Summer Work-Worth it, in your opinion?

[Anonymous]

Our school doesn't have many kids who are at an economic disadvantage.

I am wondering if summer work is worthwhile?

I've been trying to find research about the value of it (summer slide, etc.) and it seems to be most helpful for kids who would not have access to opportunities to learn over the summer. Ours tend to go to camp, take a vacation, read for fun....

In our school, kids are rewarded for doing it, and not punished if they don't.
I've heard some parent complain about it and reminded them they don't have to get on the treadmill.

Your thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Well I had a BF when I was 16/ 17 who did summer work as a temp in a trading division of a London bank.

He now has millions from working the past 20 years as a trader and credits this summer job with getting his foot in the door (after studying Economics in London as well).

So, for him, it was a huge advantage and pretty much shaped his entire life.

[Anonymous]

OP, are you talking about a job? Or do you mean schoolwork, like a summer math packet?

[Anonymous]

If you are referring to a summer job, YES.
You don't want to raise an entitled child...
so much to learn by your first real job:
--how to 'show up'
--how to make, and hopefully manage, your own money
--how to get along with others
We've had way too many babysitters who have never held a summer job while in high school...most were quite entitled, and would cancel with little or no notice. Obviously, they did not 'need' the $$ enough, and knew it--so character was not there.
How will kids learn responsibilty if they don't have to work at some point before they reach college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are referring to a summer job, YES.
You don't want to raise an entitled child...
so much to learn by your first real job:
--how to 'show up'
--how to make, and hopefully manage, your own money
--how to get along with others
We've had way too many babysitters who have never held a summer job while in high school...most were quite entitled, and would cancel with little or no notice. Obviously, they did not 'need' the $$ enough, and knew it--so character was not there.
How will kids learn responsibilty if they don't have to work at some point before they reach college?

Babysitting isn't a real job.

[Anonymous]

I though OP meant school work not summer employment.

I think summer assignments are good for all students either to prevent summer learning loss or to provide a preview of the skills and material for the upcoming year.

My school only does Reading and Math packets. We have asked for an assignment in Social Studies, Science, and FL, but the parents push back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well I had a BF when I was 16/ 17 who did summer work as a temp in a trading division of a London bank.

He now has millions from working the past 20 years as a trader and credits this summer job with getting his foot in the door (after studying Economics in London as well).

So, for him, it was a huge advantage and pretty much shaped his entire life.

I had a job like that at a big investment bank. I got bubkes.

[Anonymous]

I think summer homework is absolutely NOT worth it. When my kids were younger I actively discouraged them from doing it. If they wanted to do it for the reward that was fine, but I didn't want them to feel required. Now that they're older the summer homework affects their grade and they have to do it but I resent it.

I think kids need the chance to do other things during the summer. I think they deserve a break and they will do better for it. I know I loved school as a child, but by the end of each school year I was burnt out. I needed the summer to have fun, try new things, and even get bored. I would be recharged and excited again when school started in the fall.

Yes, there may be a little learning loss but it can usually be addressed the first week or two of school and then everybody's on the same page. I strongly suspect that with summer homework the ones who need it the most are the ones least likely to do it.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a huge fan generally, but I do make my son read daily, and I used Summer abridge work books to work on skills he hadn't quite mastered the year before. I feel that made a real difference this year when he entered third grade.

[Anonymous]

Reading, yes. Other work, no. Now if she wants to take a summer school class, I think that would be fine.

[Anonymous]

I think it's important not to let skills and knowledge slide over the summer. But that can be done with reading, trips to museums, games and puzzles, and other activities.