My daughter at 14 goes to the goodwill bins with friends and resells finds on Depop.

Cat sitting. Dog walking (but only if she has cat experience). Mine babysit actual kids at 12 not just mother helper. You’re probably gonna have to get over the “can’t let her go to someone’s house I don’t know” stuff.

At that age, I also enrolled my kid in the Y's CIT-training camp with the idea that a couple years of that + volunteering would = jobs in high school and college summers. There are other camps for those interested in becoming camp counselors that will actually pay a small daily stipend. But you have to pay for the experience, of course.

Pay her to work on herself instead of paying a camp to entertain her. Exercise, sports, art, academics.

Anonymous wrote:A kid that age in our neighbourhood (not DMV) just put flyers in everyone’s mailbox today for a summer dog walking service, he’s using the name “the DogFather“ and his tagline is “make me an offer I can’t refuse. It’s adorable. I would totally hire him to walk our dog.

Report that "Dogfather" to your nearest US Postal Inspection office. You have to nip early the criminal lifestyle.

Feed neighbors' cats while they travel
water plants
walk dogs

That's what my kid did at 12 and still does at 14.

We are in NYC and live in an apartment building. When my daughter was that age, she would pet sit a couple of neighbors' dogs and cats when they went away for a weekend. She'd go to their homes, feed them, play with them, even read there so the pet is not alone and lonely all day. If there were issues, she could easily call me or DH to help.

Hand Weeding if she can ID plants.

Stuff like dog walking? Taking care of animals in feeding them while neighbors travel.

My DD 13 plays travel sports and while not summer, in season games pay great for soccer refs and her friends who are softball umps. This is based on being into sports of course but just saying - you can really make a lot!

Other than that, maybe enterprising marketing her time to help women lust old clothing for sale on Poshmark and making a commission or organizing/helping to clean out junk for people to sell stuff, move, organize their spaces more efficiently? Charge hourly fee.

You really have to think out of the box. Or gave her sell your stuff on Poshmark and make her work on stuff you don't want to around the house?

I'm not really a mom that believes their kid needs to start working as early as possible. To me, they will be working long enough and soon enough lol!

Anonymous wrote:What job can a 12 year old do for the summer? DD says she wants pocket money and wants to do something during the summer that will get her money to buy things I refuse to buy.

If your kid did something to earn money in the summer, can you elaborate? Suggestions please! I don't think she can do baby sitting.

lawn care

Cat sitting and dog walking, especially if she would hang out at the house for a bit to play with the animals.

She could also start a glass recycling pickup route. Obviously she'd need a parent to help facilitate this (driving the glass around) but she could organize the customers etc.