Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have zero preference re paid work vs. volunteering. But only 10 hours a week seems like too much free time that is not filled up with anything productive.

Sounds like a Princess SAHM in training.

Because SAHMs cleaning the house, wiping puke and poo, caring for their children and husband, putting food on the table and amking sure the working husband's back is kept free live such princess lives...LOL And no, I'm not a SAHM. But I AM disgusted at that kind of comment.

Princess SAHMs don't view cleaning the house as part of their job description. And they also believe meals should be split evenly.

Anonymous wrote:I did my first summer in high school volunteer work in an office doing computer stuff (think network administrator). THen in the evenings I mowed lawns to have some spending money.

My friends all laughed at me as they were making $8/hour as lifeguards or the like.

Then the following 3 years, I earned $12, 15, and $17/hour in "real" jobs doing more computer stuff. That first year working for free didn't pay, but I got glowing recommendations and referrals.

Most important of all....

As the Mom of three young adult daughters with a span of easily 70 points in their IQ, I will say that all three did volunteer work while they were in high school at least in the early years. The older daughter also was a swimmer and took a lifeguarding class and was able to earn money at the pool doing that and then as a camp counselor for a day camp program first summer before college. The second daughter actually found her career as a pediatric physical therapist from her volunteer work AND needed to have so many hours of observation to even apply to college programs. The third daughter always had the support of a peer, but she, too, enjoyed being productive in the summers and gained skills that helped her get a competitive, part-time job in a college dining hall. Additionally, she also continues to volunteer using that same skills set independently today one day a week.

For our two older daughters, it was always understood that they would pay for books, spending money and anything special they might want to do in college so they found ways to earn money and one sure way was to baby sit. They also had responsibilities in our home, although not as much as others as I did not work that much.

OP - Your daughter sounds like a wonderful person in the volunteer work she is doing, BUT I think so far it has been a bit too much of "only her choice" on what she does in the summer. I agree with others who say she needs to understand that she needs to contribute for what she wants be it a cell phone, clothes or gas to drive a car. There is no reason at all why she could not try and find a sitting job if other avenues were closed. It might even be reasonable to give her a base allowance and then to offer extra money for certain tasks. however, she should also know that she needs to be doing certain tasks at home, too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have a different opinion than everyone else, and I haven't read all of the answers, but my parents allowed me the opportunity to volunteer as a young person instead of forcing me to get a job for pay. I don't have any bad money habits as a result, and my volunteer work really helped me in the future with college admissions, graduate admisions, and future job searching. I got opportunities that I don't think my friends working at McDonalds had.

My parents, however, didn't indulge my every whim with regards to money. Sure, I got the necessities, and didn't really have to worry about money when I was in high school and college, but I could never go to expensive restaurants, buy expensive shoes and clothes, or fancy gadgets.

So?
Your one tiny experience doesn't mean that just letting a kid volunteer and make no income will guarantee they are good money managers. Maybe you should have went with a paid job, maybe you could have gained some common sense.

I really don't think this poster was trying to say that. Just that not having a paid job as a teen does not necessarily lead to being a poor money manager.
FWIW, I was one of the kids who worked from age 14 and never got to do any volunteering or interning; that stuff was for "rich kids." I wish I'd had the opportunity, but I don't begrudge those who do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teenager can't get a job. 9 applications and not one call back. Word on the street from other moms of teens is illegal aliens are cheaper and more dependable. Most mall, fast food and department stores hire people that barely speak a lick of English. You never see teens working. It is sad.

I would stick with the volunteering but keep trying. Good luck.

In this economy, 9 applications is not very much. And it is true that an undocumented worker is, in general, far more dependable than a teenager - - most undocumented workers are working for their families that depend on them, where teens are typically just working for discretionary spending money and can skip shifts to catch up on studying, make out with a girlfriend, enjoy good weather, etc...or quit on a whim when the school year ends or summer is over. It makes more sense to hire someone who stays around long-term and is reliable.

That said, your teen should look into seasonal work like landscaping, or more entreprenurial work like babysitting. Lots of $$ to be made for people who are willing to hustle.

Landscaping?? My husband's brother company went bankrupt about 8yrs ago to all the undocumented companies that all of you richies want to hire to save a buck. There are no more legal American landscaping companies around. How do you expect the PP's teen to get a landscaping job in this area these days.

But yes, since illegal immigrants will work for pennies and you are all okay to hire them, the legal teens can't find jobs. Then everyone wonders why legal and illegal people are on welfare from your tax money. Welcome to ass-backwards America.

