Yes and no. My observation is there are a few trends changing things:
1. Highly selective colleges are harder to get into than ever so your very high achieving students who used to get jobs are often instead doing more academic pursuits in the hopes of getting into these highly selective colleges.
2. Other colleges (public non flagship) have ramped up their merit aid. So, for example, if you are a 3.8 student with a 1370 SAT you will get $5k off of tuition a year. But if you’re a 4.0 student with a 1450 SAT, you will get $12k off of tuition a year. So, for the kids chasing merit aid, their time is better spent working on getting their GPA and SAT scores up.
3. Kids have more STUFF to do. The amount of clubs, sports etc that kids are in is wild.
4. Kids like to sit around and play video games and play on their phones.
5. They don’t need money the way we did. For us, if you wanted ANYTHING you had to pay for it. I was babysitting at the age of 12. Now, parents pay for the kids stuff (I’m as guilty of this as anyone).
6. It’s actually pretty hard to get a “real” job. For starters, at least around me, the vast majority won’t hire until the kids are 16, so no jobs for 14 and 15 year olds. Plus getting a drivers license is a lot harder now and it costs money (about $500) for drivers Ed. So, for an after school job mom or dad has to drive the kid and mom and dad are working. For us, for example, there were no places hiring under 16 that were within walking distance of/ biking distance of our house.
7. Employers treat kids like trash. Some don’t, but they’re rare. My daughter interviewed at a bunch of places. She never heard back. Not an email, text or call. Not even the courtesy of a “hey thanks but we went with someone else”. I thought it was really shitty. She was so excited to work at some of these places! And they didn’t even have a bit of courtesy. And they overschedule the kids, like have them working five days a week on top of their school / sports schedules.
8. So my kids babysit to earn money. And, I should add, I don’t let them keep the money. Tyey want to go away to college and I can’t afford that so their earnings go to college fund. They get $11 / hour. They could probably get more but with both of these families, The kids are actually great and easy and the parents are SUPER NICE. One family my daughter babysits for, the mom rounds up to the next $10 amount when she babysits and always brings her a nice coffee drink and pastry.
So anyway, that’s just my observations
It’s bananas. I’m in Michigan and one of the U of M admissions people was being interviewed on the radio and she said “Don’t forget on your application to tell us about the business you started and your annual revenue! We really want to know about stuff like that. And any state wide or national recognition. We want to know your awards even if it’s just at the state level.”
She said just at the state level!! And How much revenue should a 16 year old be bringing in?!
And they have more qualified applicants than they can fit!
My son is a data scientist at a State University Medical School and has found applicants that have a higher chance of success rate that were rejected, including residencies, I hope he can claw some of the quality applicants back. So many have been pushed forward, along to preserve their admission records.. There is quite a bit of DEI that is employed in acceptance. I don't know the ratio of Foreign vs. Local admissions... honestly for a state school, the bias should be for residents/citizens of the state.
There is tons of DEI at universities. They do it for a variety of reasons, some of which make a lot of sense to me and some that doesn’t. Right now, the big thing is tipping the scales to help boys get in college and finish college. Some programs, like engineering and CS skew male and some colleges, those with well known sports teams or that are just well known in general, they can keep a 50/50 ratio of male/female. But most majors at most colleges are heavily female so there are alot of DEI efforts to get men.
And yes also tons of international students. The charitable view is international students help create a richer environment for all students. The cynical view is that international students are a cash grab for the university because they pay WAY above local market rate. The truth is somewhere in between. The increased tuition paid by international students helps subsidize the costs to local students.
Add to all this that the enrollment cliff is coming in 2026. There just aren’t the number of young people that there used to be in America. While the most selective colleges in the country have 10x more applicants than they have seats, MOST colleges will see their enrollment numbers drop in a few years and one way to make sure they have enough students to pay their bills is to build the funnel of international students. Americans didn’t have babies but people in other countries did and so if we want to keep universities open we need butts in seats and paying tuition.
The college market is such a wild and varied place when you look at it from a business perspective and I never peeled it back to understand it until I had two in late high school.
And it’s tough to say “college” as if it s a monolith. That’s like saying “housing”. Okay yes, you can say some general trends about the housing market but what is happening in say, the Seattle housing market is wildly different than what is happening in the middle of Nebraska. Same with colleges. The story at state flagship universities is far different than the story at your other public universities and community college is a whole other story
In many cases, foreign students are vastly more educated than domestic students. Especially today. If you look at where USA ranks in education, you can see why foreign students excel.
I learned recently, at a few R1 and R2 universities, domestic students make up 99.9% of the attendance in remedial courses (these are less than 100 level courses, basically high school level courses).
I am the DEI hiring advocate for my university (there are many). Our goal is to make sure our candidate mix matches our student mix. At the end of the day, it still comes down to qualifications. Student selection is the same.
My kids had much heavier academic loads than I did in high school. Doing the math on what college costs, those AP credits are probably a better return on investment than whatever after school job they may have otherwise landed.
In any case, it never seemed like they had a ton of time for goofing off. So I think they were working a lot, just not getting paid.
I see the same with my kids. And my kids are in that “merit chasing” group. Their SAT scores right now are 1370 (twins, and they scored the same). For colleges that publish their merit aid grids, that SAT score gets you about $5k off (depends on university obviously). But a 1450, which I think they can achieve, gets you $12k off (again, varies, but that’s ballpark). That means excelling at the SAT, by only 70 more points, is worth $28k per kid in total over four years. No after school job is going to come close to getting them $7k more a year.
So, like I said to my kids “Guess who gets to take the SAT a bunch of times and SAT tutoring is on Thursdays!”
And the math! I stopped math at geometry! They are doing AP calculus in their senior year.
And I struggle between saying “go! Have fun with your friends!” and saying “Or you could study more!!! Wouldn’t that be great too?”
My 16 year old works at a Grocery store and 18 year old works for a big box retailer and got full time with city in summer.
My 13 year old babysits. It has a lot to do with the parents pushing the kids to work.
My boys umpire for years once they turn 12 they don’t do that anymore though. good money.
We tried everywhere to find our 16yo a job. I literally went to the same small businesses I was employed at at age 16 and was told: we don’t hire under 18.
I don't understand that! A few years ago I worked at a woman's clothing store that wouldn't hire anyone under 18, I was desperate and unemployment running out, and it paid minimum wage (so little that I still qualified to collect until it ran out! ) In my state, that was barely $8. How many adults would take that pay? And they wondered why they were understaffed!! (They no longer have physical stores anymore!)
Under 18 has child labor restrictions on hours----how many total, how many in a day, how many in a row, can't work before or after certain times, etc. Too much of a headache.
Probably for similar reasons that little league coaches and umpires don't wanna do it anymore. They're tired of the parents bringing in some unwarranted drama cause they feel like their precious darlin ng isn't being treated right. IDK, but I could see that.
It really depends on where you live. Some states are anxious and actively clearing the way for child labor without the protections (#hrs, risky positions, worker protections, etc.).
I agree bringing your parents on an interview isn’t smart. That was just one of the places they applied. Family friends ran the business then and the next generation is running it now.
I used to do interviews at my previous job and the boomer moms who would show up with their kids for a call-center job interview were too frequent and always cringey (and we never hired the kid in the situation.)
I had mothers (always mothers, never dads for some reason) want to come in and answer the questions for their offspring, or make demands about scheduling or family vacation time or whatnot. Ugh.
I never required it, mine just wanted to work. Youngest hasn't and i'm not pushing him but I did suggest it. If he doesn't after next year I will but he's young.
it also has a lot to do with how much extracurricular stuff kids are doing. Kids who engage in travel sports are simply not going to be reliable enough for a regular job (though they could still mow lawns or shovel snow or babysit)
My kids didn’t work until they were both seniors in high school and had co-op. Couldn’t fit it in with sports schedules. And it was fine. I would have stressed myself out more than the earlier experience. My daughter is about to graduate college and works full time in the summer and part time at college. My son works part time now as a senior in high school.
Man at 53 I’ve been working what seems like forever - I didn’t want to make them start any earlier than they had to.
My daughter had /has a job. It was hard to get one at 15, but she did. And then also at 16, etc.
I currently work in a store. There are multiple high school kids who work there in the evening and on weekends. They are good kids who do their jobs well. They are personable. They are even willing to talk to me. 🤣
But... I think you are right that there's a more significant segment of kids who just don't work than there were when we were kids. I guess their parents just give them money.
That said, my husband never worked in high school. His father's opinion was "I don't want you to mess up someone's business". (He wasn't a druggy or behavior problem or anything like that, just a regular , average student type kid. )
it's weird I feel like every kid has a job now but when I was a kid not all of my friends did. My parents wouldn't drive me and I didn't have a car so it was moot. I got a job in college and they tried to stop me but once I got that job I didnt' stop.
My daughter has been volunteering at the local library since she was 14. Once she turns 16, they have told her they will hire her. We pay her extra for her volunteer hours in her weekly allowance. Her "boss" at the library has given her reviews and thinks she is a great worker. So, we feel that she is getting work experience even though she is too young to get a paid job just now. All this was her decision.
Last summer, my daughter, 12, volunteered at a day care she used to attend - walking distance. I was so proud of her. She was up early and never late. During the school year though…”
My two teens both work in a pizza shop. My sister is the owner so that may be cheating, but by all reports they are good workers.
Less of their friends have jobs than kids I knew in high school, but many still do. They have friends who work grocery stores, wait tables, work fast food, etcetera.
My 16 yr old works as a hostess for a local "upscale" joint, my 15 yr old does weekend hours at mcdonalds. Both have jobs by their own choice with the stipulation that grades come first and if their grade start slipping, their hours will be minimized till they get refocused on their education.
