In high school and college, I always had a job. I had a paper route, mowed lawns, shoveled driveways, worked in a hydroponic spinach factory, maintained the Appalachian Trail, split firewood, baked pies, drove a taxi… You get the idea. For me, it was an economic necessity. But in retrospect it was the life lessons I encountered, not the money, that ended up having the most enduring value.
My kids don’t need to work, but they do anyway. Work teaches the value of a dollar, builds self-esteem and provides valuable practice conducting oneself on the job.
My fourteen-year-old daughter works most Saturday mornings at a hair salon managing the register, booking appointments, folding laundry or whatever else needs to be done. This summer she has also been working at a local children’s bookstore. When she gets back from work, she’s often physically tired but emotionally energized. She loves the responsibility with which she is entrusted. She enjoys the relationships and the positive feedback for a job well done. She especially loves the paycheck.
Sometimes work is a bummer. Our daughter was invited to Lake Tahoe with a friend, but she had already committed to her job at the bookstore. My wife discussed with her what it means to make a commitment to an employer, and while she was disappointed, in the end she was fine with missing out on the trip with her friend.
For our twelve-year-old daughter, work opportunities are more limited. In California, you have to be fourteen to obtain a work permit, but babysitting and odd jobs are often available. Neighbors know that she will to watch their kids, feed their pets, water their plants or take in packages while they are out of town. And for her too, you can see the pride she has in being entrusted with a neighbor’s house key.
With sports and academics, it’s all too easy to think there is no time for our children to get a job, but I would strongly argue that work is too valuable an experience to miss out on.
