Do your pre-teen or teen kids have jobs?

[#-3]

my oldest is only 6, but I think at the time it will depend on what they are doing with their time. If there is allot of clubs and teams... I'd be pretty happy to help support them getting not a job, if they are just loafing around every night I might put a bit of financial pressure on them to find a job.

I think more than the money and work experience, it is the lifestyle habits of getting out and staying busy that's important.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Close.

First iPhone was June 2007

#### I'm old.

[flamesfan1297]

I started mowing grass and shoveling snow when I was around 8 or 9 for cash.

When I was 14 I got my first real job at the local grocery store working evening's and weekends. I stayed there for 5 years and when I was in grade 12 got promoted to a supervisory role. I actually miss working retail and kinda wish I would have gotten into a career with it.

In the summers during high school I worked full time for the Town in the parks department, after high school I'd take on a full time position with them.

For the Summers I'd work between 50-60 hours a week beteeen the two jobs, don't regret it one bit as I always liked working. I also see no reason why kids can't work during the school year. They should be able to do school work and have a job quite easily.

[Codes]

I started delivering papers and flyers at 9, then picked up lawnmowing and babysitting as I got older. In grade 10, I got my first real job working at Blockbuster, which I kept through highschool. I was a shy kid, so I didn't partake in a ton of extracuriculars until I picked up Rugby in middle school. Probably why I had time to work as a kid. My parents didn't give us an allowance, so if we wanted anything extra, we had to work for it.

[BOSSY]

My 16 year old son has worked at Canadian for two years now... started as a cart pusher now he’s in the Sports department ... Started off delivering flyers at 12 now my daughter has take that over at 12...

[Magnum PEI]

I was Tramp's zombie in grade 6 and 7. $4/hour to walk with a sandwich board. That place was pretty cool, too bad they all closed a few years before the nerd renaissance.

[SportsJunky]

Ha, this is turning into a “what jobs did you work when you were a kid” thread.

I delivered flyers at 8 with my older brother. Took the babysitting course at 12 and had a few steady gigs with families that we knew. I was a busboy at Longhorn’s and Chi Chi’s in my early teens. Worked retail after that until I graduated to construction.

I like the idea of my kids working and earning their own money. They are both so busy though. Some of their activities would have to end.

[John Doe]

I grew up on a farm so I worked from birth (well, almost). Both of my children worked early, babysitting for my daughter and paper delivery for my son. They both got hourly paying jobs when thy turned 16 and worked through high school. My son played sports and his work accomodated him. They both bought and paid for their first vehicles and kept them going by themselves.

They both have an appreciation for money and while they don’t spend their money on what I would, they are each independent and can make it on their own. I’m glad we handled it the way we did.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by keratosis

Mine started at 12 and 14. Not because we made them, but because we told then we weren't buying them iPhones.
That was 15 years ago though.

Getting children to work is probably the only good thing Apple has ever done.

[Radio]

When I was 10 or 11 (mid-seventies) I started cutting the neighbors lawn. But I only remember doing it once so I must've done a terrible job. There were no power tools, just a push mower and hand trimmers, they were the stand up kind at least, I didn't have to get down on my hands and knees to do the edging. That was a lot of work to have to trim the edges of an entire lawn with what amounts to a pair of scissors.

I had the usual odd jobs like that till I turned 15 and my mom told me "my kids get jobs at 15, go get a job" so I did. Got a job at Mothers Pizza in Marlborough (now The Keg) busing tables and washing dishes. Then I took my dish washing expertise to Forest Grove Care till I graduated.

As far as the OP goes, my son got his first real job when he was 12. He had been in rec gymnastics for a few years when they asked him if wanted to become a junior coach. That was 8 years ago and he still coaches with them part time while going to university.

My daughter did some baby sitting around 12-13 but it was quite sporadic. She also helped out with my wife's business here and there. She got her first real job a few months ago at 17 at a thrift store. She recently got her swim instructor certificate in the hopes of getting on with the city teaching swim lessons.

[Pointman]

Nowadays kids can take skillful,meaningful jobs. Once my two years old grows up a bit, I want her to try to make money by coding apps and selling them on google play or writing a blog and sell ads or mine bitcoin or whatever other ways of making money will be around at that time. This will help her understand how the market works and how can she contribute to it and get some skills in the process.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by troutman

It seems parents prefer calling female babysitters, especially with younger children.