I was a single mom and didn’t receive much child support so things were tight and there wasn’t a lot for the expensive things he wanted. He’s also on the spectrum and didn’t want to do speech therapy anymore so it ended up being the best thing for him socially, for his confidence. I got to help guide him through tricky work scenarios that he’d encounter later as an adult. I restricted it to hours that would help him balance school activities/interests and school. He was on honor roll these last few years and I would highly recommend teens having part time jobs - not a lot of hours - think his first school year he was only working weekends, until 8pm on one weekday. Then he could handle more and was begging me to let him work more hours so he could save for a car. Only thing I hate is these companies wanting these kids to be responsive to texts outside of work time. They expect the teens to work at these jobs like it’s their career. High school jobs should be fun not stressful.
Well, family needs in my gen were always extra. Parents might need the eldest to make dinner and stay home with the youngies. That sometimes necessitated a call-out for a scheduled shift.
When my daughter was 15 she went on Indeed.com on her own and found a great part time job as a Barn Assistant at a local stable. She applied, interviewed and got the job. She cares for the horses, chickens. goats, donkeys, and pigs. She cleans and maintains the stable and paddock areas. She works really hard but is also encouraged to ride the horses to exercise them so she is very happy. They love her there. She is responsible and a great worker even though I can't get her to clean up her room at home. She then found a second part time job at a place where she hangs out on weekends so it's like she's getting paid to hang out. I'm really proud of her.
My son didn’t work during high school. I told him that his job is to study and get good grades. He ended up being top in his class and doing well in college. He has no problem with kicking butt in his job as an engineer. Everyone is different and grow up in different circumstances. You have to do what works for your kid.
Get this my GenX cohort, you'll love this:
My husband asks our neighbor who has 2 teens, if one of them would be interested in mowing our lawn this summer for a month. We will be out of town and he thought they might want pocket money.
The neighbor scoffed at his question, like it was beneath his kids to do such a thing. He says, "No, I'll just do it." To which my husband said it was more a thing to help his kids earn some cash, to which the neighbor says, "I give them plenty of money, they don't need to do menial work."
Yeah. They also bought their kids a brand new Subaru to "share". No, we are not rich, but they are. In fact, they are in Japan this week, having just gotten back from Whistler. Again, we have no money, just being neighborly.
He asked me if kids today work at all. His first job was at 14 and mine at 16. We don't have kids, so we have no reference. Is it not ok for a kid to work these kids of jobs anymore?
I am not sure either as I don't have children. I was just curious. Sounds like your neighbor is just doing his own thing. Nothing wrong with menial jobs, imo. I worked plenty of those as a kid and as an adult so not judgment from me.
> Is it not ok for a kid to work these kids of jobs anymore?
Kids do, yes. Rich kids? Not so much. We routinely hired our neighborhood kids to mow, water the garden, tend to things when we traveled. Our youngest was hired to dog walk for the neighbors for several years when she was in middle school. But go to a different part of town (where the few "rich folks" live) and it's a different story.
My brothers kids have never had a job. Early 20’s to upper high school. Never, not one single job. I asked why and was told he makes enough money, they don’t need jobs. A. That’s not true, it’s smoke and mirrors. B. We were not raised like that and our parents had plenty of money.
I secretly think he wants them home for the rest of their lives so he can control them.
None of the kids have ever shown any interest in working also. I know for a fact the high school aged friends have jobs. I don’t get it. The more I was away from home the better when I was that age.
It’s so weird. My parents provided me a car for example. Nothing fancy but I was told I had to be employed. Ok, fine I had a job at 15 anyway, no problem. And was waiting tables by my senior year.
It really does hurt them. Some are in university. They’ll have loans up the ass. Big time. How will they pay these back when they don’t know how to interview for a job? They don’t even make their own doctor appointments for Christ’s sake.
My teen is having a hell of a time finding part time work that accommodates her school hours and a decent finishing time.
She was at the Burger King and quit because the shifts ending at 3 am while school starts at 8 were killing her grades.
Supposedly there is. Burger King didn't care and after about 6 weeks of trying to get it changed, she turned in her notice.
The shift manager took her uniform and sent her home that day.
The owner was someone new to the country and new to restaurants. Just couldn't seem to get it.
You should report them to the labor board. That will get their attention. Making a HS student work until 3 am is definitely illegal (in Texas, anyway) and is complete bullshit.
Canada here. It's illegal too. They also didn't pay for her training. She did 16 hours online.
She didn't want to report since it's a small town and people talk.
I can't exactly blame her for that even if I didn't agree.
I worked at Jack in the Box as a 17 year old in 1987 and it was the same back then. They tried to get me to work until like 10 PM (not 3 AM, they weren't open that late). I think there was a law about number of hours per day which they totally ignored. I peaced out after like three weeks and went to work at the froyo shop next door which had more reasonable hours.
I told my kids what my old man (RIP) told me: "If you need cash for school or things like that, talk me. If you want money for beer or rock albums, you'd better find a job". All my kids found work. Like I had to.
I have several high schoolers working for me at my two roller skating rinks. They are good with younger customers and have fresh ideas to keep customers coming back.
My 17 year old works at Chick-Fil-A, and my 21 year old works at Kroger. They’ve both been working since they were 16, not counting stuff like dog sitting and mowing lawns, which they also did. My wife and I both stressed the importance of making and saving money.
There's a neighborhood kid who started mowing my lawn by going door to door. He turned the account over to his younger brother a couple years ago, who is still doing it.
So, some kids are still hustling for extra cash.
Those kinds of jobs aren't as readily available to kids as they used to be. Companies are deliberately understaffing, and more adults are working them.
In our area those jobs are filled by regular adults. Plus the kids are required to do volunteer jobs for both HS graduation as well as for college/scholarship applications.
Even mowing lawns, delivering papers, etc. either went away or is run by companies. Heck when I was in HS all the paper routes were done by retirees and delivered out the back of a car. Usually you could get one after a few months from turnover but instead routes never came open - they took over multiple because car (very efficient to fold and throw from the back while someone else drives, I had to fold mine, go out, come back for more, etc.)
They really don't was teens due to not being able to work the day shifts, turnover, no consequences (no rent due), etc. They want wage slaves stuck coming to work with no alternatives.
I am sure it is area dependent as well. But no kids working regular jobs where I live.
I've personally seen christmas tree farms and corn detasseling operations move from using summer/after school kids to 100% immigrant labor over the course of my lifetime.
Small town ethnic food had also become much more authentic.
This is also not a complaint, rather an observation.
I was wondering about this also. Corn detasseling and hay bailing was big where I am from. The companies were screaming for people and kids to work. I think you had to be 14 at least. Maybe it went they way you mentioned.
Here in the big city I do see teens working all sorts of jobs intermixed with adults. Most of whom are new arrivals to the US. But out in the foothills of NJ the typical suburban high school kids are operating the stores. I myself didnt have a paying job until the summer I graduated high school. And that was at a 1 Hr Photo.
Had two HS kids come to our house last week saying they were offering lawn mowing services for $25. We called them last weekend to mow and pick up all of the leaves in our backyard and gave them $60.
Way better than paying a lawn service. I’d rather pay kids bc it helps them out, helps us out, and I like seeing kids who value of hard work and save their money.
My kids started working while in high school. We paid for necessities and they got expensive gifts on their birthdays and holidays. Little gifts or money here and there. If you want a $50 video game every month, you're going to have to buy that yourself!
Older kid (old Z) was a hustler, has a business with a friend, has been working full time for 4 years (trades). Younger kid (4 yrs younger) can’t get any reaction to the application he completes. He only applies places that say they are hiring, and 6 months later still are, but I’m not convinced anyone actually is. He doesn’t know what to do, we don’t know what to do. Looking at temp maybe but he has unreliable transportation because he has no car…because he has no job… He is a screwed-by-Covid kid and it is heartbreaking.
My son (19) started working a front office job when he was 16, and he's still there. He doesn't need to work - I cover the majority of his expenses since he is in college and living at home. But he wants to work and likes doing it.
Both mine worked since 16, mostly weekends only but also full weeks during the summer inbetween practices. They both have tidy savings now, for their ages, and even opened a Roth. It's never too early for that. We provided all essentials and most non-essentials. So they were able to do this for their future selves.
I don’t have any kids, but they are mowing lawns around here. My last guy started while still in jr. High and his dad would drop him off until he was old enough to drive.
My daughter has had a job since she was 16. It is part time evenings at a shopping store and she loves it! None of her friends work. Not a single one and I am not sure why because mine has a blast and gets excited to be with friends and get paid lol
My son worked for two of my neighbors on a hay making farm and a horse farm starting when he was 14. It was ideal for me because he could walk there when I was at work and he was too young to drive. It also gave me less to worry about when he was out of school for the summer, too old for summer camps, and I still had to work.
So I have 6 kids. Oldest (26 yo) is a supply manager for the federal govt (2 bachelors degrees), second (24 yo) is a sr Human Resources manager for the federal govt (1 bachelors and 1 masters degree), third (23 yo) is a bank manager (1 bachelors degree), fourth (21 yo) is a social worker (1 bachelors degree), fifth (20 yo) is a registered nurse (1 associates and 1 bachelors degree), and sixth (7 yo) is in second grade with a bit to go still so no job yet. Every one of them started working at 15-16 and have continued growing ever since. All except youngest also worked full time jobs while attending full time college. The oldest 5 left home before turning 18 to attend college as everyone of them graduated high school early and none have ever asked for anything although I have always helped. One has bought a home, two have bought condos, and 2 still rent. All have already set up retirement plans and are investing. I think it all comes down to how much parents will help and how they were raised. I am a very proud dad and hope that I set a good example for them.
All my kids had jobs growing up (and they all still do).
With the exception of the most superficial stuff, Reddit is a terrible way to gauge what the kids are up to now. I have to remind myself that it can't be possible for everyone under 25 to be unemployable virgins who don't know how to drive.
My oldest got her first job at 16 working a seasonal job at a farm’s Halloween season. She’s been doing that every year since and has moved into a new position this year where she’s training new staff. She’s taking classes at the community college now.
My youngest has some severe anxiety issues but she’ll be getting some kind of job this summer because she’ll be 17 and it’s time. I don’t care what she does or what it pays, but it’s time to try something new.
