Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up blue collar so I didn't know any teens/20s who never worked 'regular' summer jobs - retail, lifeguarding, babysitting, bussing tables, etc. We did it to earn spending money and contribute to college expenses but also because it was just what we did with our time for better or worse.

Now that I am UMC and live among other UMC families, I have noticed many of the teens/20s only so something outside of school if it's 'professional' - internships, travel, volunteering, summer classes.

Is your goal as a parent for your DC to never have to work a 'menial' job? Is it a new 10%er badge of honor for your DC to never have had to work a job that didn't enrich them or is in line with what they like?

This sounds judgy but it's really not - I'm curious if some parents would find they succeeded if their DC never had to work a nothing-burger job.

We don't look down upon menial jobs as one learns from every experience and no job is beneath anyone. However, we didn't want our kids to do any because there are only so many hours in a day and to do well in life, they had to focus on studies, extracurriculars, internships, sports, volunteer work and sleep.

We don't believe in making kids suffer to build character, work ethics or value of money, there are so many other ways to teach them. There is no sense of pride in it, only a satisfaction that we are able to spare kids of struggles by making sacrifices ourselves and not focusing on upgrading our own lifestyle.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up blue collar so I didn't know any teens/20s who never worked 'regular' summer jobs - retail, lifeguarding, babysitting, bussing tables, etc. We did it to earn spending money and contribute to college expenses but also because it was just what we did with our time for better or worse.

Now that I am UMC and live among other UMC families, I have noticed many of the teens/20s only so something outside of school if it's 'professional' - internships, travel, volunteering, summer classes.

Is your goal as a parent for your DC to never have to work a 'menial' job? Is it a new 10%er badge of honor for your DC to never have had to work a job that didn't enrich them or is in line with what they like?

This sounds judgy but it's really not - I'm curious if some parents would find they succeeded if their DC never had to work a nothing-burger job.

Anonymous wrote:My kid will have 7 summers and 8 school years between turning 15 and graduating college. There is time in there for a wide variety of experiences. I don't see it as "internship" vs. paid job vs. volunteering. He can manage to do all three, and learn different things from each.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up blue collar so I didn't know any teens/20s who never worked 'regular' summer jobs - retail, lifeguarding, babysitting, bussing tables, etc. We did it to earn spending money and contribute to college expenses but also because it was just what we did with our time for better or worse.

Now that I am UMC and live among other UMC families, I have noticed many of the teens/20s only so something outside of school if it's 'professional' - internships, travel, volunteering, summer classes.

Is your goal as a parent for your DC to never have to work a 'menial' job? Is it a new 10%er badge of honor for your DC to never have had to work a job that didn't enrich them or is in line with what they like?

This sounds judgy but it's really not - I'm curious if some parents would find they succeeded if their DC never had to work a nothing-burger job.

We don't look down upon menial jobs as one learns from every experience and no job is beneath anyone. However, we didn't want our kids to do any because there are only so many hours in a day and to do well in life, they had to focus on studies, extracurriculars, internships, sports, volunteer work and sleep.

We don't believe in making kids suffer to build character, work ethics or value of money, there are so many other ways to teach them. There is no sense of pride in it, only a satisfaction that we are able to spare kids of struggles by making sacrifices ourselves and not focusing on upgrading our own lifestyle.

Working a menial job as a 16-year old is “suffering”? You are an out of touch fool.

These jobs can be quite fun! Scooping ice cream or working a pool snack bar is a great time for most kids! I worked at a grocery store and am still friends with some of my former coworkers 25 years later!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up blue collar so I didn't know any teens/20s who never worked 'regular' summer jobs - retail, lifeguarding, babysitting, bussing tables, etc. We did it to earn spending money and contribute to college expenses but also because it was just what we did with our time for better or worse.

Now that I am UMC and live among other UMC families, I have noticed many of the teens/20s only so something outside of school if it's 'professional' - internships, travel, volunteering, summer classes.

Is your goal as a parent for your DC to never have to work a 'menial' job? Is it a new 10%er badge of honor for your DC to never have had to work a job that didn't enrich them or is in line with what they like?

This sounds judgy but it's really not - I'm curious if some parents would find they succeeded if their DC never had to work a nothing-burger job.

We don't look down upon menial jobs as one learns from every experience and no job is beneath anyone. However, we didn't want our kids to do any because there are only so many hours in a day and to do well in life, they had to focus on studies, extracurriculars, internships, sports, volunteer work and sleep.

We don't believe in making kids suffer to build character, work ethics or value of money, there are so many other ways to teach them. There is no sense of pride in it, only a satisfaction that we are able to spare kids of struggles by making sacrifices ourselves and not focusing on upgrading our own lifestyle.

Working a menial job as a 16-year old is “suffering”? You are an out of touch fool.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up blue collar so I didn't know any teens/20s who never worked 'regular' summer jobs - retail, lifeguarding, babysitting, bussing tables, etc. We did it to earn spending money and contribute to college expenses but also because it was just what we did with our time for better or worse.

Now that I am UMC and live among other UMC families, I have noticed many of the teens/20s only so something outside of school if it's 'professional' - internships, travel, volunteering, summer classes.

Is your goal as a parent for your DC to never have to work a 'menial' job? Is it a new 10%er badge of honor for your DC to never have had to work a job that didn't enrich them or is in line with what they like?

This sounds judgy but it's really not - I'm curious if some parents would find they succeeded if their DC never had to work a nothing-burger job.

We don't look down upon menial jobs as one learns from every experience and no job is beneath anyone. However, we didn't want our kids to do any because there are only so many hours in a day and to do well in life, they had to focus on studies, extracurriculars, internships, sports, volunteer work and sleep.

We don't believe in making kids suffer to build character, work ethics or value of money, there are so many other ways to teach them. There is no sense of pride in it, only a satisfaction that we are able to spare kids of struggles by making sacrifices ourselves and not focusing on upgrading our own lifestyle.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up blue collar so I didn't know any teens/20s who never worked 'regular' summer jobs - retail, lifeguarding, babysitting, bussing tables, etc. We did it to earn spending money and contribute to college expenses but also because it was just what we did with our time for better or worse.

Now that I am UMC and live among other UMC families, I have noticed many of the teens/20s only so something outside of school if it's 'professional' - internships, travel, volunteering, summer classes.

Is your goal as a parent for your DC to never have to work a 'menial' job? Is it a new 10%er badge of honor for your DC to never have had to work a job that didn't enrich them or is in line with what they like?

This sounds judgy but it's really not - I'm curious if some parents would find they succeeded if their DC never had to work a nothing-burger job.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up middle class in an UMC town. As a teen my brothers & I worked lots of nothingburger jobs (cashier, waiter, mowing lawns, shoveling). My UMC DH also did those jobs but his parents paid his rent during the summer he had an internship that led to his (v successful) career. I definitely noted that he had a pathway that I didn't. So, although we both think you can learn a lot about life & people by doing people-focused low wage jobs (especially waiting tables) we will likely work pretty hard to ensure our kids get college internships that track with their career interests.

Anonymous wrote:I also grew up like you. I absolutely want my kids to do some "regular" jobs. I want them to question the value of interning ie working for free. I never did that. I couldn't afford to.

Anonymous wrote:I think the goal for my kids would be to work menial jobs when they are 13-16 or 17 and then get "professional" jobs for resume starting after junior year of HS.