Hey, jerk, I'm the PP who posted what you are replying to last month. I'm neither rich nor do I employ undocumented workers. I believe employers should be steeply, deeply penalized for employing undocumented workers when they are caught doing so - that would fully disincentivize doing so. Unfortunately, we punish the undocumented workers rather than the employers who are exploiting them and destroying our middle class by undercutting wages and not offering decent benefits.

Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the typical undocumented worker is more reliable than the typical teenager.

Regarding my other comments -- I'm sorry that your husband's brother's company went bankrupt. Again, I would never hire an undocumented worker. His competitors that did should be reported to Homeland Security and I wish that THEY would be punished, but sadly it's only their workers that would be punished. It is STILL true, though, that a teenager can make great bucks at this. My next door neighbor mows our lawn for $30 a week in the summer. He does four other lawns on our little block. For us it is much cheaper than hiring a professional landscaping company, but he's legally allowed to work. We pay his little sister $10 an hour to babysit for us. That's good money, more than she would make at a retail job.

I have no idea what you are yammering on about regarding people on welfare.

Anonymous wrote:I might have a different opinion than everyone else, and I haven't read all of the answers, but my parents allowed me the opportunity to volunteer as a young person instead of forcing me to get a job for pay. I don't have any bad money habits as a result, and my volunteer work really helped me in the future with college admissions, graduate admisions, and future job searching. I got opportunities that I don't think my friends working at McDonalds had.

My parents, however, didn't indulge my every whim with regards to money. Sure, I got the necessities, and didn't really have to worry about money when I was in high school and college, but I could never go to expensive restaurants, buy expensive shoes and clothes, or fancy gadgets.

So?
Your one tiny experience doesn't mean that just letting a kid volunteer and make no income will guarantee they are good money managers. Maybe you should have went with a paid job, maybe you could have gained some common sense.

Am I the only one who loved her summer minimum wage work experiences?

Not that I loved every minute, but mostly it was very doable work that I didn't have to stress over or bring home with me. And in each one I learned so much (about other people, and about whatever niche it was. Now I know what a motel maid's life is like, a little. What it's like to be a server. Or work in retail.)

I think you should encourage your daughter to work more hours (if you're talking about the summer. 10 hrs is plenty if it's in the school year.) But I don't think you should worry about whether it's paid or volunteer work, unless your family really needs the money. Often there are better opportunities in volunteer work. Just make sure she takes it seriously and treats it like a real job. (not calling in sick if she wants to go to the beach or whatever.)

Anonymous wrote:My kids know the rule: If you want to go to college, you have to pay for it.

Oldest worked her ass off at school and got a full ride to a good college, second worked 40hrs/week during summers starting 9th grade and had part time jobs during the school year and is paying essentially out of pocket + a few scholarships. Youngest one is currently a sophomore and relying on loans plus a little saved up over her high school career.

Our kids knew that they had to do the work to get jobs. Some parents can "hire" their kid at their own company, but we couldn't, and wouldn't. Some might see it as mean or bad parenting, but you have to realize that we won't be able to pay for their first house, or their wedding, or their graduate school. If we pay for their college, they never will learn to pull their own way. They will expect us to bail out their bad decisions. And if DD1 couldn't find a job over the summer and needed a bit more money, we would probably loan her a bit (with interest) as we know she is a hardworking adult who will pay us back.

I see parents paying for their kids to go to college, and it makes me sad. Those are kids who will never truly be independent. We could pay for college for our kids, but we decided that it was not our jobs.

I think you're a little off base. I admire the independence you're encouraging, and if your children can get scholarships or earn their spending money, that's great. But in this country the system is not really set up for kids to pay their own way (if they don't get scholarships.) It's just too expensive. No amount of high school working can pay for it (while maintaining the grades to get INTO college.) I think it's great that one child got scholarships, and one can mostly pay it herself with money she earned plus scholarships. But your youngest is relying on loans. For many people that's the only option. But you say you can afford to pay for college. If you can afford it, I think it's much better for all of you as a family to avoid your daughter emerging from college with a terrible loan debt burden. There have been many articles about how many students are graduating and spending decades trying to pay back that burden.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have zero preference re paid work vs. volunteering. But only 10 hours a week seems like too much free time that is not filled up with anything productive.

Sounds like a Princess SAHM in training.

Because SAHMs cleaning the house, wiping puke and poo, caring for their children and husband, putting food on the table and amking sure the working husband's back is kept free live such princess lives...LOL And no, I'm not a SAHM. But I AM disgusted at that kind of comment.