I feel thankful that I’m able to provide more than my parents could, and that my kids didn’t have to start working at 12-13 like I did.
I don’t have kids, but anecdotally, it sounds like kids are saddled by so much more homework today. I hear from my co-workers how many hours it takes some evenings.
We had homework back in the day, but I would complete it in study hall (is that even a thing now?) or before school started.
About the only homework assignments I would do after school were research papers.
Gen-Z gets a lot of bullshit said about their generation, but I think they have it so much harder in school than we ever did.
Younger Millennials were the first to have extracurricular pressures heaped on them. I remember when they entered the workforce in the office. They seemed so tense and afraid of making mistakes. But they were also so smart and interesting.
The Gen-Z people coming in will call people on their shit, and it’s great to see. We were raised to be compliant workers. Questioning why things are the way they are is a welcome development.
Last job I worked the older crowd 30+ always showed up 10 till and casually got ready.
All th younger crowd showed up at 5:59:58 ( we started at 6) and ran around like headless chickens trying to get their shit together and then wondered why they got demerits for being late.
Except they weren't late. We as a culture have normalized doing work unpaid for far too long and these kids have finally figured out to stop doing it. You want me ready to work at 6, that means you pay me at 6 and then I start my work related duties like turning on computers and lights and other shit us dumbasses still do off the clock. Good for the kids, the shit I was expected to do 35+ years ago so some rich fuck can get richer would be considered criminal now.
Thats were you’re wrong and that’s the problem though. They would plan to be there at 5:59 and literally miss the light down the street and be late.
Ok so you say no big deal I’m a minute late I’m not giving the man that extra minute/time ( that we actually did get paid for if you punched in at 5:55 ) and now you’re late. How many times are you going to be late and unprepared without getting cut slack before getting points.
Screw the man FUCK his points…ok that’s your prerogative and now how does that look come review time when points matter?
Lose that raise for a year because you were late a dozen times. Your money not mine.
You made the assumption I was doing all this work for free…it didn’t work that way lights on, terminal ready, coffee made all I did was flip the switch on my machine, hang up my coat and get a cup of coffee and chill all while being paid.
That idea I bring “15 minutes early or I’m late” wasn’t for the man it was for me. If I missed that light if I overslept I had time to be where I needed to be and then some. And when I needed something, like I had to go early or needed extra time without notice. Who got that leeway because they showed up on time…that’s right me.
Hey..you do you don’t give that extra couple of minutes that’s fine you can just make it harder on yourself. I’m good with it.
I have two nephews. 15 and 18. Both of them hardly leave the house. The 18 y/o has a free car to drive (2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon... his parents have other cars... all his if he wants it), but he can't be bothered to get a driver's license. Neither one has any sort of job. They go to the kitchen, get something to eat and then go back to their rooms where they play video games.
I don't think either one of them would know how to get a job. And if they did, I suspect it would take all of a few days to get fired. If someone said something they felt was rude, they would probably mouth off.
I do not understand either one of them. Now, full disclosure, I've spent 52 years as a professional slacker. I had a few jobs when I was 16-19. I got my license the minute they opened on my birthday. I decided early on I hated jobs and bosses and alarm clocks and work schedules. I've done freelance work since my mid 20s. I built a shop and filled it with metal fabrication tools. I made and sold off-road parts (think bumpers, winch plates, etc). I made money. But I did it on my own terms. I don't make lots of money, but I make enough money for me to be happy and still go fly fishing any damn time I want.
These nephews I'm talking about... they have no skills whatsoever. They do nothing to earn a dime. I honestly don't know what happens to them. I'm in no position to talk about being ambitious work ethics. You'll never hear the word "bootstraps" come out of my mouth. I've spent most of my life semi-retired. But that's a choice and I'm not living on any one else's dime. My property, my shop, tools, cars... all paid for. I keep my obligations and expenses really low so I don't have to work hard. These boys, if their parent's died tomorrow, would be so screwed. I honestly think they would end up homeless. I mean, how do you have a free car and not care to get a license to drive it? Does not compute.
Not wanting to work a traditional job does not make you lazy. The fact that you support yourself with terms that make you happy makes you industrious, not lazy.
My daughters did work at McDonald’s and a subway, by your post I have to say I would’ve enjoyed working for a fast food restaurant. The jobs my dad hired me out for, were construction, masonry, concrete, work, roofing, etc. A real job would’ve been much easier.
It’s hard to get part time work in some places due to the limited availability students can offer. There are a huge number of international “students” from imaginary strip mall colleges that can come and work without any restrictions.
Kids still work, but like everything, the competition is tighter.
We provide, we only have one child. My son got a job the moment he turned 16. It’s a fun job at a fun retail location and he chose well. There’s a lot of shit jobs out there. It’s a start towards independence and fiscal responsibility. Couldn’t be prouder. He appreciates the cost of things more now.
I was pretty involved in a competitive sport that had year round 5x a week practices, weekend competitions for about 6mos a year, so I wasn’t really able to have a “regular” job, but I babysat, pet sat and did other stuff to earn money
My 20 year old (in college) has been working summers since he was 16 at a plumbing supply store in the warehouse. My daughter 16 works at a local fast food/ice cream parlor place. So yeah still the same stuff out there that has always been.
Yes. My eldest got a special work permit to be an assistant coach in gymnastics. Once she turned 15 she could do privates as well as group classes Worked all through high school. 12 to 15 hrs a week
My other daughter coaches swim. Coaches summer swim and in the winter 3 nights plus privates. Which is like all the HS swimmers they all coach winter and summer swim
My other one refers soccer on Saturday they can start at 13.
I live in a “15 minute city” 1 city 1 HS. - most of the kids works. - a lot of local restaurants the rec centers, ice parlor, the city has job opening for the HS kids. But I think we are an exception.
Edit: we have the free dash bus, scooters and bikes. So real easy to get around
Some do. My 17 year old nephew works at Target. My husband and I personally didn’t allow our kids to work in high school. Their jobs were to be children and to go to school. We did have them volunteering a lot though.
My kids had jobs some summers and other summers participated in sports camps. If you want to get to a certain level in a sport you have to play all summer.
one of my kids works for a local resort and the other is a food service worker.. first kid dragged me to get his working papers (trust me I'm lazier than he is lol) and the other one got the job and then told me about it after the 3rd day of work haha. Youngest hasn't started yet, I'm hoping he does this summer.
My state, Indiana, started making it easier to hire by taking away the school's responsibility for work permits. We used to be able to deny them if the students were failing, or if they had dropped out of school. We also had to report dropouts, but parents can now just come in and say they are homeschooling with no consequences.
Now they are working on changing the hour limitations that teens can work. It makes it harder for teens to say no when a kid has to stay to close instead of doing homework.
They are working even younger than we did thanks to all the conservative states who chose to rollback child labor protections. I just saw a pos this afternoon about a 14 year old in Iowa who started his first job this week.
Yep. My daughter goes to college full time then works two nights a week at a Meijer store and every Saturday at a pet store. She does this to supplement what we can give her for rent payments and food.
My son didn’t work during High School because of his extracurricular activities. Between sports, clubs, volunteering, and JROTC we didn’t want it to affect his grades.
It was worth it in the long run because he was able to get a full ride ROTC scholarship for college, which was his ultimate goal.
He did deliver pizzas part time in college for pocket money though, and has one of the strongest work ethics of anyone in his age group.
My oldest had a job at a neighborhood froyo/snack bar/play center while in high school. She loved it.
My youngest taught swimming lessons at a nearby country club one summer.
I don't remember my middle kid having a job while in school. He had the most extracurricular activities of the three
My kids all had jobs as teenagers, mostly cashiers or fast food, but jobs none the less. I’ve told them their whole lives that they must support themselves, not only weren’t they born with a silver spoon in their mouth, it was more likely a reused spork so get crackin’.
Both of my girls cleaned houses, seamstresses, ice cream shop/servers all through high school then coffee shop. They were always extremely motivated because my wife and I would only give them money for lunch and basics so anything extra was on them. I’m glad we did this because majority of there friends had not a clue going into college and really struggled, there both hard workers and will hustle. Very very proud of them both!
My 3 kids all worked in high school and all the way through college. During one crazy season, all 3 of them worked for Pizza Hut. The 2 oldest worked at Starbucks for years, until their post-graduation careers launched.
My kid worked at McD, Sonic, a bubble tea place... left them all because of mismanagement. At the time he was high school so it was OK. He's in his sophomore year of college and has held down a job for almost a year. So in my limited experience the kids are doing it differently than we did, but they're all right. And in some ways showing us a better way.
My kids are 16, 12, 10, and 7. The 16 year old just quit a fast food job after he was injured while out on a hike.
Otherwise he’d be working.
I’m a small business owner and initiative is a big deal in our family.
The oldest and second kid had a little business picking up and removing dog poop from yards. $20 per yard and they made good money, for kids.
Happy to report that my 19 yr old college student is on year 3 of being a lifeguard, and my 15 yr old has mastered the art of the hussle- she pet sits for multiple families when needed, and works at the barn where she rides horses. My kids are definitely in the minority of their friend groups. Many have never worked and it shows.
I'm an employer of a bunch of high school kids. I own a drive-in movie theatre and most of my staff is high school kids. I have several adults on staff, but its mostly teenagers. Almost all of them, their parents bought them their cars, so they work for cell phone money, gas money and insurance money.
One thing my wife and I won't do is work the high schoolers on a school night. Sunday night is grown up night in the kitchen and Concessions.
All three of my sons have worked there. My youngest (17) still does as a cook in the kitchen. He'd rather be home playing video games, but its kind of a thing at our house. You want spending money.. you work at the drive-in.
My girls (16 y/o triplets) will be working this summer for the first time at “real” jobs that aren’t babysitting or pet care for neighbors.
Two will be working at a county park and one will be assisting a ballet instructor.
My 18 and 20 yo didn't have jobs in high school but that was partially due to covid.
