents to let me get a part time job when I was a junior so I applied to Burger King. I worked there for six months.
Yes, I worked at the mall when I was 16-18. It kind of sucked, but my younger sisters credit my experience with introducing the whole family to non-Kmart fashions. I remember working about 20 hours a week year round. I would be content with my kid working fewer hours during the school year.
(When I was younger I babysat very occasionally and then graded Kumon tests. I started working in middle school, cleaning a bookstore before school a couple days a week)
No. My parents wouldn't allow it because they wanted me to focus solely on studying.
Same, during the school year. I was only allowed to babysit weekends, over holidays, and summers. The summer between sophomore year and junior year I worked at a local summer day camp for kids with TBI and developmental delays. The following summer, I worked at my cousin's hot dog stand 2 days/week.
My parents didn't even want me working in college. I got a job working in my dorm's office though, and it was beyond easy. I was basically paid $6/hr to study.
DH and I both worked in high school (he practically worked full time, I worked a few evenings a week and weekends). So naturally we are a little vexed that his brother is given a car, etc. and not expected to work for it.
I can understand that. I think finding the line between just handing a kid everything and total deprivation is where you need to be. My parents erred on the side of deprivation, so I had no choice but to work. A LOT.
My high school wasn't demanding. I held a job, played sports, did drama club, yearbook, etc because academics were a joke. I can understand why people at serious high schools wouldn't work.
My high school wasn't demanding either. I barely did home work. So I can understand why kids that go to the school where I work now don't have jobs bc they have four hours of homework a night.
I worked year-round after I turned 16. I was #KristenFromTarget for awhile and then worked at the local library.
I really think working in high school (at least a little bit) is important. It taught me about budgeting and taxes and made me very determined to get great internships in college so I could get the kind of job I really wanted after graduation.
Post by illgetthere on Nov 22, 2014 23:00:11 GMT -5
Yes, I worked 3 days/week for no more than 15 hours. During the summer, I worked split shift and picked up another 15ish hours/week
Edit: I babysat starting at 12 and made quite a bit of money. I never had an hourly rate, but I would get at least 50-60 each night. My first w2 job (above) was a month after I turned 16. I worked 35-45 hours/week in college
Post by RoxMonster on Nov 22, 2014 23:06:09 GMT -5
Yes, I worked summers only. I worked at a mini-putt place that was only open part of the year, and it worked out really well because I truthfully didn't have time for a job during the school year and my parents only wanted me focused on school. I was in a ton of extracurricular activities and wanted to keep a high GPA. It would have been really tough to work as well.
I teach HS now, and I'd say 70% of my juniors and seniors hold part-time jobs during the school year. For many of them, they leave school, go straight to work, and get home after 10 PM. Then they are so tired, they just end up falling asleep and have no time for HW/studying or hell, even just a moment to relax.
I totally get that for some families, they count on everyone who is capable of working bringing in cash. Many of my students (I teach in a poor community) help support their families and pay bills with their wages. I also think teens should hold a job at least sometime because it is great to teach responsibility, work ethic, money management, etc. But if I had kids, I would probably only want them working summers/school breaks and maybe weekends--*maybe.* I would want them to focus on school work, have some time for extracurriculars they enjoy, and also have time for friends and relaxation as well.
ETA: And that first summer job at the mini-putt place is where I met DH!
Post by crashgizmo on Nov 22, 2014 23:08:10 GMT -5
Yep. I got a job right when I turned 16 and could drive. I worked 6pm-1am 5 days a week at a restaurant that obviously didn't care that I was too young to be working that late. Then over the summer I worked two jobs- one at the restaurant and another at a collections agency for Macy's. I learned so much about credit and what happens if you don't pay your bills.
As soon as I was 18, I bartended all through college and for about 5 years after that in addition to my day job.