I might have a different opinion than everyone else, and I haven't read all of the answers, but my parents allowed me the opportunity to volunteer as a young person instead of forcing me to get a job for pay. I don't have any bad money habits as a result, and my volunteer work really helped me in the future with college admissions, graduate admisions, and future job searching. I got opportunities that I don't think my friends working at McDonalds had.

My parents, however, didn't indulge my every whim with regards to money. Sure, I got the necessities, and didn't really have to worry about money when I was in high school and college, but I could never go to expensive restaurants, buy expensive shoes and clothes, or fancy gadgets.

My teen, who has applied to countless places since she turned 16 last year, finally landed a job yesterday.

Many places told her they only hire those 18 and over. She really put in a lot of effort and got nowhere (no retail or restaurant experience, just babysitting), so I'm thrilled that her hard work has paid off.

Now my concern shifts to juggling work and school and finding time to eat in between. It's always something!

Anonymous wrote:My kids know the rule: If you want to go to college, you have to pay for it.

Oldest worked her ass off at school and got a full ride to a good college, second worked 40hrs/week during summers starting 9th grade and had part time jobs during the school year and is paying essentially out of pocket + a few scholarships. Youngest one is currently a sophomore and relying on loans plus a little saved up over her high school career.

Our kids knew that they had to do the work to get jobs. Some parents can "hire" their kid at their own company, but we couldn't, and wouldn't. Some might see it as mean or bad parenting, but you have to realize that we won't be able to pay for their first house, or their wedding, or their graduate school. If we pay for their college, they never will learn to pull their own way. They will expect us to bail out their bad decisions. And if DD1 couldn't find a job over the summer and needed a bit more money, we would probably loan her a bit (with interest) as we know she is a hardworking adult who will pay us back.

I see parents paying for their kids to go to college, and it makes me sad. Those are kids who will never truly be independent. We could pay for college for our kids, but we decided that it was not our jobs.

This is a tremendous overstatement and generalization.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teenager can't get a job. 9 applications and not one call back. Word on the street from other moms of teens is illegal aliens are cheaper and more dependable. Most mall, fast food and department stores hire people that barely speak a lick of English. You never see teens working. It is sad.

I would stick with the volunteering but keep trying. Good luck.

In this economy, 9 applications is not very much. And it is true that an undocumented worker is, in general, far more dependable than a teenager - - most undocumented workers are working for their families that depend on them, where teens are typically just working for discretionary spending money and can skip shifts to catch up on studying, make out with a girlfriend, enjoy good weather, etc...or quit on a whim when the school year ends or summer is over. It makes more sense to hire someone who stays around long-term and is reliable.

That said, your teen should look into seasonal work like landscaping, or more entreprenurial work like babysitting. Lots of $$ to be made for people who are willing to hustle.

Landscaping?? My husband's brother company went bankrupt about 8yrs ago to all the undocumented companies that all of you richies want to hire to save a buck. There are no more legal American landscaping companies around. How do you expect the PP's teen to get a landscaping job in this area these days.

But yes, since illegal immigrants will work for pennies and you are all okay to hire them, the legal teens can't find jobs. Then everyone wonders why legal and illegal people are on welfare from your tax money. Welcome to ass-backwards America.

Anonymous wrote:My teenager can't get a job. 9 applications and not one call back. Word on the street from other moms of teens is illegal aliens are cheaper and more dependable. Most mall, fast food and department stores hire people that barely speak a lick of English. You never see teens working. It is sad.

I would stick with the volunteering but keep trying. Good luck.

In this economy, 9 applications is not very much. And it is true that an undocumented worker is, in general, far more dependable than a teenager - - most undocumented workers are working for their families that depend on them, where teens are typically just working for discretionary spending money and can skip shifts to catch up on studying, make out with a girlfriend, enjoy good weather, etc...or quit on a whim when the school year ends or summer is over. It makes more sense to hire someone who stays around long-term and is reliable.

That said, your teen should look into seasonal work like landscaping, or more entreprenurial work like babysitting. Lots of $$ to be made for people who are willing to hustle.

Anonymous wrote:My teenager can't get a job. 9 applications and not one call back. Word on the street from other moms of teens is illegal aliens are cheaper and more dependable. Most mall, fast food and department stores hire people that barely speak a lick of English. You never see teens working. It is sad.

I would stick with the volunteering but keep trying. Good luck.

Same problem with us too. And really if they get a job, more than half the employees will speak Spanish around them anyway. I never see teens mowing lawns and working in the malls anymore. They are getting bumped before college and then spend a ton in loans and can't get a job after college. Starting to think trade schools are the way to go. Electricians make more than I do with a masters degree.