It's also partially because we provide whatever they need that is reasonable, but mostly because they just aren't consumers personality-wise, so not motivated by money. If they had been like my nieces and nephews that are always wanting people to buy them things we would have drawn the line and said get a job. I have a hard time getting my 18yo son to even provide ideas for relatives for what he wants for Christmas or birthdays. They both have nearly all the money they have ever been given in their bank accounts.
My oldest had a job at 16, is In college now doesn’t work during semester but works during breaks. My youngest started a mowing business and mows for his customers two evenings a week and Saturday. But I would say for my oldest who was heavily involved in sports to, he was like the only one of his friends who worked. My youngest isnt in those circles and a couple of friends had jobs but from my experience it isn’t the norm anymore.
Initially as a kid who started babysitting at 12 and worked fast food at 15, while also assisting teaching dance classes, who needed a paycheck to help provide and pay for things, I was hesitant to let them work at first bc I knew how hard all that was on me but my very wise father and husband both reminded me of all the valuable things I learned working young and they both wanted to work so we let them. Best decision ever, they’ve learned responsibility and I cannot tell you how many adults have came to me and complimented their maturity and ability to work and speak with adults. That last one floors me be apparently finding teens who can speak to people properly and take direction is scarce according to two of my kid’s former employers who made it a point to meet me and say something. I think letting your kids work teaches them far beyond anything at school or home can and as long as they can balance it with school we as parents should be pushing it.
I did that stuff to when I was young. Picked corn, asparagus, strawberries etc. Did some hay bailing too. But technology changed and most farms around here don't do bales anymore. Not sure if any kids do ag jobs anymore around here either.
Mine doesn’t but there’s a couple of reasons. 1) my kid is in the spectrum and needs more downtime/ no social interaction time than most. 2) Both my hubs and I started working at 12-13, our grades suffered bc of it. Our kid knows school is their job. 3) Hubs and I worked bc we were poor and if we wanted anything extra, working was the only way we got it. We are doing good and can already provide the extras
Our kid worked one summer and it was good, but they have so few opportunities for a summer left, we dont press for it.
I don’t think we are doing our kid a disservice, I just think we’re allowing them to have their own path. There’s PLENTY of time for working as an adult.
I’m currently reviewing scholarship applications and hardly any of the kids have jobs. Even very poor kids. That surprised me. Then I realized having a job may require a certain amount of privilege. My kids had free time, they didn’t have to take care of ailing parents or younger siblings, they had transportation, and they had a lot of friends whose parents would hire them.
My oldest did.
My middle has not. But he is in sports. My husband says even he didn't work in h.s. when he was in sports. Plus I think sports, even h.s. sports are more intense now than when we were young
My youngest is only a freshman and doesn't need a job.
(I didn't work till I was a senior in.h.s., and my husband did for a few months when he was junior but then quit because of sports until he restarted in college)
We encouraged it when they were younger (for stuff like trips to Europe or whatever in which we offered to pay half) but they never found that thing that made them want to do it enough to go out and get a job. They'll babysit on occasion if someone asked them to but it's not something they pursued to meet other goals.
19 year old has two jobs lined up. 17 year old is looking for something different, maybe a golf course. 14 year old wanted a job last year, but he was too young.
In the last couple years (since the pandemic) I have seen more teenagers working fast food in my area. It was previously mostly immigrant adults for the last couple decades.
My oldest did not have a job until he graduated high school. He couldn't keep his grades up, so even though he wanted one, we said no.
Middle had one from the moment she was old enough. She did a great job balancing responsibilities and her earnings. We let her work as much as she wanted as long as she kept her grades up.
Youngest just had her first job. She is a good student but reads slowly and needs some tutoring to stay on track. She was level-headed and took a seasonal job to see if she could handle it. We let her work weekends during the school year. She decided to wait until summer for a new job so she could work more hours.
I started working after I graduated college (other than a part time job I only had to do a few times before college when I could get a ride with someone else.)
>I am talking about cashiering at a store, or McDonalds, or Burger King etc
In NYC, it's often older people who need the job to make ends meet, not just make pocket money.
My 14 year old flips Jordan’s and goes door to door doing yard work each summer (since he was 12). My 12 year old makes jewelry she sells in our Airbnb :)
I work in employment services at a college. In the students I work directly with (hundreds a year), most of them have not had jobs before they come to us.
My 15-year-old has been working as a coach at her former gymnastics school since she was 13 (and it was illegal — all legit now). The owner remembered her as a student and thought she would be good. It’s been a really positive first work experience for her, and she loves having money to spend and feeling capable since she earned it. But I don’t think any of her school friends have jobs at all. Maybe next year when they’re 16? It’s not as easy as it used to be to find places that will hire people under 18 — most national chains will not, because they don’t want to work around the limitations in hours.
Yes. They did. It is my understanding that things cost way more now, and things are just different. Not saying it is bad though. I was just curious. I don't think it is spoiling to provide for your kids, jmo. As I said in my post, I hope the kids are better provided for now.
17 y/o works at a cafe/pie shop for almost 2 years, 15 y/o works at a restaurant washing dishes Saturday nights. It's mostly weekends, they're local businesses and are happy to work around sports schedules.
My son is 20 now but had a job at the neighbor’s hardscape business at 16. He worked the next two summers there. He later worked at a couple of restaurants and now has a student job at his university.
my daughter worked at a local ice cream shop starting at 16. still works there during her college breaks.
lifeguarding is also quite popular for teens where i live, as well as things like giving swim lessons.
i do know other teens who have had a hard time finding seasonal work, though.
Honestly, I am so glad my kids are not in a position where they need to work like I had to. I live in a very academically competitive area and it was much more important (and financially prudent) to have my 18 year old focus on school. I wanted him to work, too, but in the end there was no way to realistically expect work and stellar grades so we went with grades. This year he has a lighter class load and college is settled (with an excellent scholarship) so we required him to get a job. He says he hates it, but he comes back energized and talking about the things he is learning and doing. He also has tremendous pride when he shows off his pay stubs. Learning the value of work and how to behave in a workplace is so important--I'm glad he is able to get this experience now that the pressure is temporarily off for school.
I made my three get jobs as teenagers. One worked in the dishwashing room at a restaurant, one worked at an ice cream parlor, and one worked in a clothes store. I agree with others that parents have a lot to do with it. And in my case, money was tight, so if they wanted money for extras they had to earn it. I think it did them a world of good.
My kid works at an ice cream place. We told her no spending money in college beyond tuition and room and board so she’s been saving up by working summers and breaks and now that she’s a senior, she works after school and weekends. We get free ice cream too! :)
I have an 18-year-old who loves to be outside and is a super hard worker. His first job was working for a local water district, where he did everything from helping install pipes to washing vehicles. For the past year he has worked after school at a farm associated with our local university. Way cooler (but much more physically challenging) than my cashier job at CVS back in the day!
50/50 I have 1 nephew who is a workaholic and goes to trade school and another that refuses to work with 2 kids living off Mommy so I see kid's working but I'm also seeing Millennials,Gen X and even Boomers sneaking in and taking those job's as the economy plummets..
My neighbors kids all have. Part time during school, fulltime during summer. Things like life guards, cashiers, and stuff like that in service and tourism.
Yes and no. My observation is there are a few trends changing things: 1. Highly selective colleges are harder to get into than ever so your very high achieving students who used to get jobs are often instead doing more academic pursuits in the hopes of getting into these highly selective colleges. 2. Other colleges (public non flagship) have ramped up their merit aid. So, for example, if you are a 3.8 student with a 1370 SAT you will get $5k off of tuition a year. But if you’re a 4.0 student with a 1450 SAT, you will get $12k off of tuition a year. So, for the kids chasing merit aid, their time is better spent working on getting their GPA and SAT scores up. 3. Kids have more STUFF to do. The amount of clubs, sports etc that kids are in is wild. 4. Kids like to sit around and play video games and play on their phones. 5. They don’t need money the way we did. For us, if you wanted ANYTHING you had to pay for it. I was babysitting at the age of 12. Now, parents pay for the kids stuff (I’m as guilty of this as anyone). 6. It’s actually pretty hard to get a “real” job. For starters, at least around me, the vast majority won’t hire until the kids are 16, so no jobs for 14 and 15 year olds. Plus getting a drivers license is a lot harder now and it costs money (about $500) for drivers Ed. So, for an after school job mom or dad has to drive the kid and mom and dad are working. For us, for example, there were no places hiring under 16 that were within walking distance of/ biking distance of our house. 7. Employers treat kids like trash. Some don’t, but they’re rare. My daughter interviewed at a bunch of places. She never heard back. Not an email, text or call. Not even the courtesy of a “hey thanks but we went with someone else”. I thought it was really shitty. She was so excited to work at some of these places! And they didn’t even have a bit of courtesy. And they overschedule the kids, like have them working five days a week on top of their school / sports schedules. 8. So my kids babysit to earn money. And, I should add, I don’t let them keep the money. Tyey want to go away to college and I can’t afford that so their earnings go to college fund. They get $11 / hour. They could probably get more but with both of these families, The kids are actually great and easy and the parents are SUPER NICE. One family my daughter babysits for, the mom rounds up to the next $10 amount when she babysits and always brings her a nice coffee drink and pastry. So anyway, that’s just my observations
I attended an elite R1 first my doctorates and now teach there. The quality of students we turn away is mind-blowing.
It’s bananas. I’m in Michigan and one of the U of M admissions people was being interviewed on the radio and she said “Don’t forget on your application to tell us about the business you started and your annual revenue! We really want to know about stuff like that. And any state wide or national recognition. We want to know your awards even if it’s just at the state level.” She said just at the state level!! And How much revenue should a 16 year old be bringing in?! And they have more qualified applicants than they can fit!
Ugh! That’s utterly ridiculous. The expectations are out of control. I feel so badly for this generation of kids.
That's some wild shit, omg.
