Should parents make their teens get jobs?

Question

In my family my parents refused to make us work until we turned 18, at which point we were made to get jobs. I feel that as a teenager the primary focus should be going to school, making good grades, and enjoying being a teen while they still can. All the kids in our families had GPA's of over 4.0 because school's value was stressed to us, which constituted as hard work. I feel that since teenagers have their whole lives to work that they shouldn't have to work until they need to. I have also witnessed that alot of teens, when they begin to work, starts to feel alot more adult than they really are and they start feel that the money they are making is more important than school. The only way that I would make my teen work is if they were not doing well in school and getting into trouble at which point I figure they will need to get used to that kind of work anyways. I also understand that some families need their teens to help out. Please tell me what your feelings are on this topic.

Answer 1

I'm 16 and i want to get a job SO BAD! But my parents won't
let me because they say that if I do I won't pay attention to
school (I'm an A Student). My sisters had good grades but
then they got a Job and they started caring too much about
money and not carrying enough about school so my parents
believe It will be the same for me.

The bad thing about getting a job as a teen is that maybe,
they will not work hard enough on school work, specially if
they have bad grades to start with. Also, once people start
to get money they become greedy and want more money.
Likewise, when they get their first paycheck they don't really
think about how to spend their money. I have some friends
who work and they don't use their income wisely, they use
it to buy drugs and useless crap.

The good thing is that if a teen gets a job and works hard,
they'll be able to have references for future jobs (after
high school/college). They would also learn that money doesn't
grow on trees and that people have to work hard to get it;
they'll learn to save better since they know how hard it was
to get it.They can get certain stuff they need without having
to ask their parents for it (specially if their family is not at
the best economic position).

Answer 2

I think at 16 teenagers should get part-time job.

The reason is, what a lot of people don't realize is that you don't suddenly become an adult at midnight on your 18th birthday. Becoming an adult is a process. It has to start BEFORE you're 18, or you'll still be a child when you come of age.

Another good reason to work is to understand that if you don't get a college degree, that's the sort of job you can expect to do your whole life. That can be pretty motivating.

And yet another is that teenagers need to pay some of their own expenses, like for the car or spending money, so they aren't getting used to the idea of mooching off the parents all the time. This can lead to an extended sense of entitlement that they really need to grow out of. A lot of kids today are spoiled and they need to learn to earn, appreciate, and be responsible for money.

16 is not too young to start to learn to be a grown-up. I worked since I was 15, got stellar grades and a scholarship to college. And I did most of the housework too, and cooked dinner. By the time I was 18 and went to college, I knew how to take decent care of myself and my apartment. I knew how to budget and pay bills. It didn't happen because I was 18; it happened because I was taught BEFORE I was 18.

I would make exceptions if my kids were into sports or time-consuming volunteer work, and the work should definitely be part-time only. But, when they are 16 they must be doing something with their time other than goofing off. They must be working on their development, on their future in some way. I intend to send them out into the world when they are 18, and I intend to prepare them to be able to handle that.

Answer 3

I think that it depends on each individual situation. I started working at the age of 15 due to the fact that I had a child early. I remained in school the entire time and maintained a 4.0 gpa. At 16 I began working full time while still attending school and ending graduating a year ahead at the age of 17. my parents never forced me to have a job and I was well taken care it is just something I chose personally. I did mature at a early age and didn't have a chance to do things that many teenagers do but in the end it was worth it because I have accomplished everything that I wanted to do by the time I was 20.

Answer 4

I agree with you that kids' main responsibility should be going to school and getting good grades. However, there is no reason why teenagers cannot get a summer time job. It helps them learn responsibility, make a little extra money, and gets them out of the house and doing something productive. I don't think they should work during the school year, but I do think they should do chores and jobs around the house and maybe things like babysitting or lawnmowing year-round. This can be on an as-needed basis, depending on their school work load and can still have all the benefits I mentioned above.

Answer 5

I got into a car accident, my fault, and my parents told me to go to work to repay them the cost of the repairs and also the cost the insurance company added.

I was never "forced" to work, I was asked to pay for my mistakes which was a very good lesson for me to learn. After repayment, I was given the choice of whether to stay working or not. The value of school was always reinforced and if my grades had ever suffered my parents would have forced me to quit my job to focus on my schoolwork. My grades did not suffer, though, so it never became a problem.

I learned a lot of really good life lessons by working that I would not have received had I just remained in school. I learned about money and time management, how to deal with people you don't get along with at work, credit, and the value of independence.

I don't think it necessarily has to be an either/or situation. I was very successful at being both a student and a worker. And with the way that public school is structured, I think a lot of students can find that balance as well as long as they live in an area that has multiple part-time opportunities available.
I just don't think it has to be viewed negatively when there are a lot of people who are successful at it.

Peace,
Jenn

Answer 6

I think a job for a teen is a great idea... It gives them some extra spending money and they learn the value of a dollar.. That being said, it should definently be monitored... Most jobs will allow them to work on weekends only and they can still get a nice paycheck at the end of the week.. or they can work a few hours after school, so long as they still have time to do thier homework..

Answer 7

A baby is expensive...we did a survey and most parents say getting their child to college age was around 300,000 and that does not include college expensive. The effort that you put into being a parent is selfless and HARD immensely hard. You have this child that you brought into this world, and its difficult to see them go through pain, experience suffering etc. And a lot of times your limits get tested. You should never want to take it back, the love is unconditional. I would tell them that its going to be a rough ride, but the bond and love btw a mother and a child is inseperable. There are going to be times when you want to pull your hair out, stop and just breath and look at the wonderful baby that you gave life to. Baby's daddy's well depending on how young. Some stay some run.

Answer 8

I think that if the emphasis is on mostly school, rather than some parents who let their kids goof off and spend all their money, then there isn't a need for work. They are learning a good work ethic by striving for good grades. And sometimes extracurricular activities can get in the way of working too. But I also think if you don't make them get jobs, then they get a weekly allowance for completion of chores and keeping grades up, not just asking for $20 here, $50 there and making their parents go broke.

Answer 9

I had a job at 16...it was fine....i did it so I could buy my own things...my parents would only pay for school related things, gas, meals...but if i wanted that $100 pair of shoes i had to buy it myself and if I wanted the more expensive prom dress i paid for the extra $$ on it! I feel it helps them learn a bit about the real world before they actually have to be in it too! I am not against it......my sister in law has never had a job and she just got her first at age 20! It goes a bit w/ her major at college, but if her parents want to support that then its their decision, mine werent as financially well as my in laws though soooo.....

All in all it depends on the situation...my kids wants really expensive taste he can buy it himself....grades slip no more job so there goes the expensive stuff.....thats probably what I will do when my son is that age!

Answer 10

I think teens who are like over 15 or 16 should have to get jobs.
They need to get used to the work fields and they need to be responsible.
Otherwise they'll end up living in their parents basement until they're 23. (unless they are planning to marry a dentist or a doctor, lol)