We had the son of my wife's coworker watch our kid a few times for no other reason than nobody wanted him to babysit. He'd get a few calls, but once people found out he was male (his name could be male or female), they turned him down.

Society is not exactly keen on mixing males and young children. Probably easier to focus in a different direction where there will be higher demand.

[CliffFletcher]

I had no problem getting work as a babysitter, but back then a lot more people used babysitters, so it was all neighbours and friends of the family. Most of the parents I know today have never used a babysitter.

[FireGilbert]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I had no problem getting work as a babysitter, but back then a lot more people used babysitters, so it was all neighbours and friends of the family. Most of the parents I know today have never used a babysitter.

What is the reason for parents never using babysitters anymore? Are they being over protective, is there enough entertainment at home, or are relatives helping out more? I would go crazy if we couldn't get a babysitter occasionally, especially because we have zero family support. The two people we use are a close neighbour and a day care instructor who we both have a lot of trust in though and I'm not sure if I would be comfortable picking a random out of a community newsletter.

Also, it is kind of sad how boys are not considered for babysitting jobs but I guess it is just part of our culture to be more trusting of women with children. Women have to deal with lots of crap in life but they do have the super power of being able to run up to babies and talk to children without being labelled a creep.

Personally I started reffing hockey at age 12 and later worked at the Stampede in the summers picking up garbage in the grandstand. I didn't have my first real job until I was 18 though. I had this great plan to take 2 months off before university however my Dad was not impressed and made my life hell until I found a job pumping gas.

I would like my daughter to have a job as soon as possible however the law here states you cannot work at a proper job until 14 years 9 months. Before then I will be encouraging her to do things like yard word and babysitting to make some cash. I would like her to learn the value of money and develop a work ethic however my real reason is that she is freaking expensive and needs to start contributing.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

What is the reason for parents never using babysitters anymore? Are they being over protective, is there enough entertainment at home, or are relatives helping out more?

Most use family if they can. But in my experience, parents today:

1) Go out less often than in generations past. My parents went out with friends every weekend for dinner and drinks, or over to one anothers' houses to play cards. Most of my friends and co-workers rarely go out with other adults anymore. They go for date night once in a while, that's about it.

2) Don't know their neighbours. My parents socialized with several couples on their street, and knew the rest as at least acquaintances. That was the era of block parties, which you never see anymore. Without knowing their neighbours, most parents don't know any older kids to babysit.

3) Are more anxious and worried about child safety. The parents I know who do use babysitters will only hire adults who have CPR. When I was a kid, any teenager who was responsible enough not to get drunk and burn the house down was regarded as babysitter material.

[Northendzone]

my son would like to somehow have access to more cash; however, he has figured out he does not want to work. I have hooked him up and then helped him cut a few lawns in the neighborhood, but those were just one off jobs.

He is currently playing quadrant hockey this winter, so between that and managing school, it is hard to have free time to get a job.

[Strange Brew]

Most people I know still use babysitters. Maybe not as often as previous generations but it’s still a reasonable opportunity to for teens to get work. But yeah, most babysitters get hooked up through church, parent friendships etc. and not through advertising their services.

The job available to teens now is dog walking/sitting particularly if they get home from school at a reasonable time. It is dog central where I live and an enterprising teen can make good money at this, particularly over summer.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

The job available to teens now is dog walking/sitting particularly if they get home from school at a reasonable time. It is dog central where I live and an enterprising teen can make good money at this, particularly over summer.

That's a good one. I'll have to remember that.

[Fuzz]

Good life lesson to get them used to dealing with someone else's ####.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Most people I know still use babysitters. Maybe not as often as previous generations but it’s still a reasonable opportunity to for teens to get work. But yeah, most babysitters get hooked up through church, parent friendships etc. and not through advertising their services.

The job available to teens now is dog walking/sitting particularly if they get home from school at a reasonable time. It is dog central where I live and an enterprising teen can make good money at this, particularly over summer.

This.

Our youngest did the course and got 0 hits off the Ads, but one night something happened and our (sadly former) neighbours needed a babysitter and off she went. After that she must have been the #1 babysitter among Calgary's Rwandan community.

Its simple. People trust who they know. How can you blame them?

I think of it within the context of my business, I only recommend my clients to people I know are good, I would never just pick a random name out of a flyer.