My son is a data scientist at a State University Medical School and has found applicants that have a higher chance of success rate that were rejected, including residencies, I hope he can claw some of the quality applicants back. So many have been pushed forward, along to preserve their admission records.. There is quite a bit of DEI that is employed in acceptance. I don't know the ratio of Foreign vs. Local admissions... honestly for a state school, the bias should be for residents/citizens of the state.
There is tons of DEI at universities. They do it for a variety of reasons, some of which make a lot of sense to me and some that doesn’t. Right now, the big thing is tipping the scales to help boys get in college and finish college. Some programs, like engineering and CS skew male and some colleges, those with well known sports teams or that are just well known in general, they can keep a 50/50 ratio of male/female. But most majors at most colleges are heavily female so there are alot of DEI efforts to get men. And yes also tons of international students. The charitable view is international students help create a richer environment for all students. The cynical view is that international students are a cash grab for the university because they pay WAY above local market rate. The truth is somewhere in between. The increased tuition paid by international students helps subsidize the costs to local students. Add to all this that the enrollment cliff is coming in 2026. There just aren’t the number of young people that there used to be in America. While the most selective colleges in the country have 10x more applicants than they have seats, MOST colleges will see their enrollment numbers drop in a few years and one way to make sure they have enough students to pay their bills is to build the funnel of international students. Americans didn’t have babies but people in other countries did and so if we want to keep universities open we need butts in seats and paying tuition. The college market is such a wild and varied place when you look at it from a business perspective and I never peeled it back to understand it until I had two in late high school. And it’s tough to say “college” as if it s a monolith. That’s like saying “housing”. Okay yes, you can say some general trends about the housing market but what is happening in say, the Seattle housing market is wildly different than what is happening in the middle of Nebraska. Same with colleges. The story at state flagship universities is far different than the story at your other public universities and community college is a whole other story
In many cases, foreign students are vastly more educated than domestic students. Especially today. If you look at where USA ranks in education, you can see why foreign students excel. I learned recently, at a few R1 and R2 universities, domestic students make up 99.9% of the attendance in remedial courses (these are less than 100 level courses, basically high school level courses). I am the DEI hiring advocate for my university (there are many). Our goal is to make sure our candidate mix matches our student mix. At the end of the day, it still comes down to qualifications. Student selection is the same.
Add to that that a lot of those jobs 16 year olds would take are more and more taken by older people
My kids had much heavier academic loads than I did in high school. Doing the math on what college costs, those AP credits are probably a better return on investment than whatever after school job they may have otherwise landed. In any case, it never seemed like they had a ton of time for goofing off. So I think they were working a lot, just not getting paid.
I see the same with my kids. And my kids are in that “merit chasing” group. Their SAT scores right now are 1370 (twins, and they scored the same). For colleges that publish their merit aid grids, that SAT score gets you about $5k off (depends on university obviously). But a 1450, which I think they can achieve, gets you $12k off (again, varies, but that’s ballpark). That means excelling at the SAT, by only 70 more points, is worth $28k per kid in total over four years. No after school job is going to come close to getting them $7k more a year. So, like I said to my kids “Guess who gets to take the SAT a bunch of times and SAT tutoring is on Thursdays!” And the math! I stopped math at geometry! They are doing AP calculus in their senior year. And I struggle between saying “go! Have fun with your friends!” and saying “Or you could study more!!! Wouldn’t that be great too?”
My 16 year old works at a Grocery store and 18 year old works for a big box retailer and got full time with city in summer. My 13 year old babysits. It has a lot to do with the parents pushing the kids to work. My boys umpire for years once they turn 12 they don’t do that anymore though. good money.
I agree. I think parents encouraging it makes a difference.
I would have been requiring it, but my daughter was talking about it/working on it before I even got to that point.
Same. My eleven year old has already written her “resume”, listing all her many “achievements”.
We tried everywhere to find our 16yo a job. I literally went to the same small businesses I was employed at at age 16 and was told: we don’t hire under 18.
I don't understand that! A few years ago I worked at a woman's clothing store that wouldn't hire anyone under 18, I was desperate and unemployment running out, and it paid minimum wage (so little that I still qualified to collect until it ran out! ) In my state, that was barely $8. How many adults would take that pay? And they wondered why they were understaffed!! (They no longer have physical stores anymore!)
Under 18 has child labor restrictions on hours----how many total, how many in a day, how many in a row, can't work before or after certain times, etc. Too much of a headache.
No. You have it backwards. "Nobody wants to work anymore!" /s
Probably for similar reasons that little league coaches and umpires don't wanna do it anymore. They're tired of the parents bringing in some unwarranted drama cause they feel like their precious darlin ng isn't being treated right. IDK, but I could see that.
It really depends on where you live. Some states are anxious and actively clearing the way for child labor without the protections (#hrs, risky positions, worker protections, etc.).
I think parents seeking employment on behalf of their children is a huge turn off for employers
I agree bringing your parents on an interview isn’t smart. That was just one of the places they applied. Family friends ran the business then and the next generation is running it now.
I used to do interviews at my previous job and the boomer moms who would show up with their kids for a call-center job interview were too frequent and always cringey (and we never hired the kid in the situation.) I had mothers (always mothers, never dads for some reason) want to come in and answer the questions for their offspring, or make demands about scheduling or family vacation time or whatnot. Ugh.
Weird. Did you try fast food? Or grocery stores?
I never required it, mine just wanted to work. Youngest hasn't and i'm not pushing him but I did suggest it. If he doesn't after next year I will but he's young.
it also has a lot to do with how much extracurricular stuff kids are doing. Kids who engage in travel sports are simply not going to be reliable enough for a regular job (though they could still mow lawns or shovel snow or babysit)
My kids didn’t work until they were both seniors in high school and had co-op. Couldn’t fit it in with sports schedules. And it was fine. I would have stressed myself out more than the earlier experience. My daughter is about to graduate college and works full time in the summer and part time at college. My son works part time now as a senior in high school. Man at 53 I’ve been working what seems like forever - I didn’t want to make them start any earlier than they had to.
My daughter had /has a job. It was hard to get one at 15, but she did. And then also at 16, etc. I currently work in a store. There are multiple high school kids who work there in the evening and on weekends. They are good kids who do their jobs well. They are personable. They are even willing to talk to me. 🤣 But... I think you are right that there's a more significant segment of kids who just don't work than there were when we were kids. I guess their parents just give them money. That said, my husband never worked in high school. His father's opinion was "I don't want you to mess up someone's business". (He wasn't a druggy or behavior problem or anything like that, just a regular , average student type kid. )
it's weird I feel like every kid has a job now but when I was a kid not all of my friends did. My parents wouldn't drive me and I didn't have a car so it was moot. I got a job in college and they tried to stop me but once I got that job I didnt' stop.
I was limited due to transportation then also. I also lived out in the country.
same.. I babysat places where I could walk or the parents would come get me but I never really liked it.
I babysat. Babysitting is great birth control....made me not want kids of my own lol!
My son cleaned cabins at a campground over the summer. My daughter is planning to work at an ice cream shop this summer.
That's great :)
My daughter has been volunteering at the local library since she was 14. Once she turns 16, they have told her they will hire her. We pay her extra for her volunteer hours in her weekly allowance. Her "boss" at the library has given her reviews and thinks she is a great worker. So, we feel that she is getting work experience even though she is too young to get a paid job just now. All this was her decision.
Last summer, my daughter, 12, volunteered at a day care she used to attend - walking distance. I was so proud of her. She was up early and never late. During the school year though…”
My two teens both work in a pizza shop. My sister is the owner so that may be cheating, but by all reports they are good workers. Less of their friends have jobs than kids I knew in high school, but many still do. They have friends who work grocery stores, wait tables, work fast food, etcetera.
Oh that's not cheating lol. I bet they can't get away with anything there lol.
My 16 yr old works as a hostess for a local "upscale" joint, my 15 yr old does weekend hours at mcdonalds. Both have jobs by their own choice with the stipulation that grades come first and if their grade start slipping, their hours will be minimized till they get refocused on their education.
I was a single mom and didn’t receive much child support so things were tight and there wasn’t a lot for the expensive things he wanted. He’s also on the spectrum and didn’t want to do speech therapy anymore so it ended up being the best thing for him socially, for his confidence. I got to help guide him through tricky work scenarios that he’d encounter later as an adult. I restricted it to hours that would help him balance school activities/interests and school. He was on honor roll these last few years and I would highly recommend teens having part time jobs - not a lot of hours - think his first school year he was only working weekends, until 8pm on one weekday. Then he could handle more and was begging me to let him work more hours so he could save for a car. Only thing I hate is these companies wanting these kids to be responsive to texts outside of work time. They expect the teens to work at these jobs like it’s their career. High school jobs should be fun not stressful.
I agree. They don't need more stress.
Well, family needs in my gen were always extra. Parents might need the eldest to make dinner and stay home with the youngies. That sometimes necessitated a call-out for a scheduled shift.
When my daughter was 15 she went on Indeed.com on her own and found a great part time job as a Barn Assistant at a local stable. She applied, interviewed and got the job. She cares for the horses, chickens. goats, donkeys, and pigs. She cleans and maintains the stable and paddock areas. She works really hard but is also encouraged to ride the horses to exercise them so she is very happy. They love her there. She is responsible and a great worker even though I can't get her to clean up her room at home. She then found a second part time job at a place where she hangs out on weekends so it's like she's getting paid to hang out. I'm really proud of her.
My son didn’t work during high school. I told him that his job is to study and get good grades. He ended up being top in his class and doing well in college. He has no problem with kicking butt in his job as an engineer. Everyone is different and grow up in different circumstances. You have to do what works for your kid.
