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| Home / College Guide / Part-time job teaches valuable lessons |
| Posted on Thursday, December 05 @ 00:00:26 PST |
Q. Please help me talk my mom into letting me get a job. My grades are good. I have as many friends as I want. She says I need to play sports. I don’t want to play sports at all. I played when I was little because she made me, but sports aren’t for me. She also says I don’t need money. It’s not only about money. I think having a job will help me grow and help me understand what I might want to do when I’m older. Any ideas? – 16-year-old
Q. I found a job at a fast-food restaurant and my gram won’t let me take it. She says I’m too young to work. She says I just want to buy stuff for myself. The truth is I’d like to buy a few Christmas presents. One for her, one for each of my little brothers. Sure, I’d like some spending money, but I honestly want to get presents. I’ll only work part time. I’ll keep up my schoolwork. Gram reads your column. Please tell her it’s OK for me to work. Thanks. – 16-year-old
Mary Jo’s Response: I placed your questions together because they are so similar.
First, I think wanting a part-time job is admirable. I firmly believe it should be part time. High school is a once-a-lifetime experience; if you are not forced to work for financial reasons, and it doesn’t seem as though either of you are in that situation, I believe prioritizing grades and high school social time is wise.
School is your main job.
However, you both seem mature. Choosing how you spend your leisure time, especially if you prioritize your schoolwork, is an important part of growing up. Sports aren’t for everyone.
Some pluses of a part-time job in high school are:
Learning money management. We offer “Adulting” sessions at our Common Ground Teen Center. Alumni return to offer their thoughts. One of my fondest sessions occurred when a 20-year-old college student told the teens, “You think $1,000 is a lot. It isn’t. Learn to save.” I remember thinking, wow, what a great message from a young adult!
Exposure to other adult role models. Working teens learn skills from adults who are not parents or teachers. They expand their cultural awareness. They learn relational skills and communication skills.
Time management. As I said, school is a teen’s main job, but a part-time job can help teens balance their time. Time management is a crucial skill at any stage of life, but especially in post-secondary education. College or trade school will require a young person to balance the needs and desires of life. A part-time job can help.
Real life experience: I worked at GC Murphy in high school.
If that doesn’t date me (LOL), let me add that I worked in the record department. After six months, I knew I wanted to do something different in my life. I’d always thought about nursing as a career, but my experience in retail taught me what I liked and didn’t like. The job motivated me.
A part-time job can be a rite of passage for a teen. Parents and guardians should have open discussions about how this job will fit the family. Will an adult need to drive the teen to and from work? Will the teen’s job impact holidays or family time? Ultimately, each family is different, and I advise you both to respect your mom or gram. I do think a part-time job can be an important component of growing up.
Have a question? Send it to Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski’s email podmj@healthyteens.com.
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