Fredericksburg Parent

30 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • August 2023 When talking to my teen about getting a job, I have earnest conversations about time and logistics. I ask him these ques- tions: • Will it interfere with your grades and/or after school commitments? • What happens when you have a conflict and you can't work? • How will you get to/from work? • How will you divvy up your paycheck? It definitely doesn't all gonto spending! My teen is not expected to work and he has a lot of opportuni- ties to make money around our house. At this time he is really money driven and I certainly don't want to crush his drive or chance to test out the real world. He's definitely good at plead- ing his case and weighing his options. His father and I will sup- port his decision either way and we'll help him navigate this next step in financial independence. While my job was not a great choice for my social life, it did keep me out of (some) trouble in high school and definitely taught me how to be punctual, trustworthy, and reliable. If your teen can juggle it all, it will allow them to learn some money management skills and hopefully some financial prowess. family money WRITTEN BY NIKKI DUCAS All summer long my 14 ½ year old has been jonesing to work. While he is not quite old enough to get an after school job, his eagerness has me thinking about logistics. With homework, volun- teering, practices and games, scout meetings, and family vacations, does he truly have time for an after school job? There are several things to consider when helping your teen decide if an after school job is right for them. Be sure to hash out the pros and cons before saying yea or nay. When I was in high school, I really wanted an after school job. I remember inquiring about jobs at an ice cream shop, a grocery store and the dry cleaners in the local strip mall within walk- ing distance of my house. After much thought, I took a job at a Chinese restaurant as a hostess on the weekends. While I wasn't expected to work, I liked the idea of financial inde- pendence and prided myself on taking the initiative of being more responsible. When I started working, I only worked four hours on a Saturday evening, but by the end of high school I added more hours on Friday and Sunday nights. As a teen, 12 hours standing on my feet on the weekends was plenty of time but it was really the paycheck that made it all worthwhile. When deciding on a job, I found that an after school job was not an option since I was juggling practice, tutoring and other extra- curricular activities. That didn't even include my heavy homework load and my 30 minute commuting time to and from school. It really didn't leave much time for anything else, much less an after school job. Does Your TEEN Have Time For a JOB?

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