Part-time jobs during the school year

I think its a little bit ridiculous that my parents expect me to have a part-time job while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, getting a high score on the ACT, and dancing on a studio competition team. I’ve been trying to reason with them, telling them that I would work 24/7 in the summer just so I wouldn’t have to work during the school year, but they won’t listen and its so frustrating.
I think summer jobs are great, but working during the school year is just too much nowadays. What do you guys think?

I think you need to try to get a part-time job, during school semesters, just to “shut them up”. My kids had so many activities and homework during the school year, that they had NO time to work.

No one was going to hire them around sports commitments after school. No one was going to hire them if weekends were inconsistently used for school EC’s and homework. Plus, for a while, transportation was an issue. Are your parents willing to drive you everywhere and pick you up from anywhere?

So, you need to say, “okay, but you need to take me and bring me back to all of these places where I will apply”

I had a part time job throughout the past 2 years of school and I’m not going to lie it was very difficult at points, and in hindsight I kind of which I’d focused more on school work and extra curriculars - BUT then I wouldn’t have savings and a car and stuff…
If you can find a job for a few hours a week then try it, but if you’re getting so stressed out and busy your parents really should notice and tell you to stop. My parents were always very firm with work interfering with school, but I guess it depends how much your parents value education (mine are big on it)

Would not recommend at all. These part time jobs take up your time and can cause immense stress while juggling the 800 other things you have to do. I’m speaking from experience because my parents did the exact same thing. I think it’s so sad that parents will demand their kids have a part time job while going to school and pursuing extra curricular interests.

Think about it like this. You go to school around 7 hours each day for five days a week. That’s 35 hours a week. That is basically or should be your full time job. Then put the hours you probably spend each day doing homework. That could be around 3 a day…so now you’re at 50 hours a week. And that’s without including any extra curriculars. And add a part time job (usually around 20 hrs) on top of that? 70 hours a week working.

That’s ridiculous, and no one would expect an adult to work that much. Do the math and show them. Your education is more important than the minimal benefits of a job at a restaurant or store. The only exception I would see is if your parents themselves are struggling and they need supplemental income just so you all can survive.

In my opinion, it’s your parent’s responsibility to provide you all of your needs (and some luxuries too if they can afford to) until you have your own full time job and are out of college. Before then, it’s your responsibility to focus on your education.

If only all parents agreed with me. LOL.

If your parents won’t reason with you, and it would first be advisable to ask/understand why they want you to have the job, then my suggestion would be to put in a few applications. Most will ask what days and time you are available. It sounds as though with your schedule you will not have much time, and you could mark down you are not available school days. It will probably work in your favor as very few places will hire someone who is only available one or two days a week.

I had a part time job from August to December this year, and it has been a learning experience for me to say the least. I originally applied at the end of the school year last year, and they didn’t get back to me until August because the main supervisor didn’t know how to pronounce my name. Things were good for a while. In August, I didn’t have very many conflicts, only twice a week marching band rehearsals. September was good, because school likes to do this thing where things start off relatively easy and then get worse and harder throughout the year haha. Life started gettings stressful around November and into December, until my parents saw how stressed I was becoming and made me quit at the end of the year. There was getting to be more homework, competitions for marching band every weekend, pretty much, and the work environment was even more stressful.

From this sucky experience, I’ve decided that I’m only going to try and do summer jobs, because high school is stressful enough even without a part-time jobs. Especially for those of us on CC, who pride themselves on extremely high grades, being extremely involved in ECs and community service, and put a painstakingly large amount of time applying to colleges.

So, in your case, I would suggest to tell them in a collected manner why you know your limits and feel that you shouldn’t have a job during the school year.

DS worked during the school year (his decision, not ours) but applied to a business that maintained only limited winter hours. He was ideal for them because he didn’t want more hours, and he was pretty much assured that he’d never have to work more than 6-8 hours a week.

If you could find something like that (a venue that does weddings, a nursery, a maket with weekend only hours, etc.), you could make your parents happy and preserve your sanity.

Since you are on a studio competition team, can you check there to see if you can teach a younger class? Or even sub for the regular instructors? My daughter is in ballet - I completely understand the schedule - and this year she teaches a beginning ballet class one time a week. It looks great on paper for her, and she really enjoys it.

Last summer she had her first job, and she worked like a dog as a restaurant hostess. She made quite a bit of money, and thought about doing it during the school year. We both realized that was nuts. She was lucky she didn’t have to, financially.

Maybe you could tutor? Do something that’s only a couple hours a week?

I agree, though, that no one will hire you if you can only work every other Thursday. You might luck out, lol.