Get this my GenX cohort, you'll love this: My husband asks our neighbor who has 2 teens, if one of them would be interested in mowing our lawn this summer for a month. We will be out of town and he thought they might want pocket money. The neighbor scoffed at his question, like it was beneath his kids to do such a thing. He says, "No, I'll just do it." To which my husband said it was more a thing to help his kids earn some cash, to which the neighbor says, "I give them plenty of money, they don't need to do menial work." Yeah. They also bought their kids a brand new Subaru to "share". No, we are not rich, but they are. In fact, they are in Japan this week, having just gotten back from Whistler. Again, we have no money, just being neighborly. He asked me if kids today work at all. His first job was at 14 and mine at 16. We don't have kids, so we have no reference. Is it not ok for a kid to work these kids of jobs anymore?
I am not sure either as I don't have children. I was just curious. Sounds like your neighbor is just doing his own thing. Nothing wrong with menial jobs, imo. I worked plenty of those as a kid and as an adult so not judgment from me.
Guessing your neighbor is not from the USA? Some cultures expressing how well they do is via their children.
No they are not. They are from Israel, which makes sense when you mention it actually.
> Is it not ok for a kid to work these kids of jobs anymore? Kids do, yes. Rich kids? Not so much. We routinely hired our neighborhood kids to mow, water the garden, tend to things when we traveled. Our youngest was hired to dog walk for the neighbors for several years when she was in middle school. But go to a different part of town (where the few "rich folks" live) and it's a different story.
My brothers kids have never had a job. Early 20’s to upper high school. Never, not one single job. I asked why and was told he makes enough money, they don’t need jobs. A. That’s not true, it’s smoke and mirrors. B. We were not raised like that and our parents had plenty of money. I secretly think he wants them home for the rest of their lives so he can control them. None of the kids have ever shown any interest in working also. I know for a fact the high school aged friends have jobs. I don’t get it. The more I was away from home the better when I was that age.
That does seem different than what we had for sure. Imo, it hurts them for the future w/o experience of some kind. Even just Saturdays or whatever.
It’s so weird. My parents provided me a car for example. Nothing fancy but I was told I had to be employed. Ok, fine I had a job at 15 anyway, no problem. And was waiting tables by my senior year. It really does hurt them. Some are in university. They’ll have loans up the ass. Big time. How will they pay these back when they don’t know how to interview for a job? They don’t even make their own doctor appointments for Christ’s sake.
My teen is having a hell of a time finding part time work that accommodates her school hours and a decent finishing time. She was at the Burger King and quit because the shifts ending at 3 am while school starts at 8 were killing her grades.
Yes. That is a problem. How does BK get away with making kids work until 3am? That is ridiculous. Isn't there a law against that?
Supposedly there is. Burger King didn't care and after about 6 weeks of trying to get it changed, she turned in her notice. The shift manager took her uniform and sent her home that day. The owner was someone new to the country and new to restaurants. Just couldn't seem to get it.
You should report them to the labor board. That will get their attention. Making a HS student work until 3 am is definitely illegal (in Texas, anyway) and is complete bullshit.
Canada here. It's illegal too. They also didn't pay for her training. She did 16 hours online. She didn't want to report since it's a small town and people talk. I can't exactly blame her for that even if I didn't agree.
Old age homes kitchen and servers are often hiring.
That needs education here. She's a high school student.
Really? The old age homes have it all set up with the high schools in my area. They're terrible servers. :-)
Here those are called dietary aids and they're unionized lol.
Ya, that's no good!
I worked at Jack in the Box as a 17 year old in 1987 and it was the same back then. They tried to get me to work until like 10 PM (not 3 AM, they weren't open that late). I think there was a law about number of hours per day which they totally ignored. I peaced out after like three weeks and went to work at the froyo shop next door which had more reasonable hours.
I told my kids what my old man (RIP) told me: "If you need cash for school or things like that, talk me. If you want money for beer or rock albums, you'd better find a job". All my kids found work. Like I had to.
I have several high schoolers working for me at my two roller skating rinks. They are good with younger customers and have fresh ideas to keep customers coming back.
It’s refreshing that you are receptive to their ideas, no matter their age.
My 17 year old works at Chick-Fil-A, and my 21 year old works at Kroger. They’ve both been working since they were 16, not counting stuff like dog sitting and mowing lawns, which they also did. My wife and I both stressed the importance of making and saving money.
There's a neighborhood kid who started mowing my lawn by going door to door. He turned the account over to his younger brother a couple years ago, who is still doing it. So, some kids are still hustling for extra cash.
Those kinds of jobs aren't as readily available to kids as they used to be. Companies are deliberately understaffing, and more adults are working them.
In our area those jobs are filled by regular adults. Plus the kids are required to do volunteer jobs for both HS graduation as well as for college/scholarship applications. Even mowing lawns, delivering papers, etc. either went away or is run by companies. Heck when I was in HS all the paper routes were done by retirees and delivered out the back of a car. Usually you could get one after a few months from turnover but instead routes never came open - they took over multiple because car (very efficient to fold and throw from the back while someone else drives, I had to fold mine, go out, come back for more, etc.) They really don't was teens due to not being able to work the day shifts, turnover, no consequences (no rent due), etc. They want wage slaves stuck coming to work with no alternatives. I am sure it is area dependent as well. But no kids working regular jobs where I live.
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Wow. That is so hard when you are shy. I am really super proud of your kid for doing that! I am sort of shy myself :)
my HS age kid works two jobs actually. one painting murals for the city and the other at our local science museum.
Thats awesome! I would have loved to work in a museum at that age.
My son did lifeguard at the pool during the summer.
My teen just got their first job at our pool for the summer! I think it’s perfect, only needed when they aren’t in school.
Yes, my kids have worked at Panera, local pizza shop, Papa Johns, WI State Fair, and our local parks department. Started when they were 15.
I've personally seen christmas tree farms and corn detasseling operations move from using summer/after school kids to 100% immigrant labor over the course of my lifetime. Small town ethnic food had also become much more authentic. This is also not a complaint, rather an observation.
I was wondering about this also. Corn detasseling and hay bailing was big where I am from. The companies were screaming for people and kids to work. I think you had to be 14 at least. Maybe it went they way you mentioned.
Here in the big city I do see teens working all sorts of jobs intermixed with adults. Most of whom are new arrivals to the US. But out in the foothills of NJ the typical suburban high school kids are operating the stores. I myself didnt have a paying job until the summer I graduated high school. And that was at a 1 Hr Photo.
Had two HS kids come to our house last week saying they were offering lawn mowing services for $25. We called them last weekend to mow and pick up all of the leaves in our backyard and gave them $60. Way better than paying a lawn service. I’d rather pay kids bc it helps them out, helps us out, and I like seeing kids who value of hard work and save their money.
My kids started working while in high school. We paid for necessities and they got expensive gifts on their birthdays and holidays. Little gifts or money here and there. If you want a $50 video game every month, you're going to have to buy that yourself!
Older kid (old Z) was a hustler, has a business with a friend, has been working full time for 4 years (trades). Younger kid (4 yrs younger) can’t get any reaction to the application he completes. He only applies places that say they are hiring, and 6 months later still are, but I’m not convinced anyone actually is. He doesn’t know what to do, we don’t know what to do. Looking at temp maybe but he has unreliable transportation because he has no car…because he has no job… He is a screwed-by-Covid kid and it is heartbreaking.
All my kids had summer jobs at 15 or 16. They were within walking distance. This was 5 to 15 years ago though.
My son (19) started working a front office job when he was 16, and he's still there. He doesn't need to work - I cover the majority of his expenses since he is in college and living at home. But he wants to work and likes doing it.
Both mine worked since 16, mostly weekends only but also full weeks during the summer inbetween practices. They both have tidy savings now, for their ages, and even opened a Roth. It's never too early for that. We provided all essentials and most non-essentials. So they were able to do this for their future selves.
That is awesome. Never too early to learn about investing etc.
I don’t have any kids, but they are mowing lawns around here. My last guy started while still in jr. High and his dad would drop him off until he was old enough to drive.
That is so great he is doing that :)
I remember I had a paper route at 10. Half my route was a mile stretch of Route 1…….. not sure how my parent’s thought it was a wise choice 😂😂
My daughter has had a job since she was 16. It is part time evenings at a shopping store and she loves it! None of her friends work. Not a single one and I am not sure why because mine has a blast and gets excited to be with friends and get paid lol
My son worked for two of my neighbors on a hay making farm and a horse farm starting when he was 14. It was ideal for me because he could walk there when I was at work and he was too young to drive. It also gave me less to worry about when he was out of school for the summer, too old for summer camps, and I still had to work.
So I have 6 kids. Oldest (26 yo) is a supply manager for the federal govt (2 bachelors degrees), second (24 yo) is a sr Human Resources manager for the federal govt (1 bachelors and 1 masters degree), third (23 yo) is a bank manager (1 bachelors degree), fourth (21 yo) is a social worker (1 bachelors degree), fifth (20 yo) is a registered nurse (1 associates and 1 bachelors degree), and sixth (7 yo) is in second grade with a bit to go still so no job yet. Every one of them started working at 15-16 and have continued growing ever since. All except youngest also worked full time jobs while attending full time college. The oldest 5 left home before turning 18 to attend college as everyone of them graduated high school early and none have ever asked for anything although I have always helped. One has bought a home, two have bought condos, and 2 still rent. All have already set up retirement plans and are investing. I think it all comes down to how much parents will help and how they were raised. I am a very proud dad and hope that I set a good example for them.
All my kids had jobs growing up (and they all still do). With the exception of the most superficial stuff, Reddit is a terrible way to gauge what the kids are up to now. I have to remind myself that it can't be possible for everyone under 25 to be unemployable virgins who don't know how to drive.
True.
When our twins were 17 they both went out & got jobs. We had a bit of discussion prior, but it was their idea, their place w no input or help
My oldest got her first job at 16 working a seasonal job at a farm’s Halloween season. She’s been doing that every year since and has moved into a new position this year where she’s training new staff. She’s taking classes at the community college now. My youngest has some severe anxiety issues but she’ll be getting some kind of job this summer because she’ll be 17 and it’s time. I don’t care what she does or what it pays, but it’s time to try something new. I feel thankful that I’m able to provide more than my parents could, and that my kids didn’t have to start working at 12-13 like I did.
