Why do middle class parents make their kids hold jobs during the school year?

[Anonymous]

I was also raised with the "you don't need a job, school is your job" attitude. I believe it contributed to my being sheltered, inexperienced with managing money, and generally a believer in "do what you love and the rest will follow." I entered the workforce very naive and proceeded to choose a couple of very unfortunate professions. Children should not be raised to believe that merely thinking and studying hard will turn into employment. They also need to choose their industry well and provide real value to an employer. They will not be paid to sit around and be smart.

[Anonymous]

Just being honest, the rich doctors and lawyers I know with perfect kids don't make them work during the school year. It's the middle class schmucks whose kids will crawl into state colleges that work and blow all their money on weed, beer and new shoes.

[Anonymous]

I did not force my children to have a job. They did so on their own because they had certain wants, such as a smart phone and a car/insurance/gas to fill the car, that necessitated a job.

[Anonymous]

Because my kid wants money so he can buy stuff he cares about - and if he earns it, he can spend it as he pleases.

Because having a job does, in fact, build character, and teach him valuable life skills - including

Because learning a good work ethic early in life is important.

Because my child is happier and more productive when he is busy.

I don't understand why parent's DON't make their children get jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents never made me working during the school year. School was my job. 5-figure HHI, for whatever that's worth.

Five figures? Yowza. What do make, $12,000 per year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just being honest, the rich doctors and lawyers I know with perfect kids don't make them work during the school year. It's the middle class schmucks whose kids will crawl into state colleges that work and blow all their money on weed, beer and new shoes.

My rich lawyer husband and I are glad that our high school ds wants to have a part time job. He learns the importance of managing his schedule, planning socializing around his job, asking for time off in advance so he can do the things that are important to him, working with his coworkers to trade shifts and help one another out, showing up on time, dealing with all sorts of different personalities and challenges (both customers and coworkers), and learning how to behave with supervisors.

Because he also plays sports, his free time is more limited so he manages his time and his homework much more effectively than he did before he had a job, and he still gets all A's, maybe one B. He is also much less likely to want to buy things that aren't worth the money he knows he worked hard to earn himself.

I did worry a bit that he wouldn't have time for a job, but now that he does, I realize how much time he wasted before.

[Anonymous]

LOL what the hell. Working as a teen taught me important professional social skills, taught me time management with real stakes, etc etc etc. Lots of good reasons for kids to work.

Of course YMMV, but if I had to guess, this experience would be more beneficial to the average kid than after school math tutoring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Because of this question, is exactly why we have an "Entitled Society"

It's really not (and by the way, the use of the term "entitled" is possibly the most over-used term on this board. To the point it means nothing).

I was lower middle class and have worked since I was 14, so for about 30 years. I started in a local "dairy queen" type place and put in a lot of hours. As a result, yeah, I made some extra cash. But, I also could not participate in many of the activities that my peers did. I missed out on those opportunities.

My DD's job will be school. She has many more demands on her than I ever did (I skated by on my dean's list, A-average easily). Summers are different. But, I still would not be in favor of a full time position.

[Anonymous]

My high schooler works 20-22 hours a week all year round. Some of his hours are paid internship and others are regular jobs. I want my kids to work so that I have the opportunity to teach them how to manage money, how to save, how to do taxes, how to budget, how to figure out how much to spend on gifts and how to figure out how to be thoughtful within his gift budget. I want them to learn time management. I want them to pay some of their education expenses so that they are invested and make good decisions. My son doesn't stop at Starbucks because he knows it takes more than 30 minutes of work to buy a drink. He limited his college applications to those that mattered because he was paying part of the bill. He doesn't ask for more clothes or shoes than he needs because he knows how long it takes to earn the money to buy these things. I probably have more reasons, but these are kind of top of my list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just being honest, the rich doctors and lawyers I know with perfect kids don't make them work during the school year. It's the middle class schmucks whose kids will crawl into state colleges that work and blow all their money on weed, beer and new shoes.

Just being honest, but you are a striver who doesn't understand work ethic.

[Anonymous]

I think I'll give my kids the option when they get to that age - either work for 10 hours a week or volunteer in some ongoing, consistent way, for 10 hours a week. I'm ok if they don't earn money, if they still have the work ethic to do something positive.

[Anonymous]

We are upper middle class and our DC do not need anything. BUT the youngest one (13) wanted to make his own money so he put an ad out to pet sit, water plants, cut grass and made about $500 this summer. He saves all his gift money as well and has a huge goal ( think exotic travel) but is committed to doing this on his own.

Our other DC had nothing to do! Since the age of 5 he's had every opportunity given to him: music, arts, sports, clubs, enrichment. Nothing took. He's a great kid with some challenges but optimistic things will come together - late bloomer type.

So we " encouraged" him to get a job. It's typically fri/sat for 6 hrs. Sometimes an additional weeknight. Howeve, I see no problem with this as kids who,do a come time sport have this time or more. And we know not all these competing soorts kids are getting scholarships. So, they are doing it for fun, health, fitness, teamwork, disciplene, work ethic, sense of purpose - just like a job.

I must say, he is being paid well above minimum wage, and saving most of it; keeping track of his own schedule, gets ready and drives himself there without reminding him, learning to work with all types of people, building a work ethic and professional reputation. For him it is a win/win.

It may not work for our next DC as he practices 2hrs every day, commutes by metro 30 min to a DC private, and has a lot of homework. You need to do what's best for each DC but having a child work is not bad in itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could this possibly be self-defeating in the big picture of life?

Grades, extracurriculars, community engagement are more important. Only so many hours in a day. It seems middle class parents are old school and think a job toughens their kid up -- meanwhile UMC parents have their kids learning calculus and computer programming, you know, real skills.

UMC parent here. I have two boys. My oldest has worked since 14 and is headed off to Columbia business school. He highlighted his work experience and work ethic in his application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son's time is better spent fast tracking his way through high school. He is on track to finish a year early. So, he will enter university and the job force one year early.

So, yeah his time is better spent on school instead of making minimum wage.

Its great he's going to enter the job force a year early having ZERO experience of what work is like.

That's okay, he will have summer jobs in university and he will be internships in uni.

Naw
..he's probably a dip shit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How could this possibly be self-defeating in the big picture of life?

Grades, extracurriculars, community engagement are more important. Only so many hours in a day. It seems middle class parents are old school and think a job toughens their kid up -- meanwhile UMC parents have their kids learning calculus and computer programming, you know, real skills.

UMC parent here. I have two boys. My oldest has worked since 14 and is headed off to Columbia business school. He highlighted his work experience and work ethic in his application.

awesome. congrats.

i wish i had gotten the business bug earlier. my older siblings ran a yard work business where they paid neighborhood kids the going kid rate (say 15 bucks a lawn), but since they scheduled everything professionally and had their own equipment, they could charge the owners closer to a professional rate (40 bucks). made thousands each summer.