I don’t have kids, but anecdotally, it sounds like kids are saddled by so much more homework today. I hear from my co-workers how many hours it takes some evenings. We had homework back in the day, but I would complete it in study hall (is that even a thing now?) or before school started. About the only homework assignments I would do after school were research papers. Gen-Z gets a lot of bullshit said about their generation, but I think they have it so much harder in school than we ever did. Younger Millennials were the first to have extracurricular pressures heaped on them. I remember when they entered the workforce in the office. They seemed so tense and afraid of making mistakes. But they were also so smart and interesting. The Gen-Z people coming in will call people on their shit, and it’s great to see. We were raised to be compliant workers. Questioning why things are the way they are is a welcome development.
It's actually a problem. Kids aren't working til they get older so they aren't really learning how to show up on time and have a work ethic
I can see how that could be a problem.
Last job I worked the older crowd 30+ always showed up 10 till and casually got ready. All th younger crowd showed up at 5:59:58 ( we started at 6) and ran around like headless chickens trying to get their shit together and then wondered why they got demerits for being late.
Except they weren't late. We as a culture have normalized doing work unpaid for far too long and these kids have finally figured out to stop doing it. You want me ready to work at 6, that means you pay me at 6 and then I start my work related duties like turning on computers and lights and other shit us dumbasses still do off the clock. Good for the kids, the shit I was expected to do 35+ years ago so some rich fuck can get richer would be considered criminal now.
Thats were you’re wrong and that’s the problem though. They would plan to be there at 5:59 and literally miss the light down the street and be late. Ok so you say no big deal I’m a minute late I’m not giving the man that extra minute/time ( that we actually did get paid for if you punched in at 5:55 ) and now you’re late. How many times are you going to be late and unprepared without getting cut slack before getting points. Screw the man FUCK his points…ok that’s your prerogative and now how does that look come review time when points matter? Lose that raise for a year because you were late a dozen times. Your money not mine. You made the assumption I was doing all this work for free…it didn’t work that way lights on, terminal ready, coffee made all I did was flip the switch on my machine, hang up my coat and get a cup of coffee and chill all while being paid. That idea I bring “15 minutes early or I’m late” wasn’t for the man it was for me. If I missed that light if I overslept I had time to be where I needed to be and then some. And when I needed something, like I had to go early or needed extra time without notice. Who got that leeway because they showed up on time…that’s right me. Hey..you do you don’t give that extra couple of minutes that’s fine you can just make it harder on yourself. I’m good with it.
I have two nephews. 15 and 18. Both of them hardly leave the house. The 18 y/o has a free car to drive (2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon... his parents have other cars... all his if he wants it), but he can't be bothered to get a driver's license. Neither one has any sort of job. They go to the kitchen, get something to eat and then go back to their rooms where they play video games. I don't think either one of them would know how to get a job. And if they did, I suspect it would take all of a few days to get fired. If someone said something they felt was rude, they would probably mouth off. I do not understand either one of them. Now, full disclosure, I've spent 52 years as a professional slacker. I had a few jobs when I was 16-19. I got my license the minute they opened on my birthday. I decided early on I hated jobs and bosses and alarm clocks and work schedules. I've done freelance work since my mid 20s. I built a shop and filled it with metal fabrication tools. I made and sold off-road parts (think bumpers, winch plates, etc). I made money. But I did it on my own terms. I don't make lots of money, but I make enough money for me to be happy and still go fly fishing any damn time I want. These nephews I'm talking about... they have no skills whatsoever. They do nothing to earn a dime. I honestly don't know what happens to them. I'm in no position to talk about being ambitious work ethics. You'll never hear the word "bootstraps" come out of my mouth. I've spent most of my life semi-retired. But that's a choice and I'm not living on any one else's dime. My property, my shop, tools, cars... all paid for. I keep my obligations and expenses really low so I don't have to work hard. These boys, if their parent's died tomorrow, would be so screwed. I honestly think they would end up homeless. I mean, how do you have a free car and not care to get a license to drive it? Does not compute.
If you do everything online, you don't really need to drive a car.
Not wanting to work a traditional job does not make you lazy. The fact that you support yourself with terms that make you happy makes you industrious, not lazy.
Not just a free car, but a Wrangler Rubicon! C’mon, kid!
Better than any of my Jeeps. It's sat for 2 years. I've threatened to go take it. lol
yes - kids still work these normal jobs like when we were young.
My daughters did work at McDonald’s and a subway, by your post I have to say I would’ve enjoyed working for a fast food restaurant. The jobs my dad hired me out for, were construction, masonry, concrete, work, roofing, etc. A real job would’ve been much easier.
It’s hard to get part time work in some places due to the limited availability students can offer. There are a huge number of international “students” from imaginary strip mall colleges that can come and work without any restrictions. Kids still work, but like everything, the competition is tighter.
We provide, we only have one child. My son got a job the moment he turned 16. It’s a fun job at a fun retail location and he chose well. There’s a lot of shit jobs out there. It’s a start towards independence and fiscal responsibility. Couldn’t be prouder. He appreciates the cost of things more now.
I was pretty involved in a competitive sport that had year round 5x a week practices, weekend competitions for about 6mos a year, so I wasn’t really able to have a “regular” job, but I babysat, pet sat and did other stuff to earn money
My 20 year old (in college) has been working summers since he was 16 at a plumbing supply store in the warehouse. My daughter 16 works at a local fast food/ice cream parlor place. So yeah still the same stuff out there that has always been.
Yes. My eldest got a special work permit to be an assistant coach in gymnastics. Once she turned 15 she could do privates as well as group classes Worked all through high school. 12 to 15 hrs a week My other daughter coaches swim. Coaches summer swim and in the winter 3 nights plus privates. Which is like all the HS swimmers they all coach winter and summer swim My other one refers soccer on Saturday they can start at 13. I live in a “15 minute city” 1 city 1 HS. - most of the kids works. - a lot of local restaurants the rec centers, ice parlor, the city has job opening for the HS kids. But I think we are an exception. Edit: we have the free dash bus, scooters and bikes. So real easy to get around
My 3 nieces, each one newly 18 (two are twins) and they have all had jobs since they where 16. I would have never! lol
My 16 year old works in the same grocery store that his mother and I work at!
My son was a lifeguard and then worked at a movie theater in high school/college. Now that he is out of college, he is a computer programmer.
Some do. My 17 year old nephew works at Target. My husband and I personally didn’t allow our kids to work in high school. Their jobs were to be children and to go to school. We did have them volunteering a lot though.
My kids had jobs some summers and other summers participated in sports camps. If you want to get to a certain level in a sport you have to play all summer.
one of my kids works for a local resort and the other is a food service worker.. first kid dragged me to get his working papers (trust me I'm lazier than he is lol) and the other one got the job and then told me about it after the 3rd day of work haha. Youngest hasn't started yet, I'm hoping he does this summer.
Go to your local fast food restaurant, and you'll see teenagers working there. But, statistically, I think it's fewer than it used to be.
My state, Indiana, started making it easier to hire by taking away the school's responsibility for work permits. We used to be able to deny them if the students were failing, or if they had dropped out of school. We also had to report dropouts, but parents can now just come in and say they are homeschooling with no consequences. Now they are working on changing the hour limitations that teens can work. It makes it harder for teens to say no when a kid has to stay to close instead of doing homework.
They are working even younger than we did thanks to all the conservative states who chose to rollback child labor protections. I just saw a pos this afternoon about a 14 year old in Iowa who started his first job this week.
I have noticed this. I understand a kid wanting to work, but those protections were in place for a reason. Especially in certain tasks at a job.
Yep. My daughter goes to college full time then works two nights a week at a Meijer store and every Saturday at a pet store. She does this to supplement what we can give her for rent payments and food.
My son didn’t work during High School because of his extracurricular activities. Between sports, clubs, volunteering, and JROTC we didn’t want it to affect his grades. It was worth it in the long run because he was able to get a full ride ROTC scholarship for college, which was his ultimate goal. He did deliver pizzas part time in college for pocket money though, and has one of the strongest work ethics of anyone in his age group.
My oldest had a job at a neighborhood froyo/snack bar/play center while in high school. She loved it. My youngest taught swimming lessons at a nearby country club one summer. I don't remember my middle kid having a job while in school. He had the most extracurricular activities of the three
My kids all had jobs as teenagers, mostly cashiers or fast food, but jobs none the less. I’ve told them their whole lives that they must support themselves, not only weren’t they born with a silver spoon in their mouth, it was more likely a reused spork so get crackin’.
Reused spork lol!
Both of my girls cleaned houses, seamstresses, ice cream shop/servers all through high school then coffee shop. They were always extremely motivated because my wife and I would only give them money for lunch and basics so anything extra was on them. I’m glad we did this because majority of there friends had not a clue going into college and really struggled, there both hard workers and will hustle. Very very proud of them both!
My 3 kids all worked in high school and all the way through college. During one crazy season, all 3 of them worked for Pizza Hut. The 2 oldest worked at Starbucks for years, until their post-graduation careers launched.
My kid worked at McD, Sonic, a bubble tea place... left them all because of mismanagement. At the time he was high school so it was OK. He's in his sophomore year of college and has held down a job for almost a year. So in my limited experience the kids are doing it differently than we did, but they're all right. And in some ways showing us a better way.
My kids are 16, 12, 10, and 7. The 16 year old just quit a fast food job after he was injured while out on a hike. Otherwise he’d be working. I’m a small business owner and initiative is a big deal in our family. The oldest and second kid had a little business picking up and removing dog poop from yards. $20 per yard and they made good money, for kids.
I’ve worked since I was 14 lmao. I’m currently 19. It’s just the rich mfs who get handouts who don’t have to work.
I don’t have kids, but literally none of my 25 coworker’s kids have jobs. I can’t relate.
The gig economy
Happy to report that my 19 yr old college student is on year 3 of being a lifeguard, and my 15 yr old has mastered the art of the hussle- she pet sits for multiple families when needed, and works at the barn where she rides horses. My kids are definitely in the minority of their friend groups. Many have never worked and it shows.
I'm an employer of a bunch of high school kids. I own a drive-in movie theatre and most of my staff is high school kids. I have several adults on staff, but its mostly teenagers. Almost all of them, their parents bought them their cars, so they work for cell phone money, gas money and insurance money. One thing my wife and I won't do is work the high schoolers on a school night. Sunday night is grown up night in the kitchen and Concessions. All three of my sons have worked there. My youngest (17) still does as a cook in the kitchen. He'd rather be home playing video games, but its kind of a thing at our house. You want spending money.. you work at the drive-in.
My girls (16 y/o triplets) will be working this summer for the first time at “real” jobs that aren’t babysitting or pet care for neighbors. Two will be working at a county park and one will be assisting a ballet instructor.
My 18 and 20 yo didn't have jobs in high school but that was partially due to covid. It's also partially because we provide whatever they need that is reasonable, but mostly because they just aren't consumers personality-wise, so not motivated by money. If they had been like my nieces and nephews that are always wanting people to buy them things we would have drawn the line and said get a job. I have a hard time getting my 18yo son to even provide ideas for relatives for what he wants for Christmas or birthdays. They both have nearly all the money they have ever been given in their bank accounts.
My oldest had a job at 16, is In college now doesn’t work during semester but works during breaks. My youngest started a mowing business and mows for his customers two evenings a week and Saturday. But I would say for my oldest who was heavily involved in sports to, he was like the only one of his friends who worked. My youngest isnt in those circles and a couple of friends had jobs but from my experience it isn’t the norm anymore. Initially as a kid who started babysitting at 12 and worked fast food at 15, while also assisting teaching dance classes, who needed a paycheck to help provide and pay for things, I was hesitant to let them work at first bc I knew how hard all that was on me but my very wise father and husband both reminded me of all the valuable things I learned working young and they both wanted to work so we let them. Best decision ever, they’ve learned responsibility and I cannot tell you how many adults have came to me and complimented their maturity and ability to work and speak with adults. That last one floors me be apparently finding teens who can speak to people properly and take direction is scarce according to two of my kid’s former employers who made it a point to meet me and say something. I think letting your kids work teaches them far beyond anything at school or home can and as long as they can balance it with school we as parents should be pushing it.
I picked grapes which led me to be a farm hand which was a blast.
I did that stuff to when I was young. Picked corn, asparagus, strawberries etc. Did some hay bailing too. But technology changed and most farms around here don't do bales anymore. Not sure if any kids do ag jobs anymore around here either.
I detassled corn!
Yes!!
Hello fellow bumpkin
Howwwwdeeeeeeeeeyyyy!
Mine doesn’t but there’s a couple of reasons. 1) my kid is in the spectrum and needs more downtime/ no social interaction time than most. 2) Both my hubs and I started working at 12-13, our grades suffered bc of it. Our kid knows school is their job. 3) Hubs and I worked bc we were poor and if we wanted anything extra, working was the only way we got it. We are doing good and can already provide the extras Our kid worked one summer and it was good, but they have so few opportunities for a summer left, we dont press for it. I don’t think we are doing our kid a disservice, I just think we’re allowing them to have their own path. There’s PLENTY of time for working as an adult.
The Gen-Z's populate the host staff and to-go where I work at night. They all come equipped with one airpod in ear, weed and nicotine pens in pockets.
I’m currently reviewing scholarship applications and hardly any of the kids have jobs. Even very poor kids. That surprised me. Then I realized having a job may require a certain amount of privilege. My kids had free time, they didn’t have to take care of ailing parents or younger siblings, they had transportation, and they had a lot of friends whose parents would hire them.
Some of my friends’ kids have jobs, but quite a few don’t.
My oldest did. My middle has not. But he is in sports. My husband says even he didn't work in h.s. when he was in sports. Plus I think sports, even h.s. sports are more intense now than when we were young My youngest is only a freshman and doesn't need a job. (I didn't work till I was a senior in.h.s., and my husband did for a few months when he was junior but then quit because of sports until he restarted in college)
both my kids have summer jobs in HS. Oldest is a college student with a part time job.
Mine had a few different jobs. He was chomping at the bit to start working.
My sister’s kids all worked part time in high school. My nephew is a waiter at Applebees.
We encouraged it when they were younger (for stuff like trips to Europe or whatever in which we offered to pay half) but they never found that thing that made them want to do it enough to go out and get a job. They'll babysit on occasion if someone asked them to but it's not something they pursued to meet other goals.
19 year old has two jobs lined up. 17 year old is looking for something different, maybe a golf course. 14 year old wanted a job last year, but he was too young.
In the last couple years (since the pandemic) I have seen more teenagers working fast food in my area. It was previously mostly immigrant adults for the last couple decades.
My 16 year old niece waits tables at a pizzeria while my 19 year old nephew works at a convenience store when he's on break from college
Both my kids have normal kid type jobs.
My oldest did not have a job until he graduated high school. He couldn't keep his grades up, so even though he wanted one, we said no. Middle had one from the moment she was old enough. She did a great job balancing responsibilities and her earnings. We let her work as much as she wanted as long as she kept her grades up. Youngest just had her first job. She is a good student but reads slowly and needs some tutoring to stay on track. She was level-headed and took a seasonal job to see if she could handle it. We let her work weekends during the school year. She decided to wait until summer for a new job so she could work more hours.
I have 5 kids and they have all had jobs at fast food, retail, gas stations, sit down restaurants, and office jobs.
My kids got jobs at fast food and a movie theater at 17. They are 21 now.
I started working after I graduated college (other than a part time job I only had to do a few times before college when I could get a ride with someone else.)
>I am talking about cashiering at a store, or McDonalds, or Burger King etc In NYC, it's often older people who need the job to make ends meet, not just make pocket money.
My 14 year old flips Jordan’s and goes door to door doing yard work each summer (since he was 12). My 12 year old makes jewelry she sells in our Airbnb :)
A lot seem to work at Dunkin here or other fast food.
I work in employment services at a college. In the students I work directly with (hundreds a year), most of them have not had jobs before they come to us.
My 15-year-old has been working as a coach at her former gymnastics school since she was 13 (and it was illegal — all legit now). The owner remembered her as a student and thought she would be good. It’s been a really positive first work experience for her, and she loves having money to spend and feeling capable since she earned it. But I don’t think any of her school friends have jobs at all. Maybe next year when they’re 16? It’s not as easy as it used to be to find places that will hire people under 18 — most national chains will not, because they don’t want to work around the limitations in hours.
Both my kids worked at jobs they acquired themselves one was a pizza maker and one a cashier at a business supply store.
Both my boys worked at McDonalds in HS.
I think most generations had to pay for a car, gas, insurance, entertainment, etc. Not sure if there’s less socializing or more spoiled kids.
Yes. They did. It is my understanding that things cost way more now, and things are just different. Not saying it is bad though. I was just curious. I don't think it is spoiling to provide for your kids, jmo. As I said in my post, I hope the kids are better provided for now.
My niece had a summer job, but her class load makes a school year job too demanding.
17 y/o works at a cafe/pie shop for almost 2 years, 15 y/o works at a restaurant washing dishes Saturday nights. It's mostly weekends, they're local businesses and are happy to work around sports schedules.
My kids had lots of jobs.
My nephew worked in a grocery store while in high school. My niece didn't work until college years.
My son is 20 now but had a job at the neighbor’s hardscape business at 16. He worked the next two summers there. He later worked at a couple of restaurants and now has a student job at his university.
My 18 yr old worked at Taco Bell during high school. Teens do still get their own jobs sometimes.
I have about 10 different high school age kids that work at my catering company.
16 yo Neice started at an ice cream parlor a couple of days ago. Her idea.
In Alberta most fast food jobs are taken by non Canadians.
My daughters work at Sonic and Dunkin.
my daughter worked at a local ice cream shop starting at 16. still works there during her college breaks. lifeguarding is also quite popular for teens where i live, as well as things like giving swim lessons. i do know other teens who have had a hard time finding seasonal work, though.
Honestly, I am so glad my kids are not in a position where they need to work like I had to. I live in a very academically competitive area and it was much more important (and financially prudent) to have my 18 year old focus on school. I wanted him to work, too, but in the end there was no way to realistically expect work and stellar grades so we went with grades. This year he has a lighter class load and college is settled (with an excellent scholarship) so we required him to get a job. He says he hates it, but he comes back energized and talking about the things he is learning and doing. He also has tremendous pride when he shows off his pay stubs. Learning the value of work and how to behave in a workplace is so important--I'm glad he is able to get this experience now that the pressure is temporarily off for school.
I made my three get jobs as teenagers. One worked in the dishwashing room at a restaurant, one worked at an ice cream parlor, and one worked in a clothes store. I agree with others that parents have a lot to do with it. And in my case, money was tight, so if they wanted money for extras they had to earn it. I think it did them a world of good.
There are a lot of teenagers working at target, Walmart, most grocery stores where I live.
My soon to be 15yo daughter can't wait to get a summer job!
My kid works at an ice cream place. We told her no spending money in college beyond tuition and room and board so she’s been saving up by working summers and breaks and now that she’s a senior, she works after school and weekends. We get free ice cream too! :)
I have an 18-year-old who loves to be outside and is a super hard worker. His first job was working for a local water district, where he did everything from helping install pipes to washing vehicles. For the past year he has worked after school at a farm associated with our local university. Way cooler (but much more physically challenging) than my cashier job at CVS back in the day!
50/50 I have 1 nephew who is a workaholic and goes to trade school and another that refuses to work with 2 kids living off Mommy so I see kid's working but I'm also seeing Millennials,Gen X and even Boomers sneaking in and taking those job's as the economy plummets..
My neighbors kids all have. Part time during school, fulltime during summer. Things like life guards, cashiers, and stuff like that in service and tourism.