<p>Our kids are big into the swimming thing so...coaching, teaching swim lessons and lifeguarding keep them close to what they have always loved in the summer, plus house/dog sitting for people when they go away--pays great money!!!!!!</p>
<p>I always find it interesting on here.. because where I live, not many people take AP courses (even though they are offered), and pretty much everyone works during high school. I remember when i got my first job.. i started the day after my 14th birthday, and my friends didn't think it was weird or anything. Same with my sister and my cousin that lives with us... and pretty much everyone else that I know at home.</p>
<p>So to see all of these kids doing things over summers or never working is really weird for me.. because that just doesn't happen where i'm from.</p>
<p>About half of my son's friends work during the school year - but we decided as a family that school would be his job during the year. He will be working at scout camp again this year - doesn't pay that well, but has some of the elements of a vacation, and <em>they</em> feed him. Hopefully, he will find a better-paying position next year. </p>
<p>Some of the kids in our area work at theme parks during the summer.</p>
<p>One job I don't recommend - working on an ore boat on the great lakes like my husband did. Ugh. Provided incentive, though - he always found work in a college research lab after that for the summer!</p>
<p>My D wants a summer job even though she is tired from her freshman year because she realizes she needs to begin establishing a good resume. Her problem has been her age; many of the jobs she would like and that have more clout will not hire a 17-year-old. So, the search continues.</p>
<p>volunteer work is a great way to test out a field when you don't have the skills to get a paying job.
By volunteering at a younger age than she would have begun working D was able to get a paying job that she was really interested in .
However- I do not want to discount those jobs which may seem low skilled, like fast food/cashiering etc. they are not very glamourous but teens can show their work ethic and gain skills that will serve them well in the future.
Not many of us have been able to start out at the level we think we are worth, with the pay to which we would like to be accustomed.
My jobs in high school included ( besides that teen girl basic babysitting) working in the kitchen of a nursing home, cleaning out dog runs and in junior high to earn money for school clothes, picking strawberries.
They all taught me something- and I even lasted more than a year in the kitchen help job :)</p>
<p>We're flipping the advice: summer school to accomplish something that could not be easily done during the schoolyear, and work during senior year when the applications are done (or mostly done).</p>
<p>At our house the kids groan when I tell them "work builds character."</p>
<p>Up the street at our neighbors house, the code words are "it's a life-building experience."</p>
<p>
"Character-building, not money-making" were the code words at our house for S first summer job. At 14, he was limited in hours he could work, and got a job at an ice cream shop whose owners we knew. Location was 25 minutes away, so we would drop him off and seemed like we had to turn around and pick him up almost as soon as we got home. <em>He</em> made $, but with cost of gas, it was probably a money-loser for us. LOL. Point was the learning experience.</p>
<p>Our requirement has been something constructive each summer - once it was a college course; other summers various typical jobs. Earn his spending $, save for college spending $, learn the work ethic, life skills,co-worker skills that others have spoken of. Not to mention, that $6/hour type jobs are not what you'd want to do over the long haul. In fact, S has complained that all of his different summer jobs have been B-o-o-ring. Bingo!</p>
<p>Note to mods: Seem to be duplicate threads here. Is there any way to combine?</p>
<p>Where we live, many students work during the school year and many as well in summer and I'd say that is the majority. In fact, it is quite the contrast to what I read on CC in terms of kids' activity lists. Even the local kids who do ECs seem to also work part time and most of them spend their summers working. In fact, it bemuses me in the last couple of years that wherever I go in town, the supermarket, the restaurants, the shops, both my kids' peers seem to be waiting on me and I remember them all as little kids and the tables are turned...they now wait on me, lol. </p>
<p>As far as my own kids, both were heavily involved in ECs every afternoon, night and weekend while in high school which made it difficult to work and those other things were a bigger priority (as well as schoolwork, of course). For my oldest, currently a college freshman, during junior year, she was only able to work weekend nights during foliage season and during the holiday vacation at a local country inn where she helped serve dinners with the owner. She loved it by the way and saved up all her earnings. She could not do it in winter due to having to be up at the crack of dawn on weekends for ski races every Sat. and Sun. I believe she earned $8/hour at the time. In senior year, she was able to work there every Saturday night and again saved up all her earnings. On occasion she also babysat. Then in second semester of senior year, our dance studio asked her to take over teaching a tap dance class to middle school aged dancers because the teacher had to take a leave and she was paid each week to teach (though loved it so much she'd have done it for free, I am sure). Again, saved it all up. Her summers were spent out of state at various programs so she did not work. Though, when she got back the August prior to senior year, she did an internship with a stipend at an architect's office as she wanted to explore that field further as she was contemplating a college major in this area. The pay in that case was secondary. </p>
<p>However, we told the kids that the summer after graduation, they had to stay home and work and earn additional spending money for college. So, oldest did that last summer.....she had two jobs....one was bussing tables at a restaurant and she earned at least $10/hour and the second one was teaching tennis primarily in a day program for children (loves working with kids) at a local resort and she got paid $10/hour. She went off to college having saved up thousands of dollars from these jobs. She did not need all of it for the first year, plus we also give her an allowance and pay for books. But now she has this nest egg not only for expenses while at school, but if she needs it in subsequent summers. For instance, this summer she is driving to Alaska and there are expenses involved and she has this savings from her prior jobs. She is going to an intensive architecture program at Harvard Design School and is paying most of her way with her prior earnings and then she has her job back for the month she will be home at the raquet club resort and so she will earn money again. </p>
<p>Second child was way scheduled during high school and also went away every summer. She has babysat around once/month and earns $10/hour which I find amazing! This year, one family is paying my D $25/hour to give their daughter vocal coaching, again I can't believe how much she earns doing these things as she is just sixteen. This summer she was to stay home and earn money like her sister did to take to college and to have if needed in upcoming summers. She really wanted to go back to her theater camp because she is just sixteen and I did not want to pay for that because she has college this year. She got a lot of the tuition as a gift when she turned down a school trip offer to France from her grandparents cause she wanted three weeks at theater camp instead. She is going. But when she returns, she has to earn money. So, first she is in a professional musical theater production locally but gets a stipend for it. Then she and a friend have organized and will direct their own musical theater program for kids ages 9-14 for two weeks in August which will culminate in a musical cabaret production my D will create. They are currently enrolling kids and if it goes as planned, she personally stands to earn as much as $3500 for those two weeks, unless the enrollment does not fill up. She also earned quite alot of money doing several professional shows when younger and we saved it in an account for her to take to college so she has her earnings for that now. </p>
<p>I think if there are no obvious jobs where you live, you can always create a job. I knew she'd be hard pressed to find a job for a short period of time but she made her own. </p>
<p>When I was growing up, I went to camp every summer but after I graduated high school, I went back as a camp counselor. But in senior year of high school, kids at my school were kinda apathetic and not that involved in ECs like they are today (plus it was a HUGE high school) and so if one had enough credits, you could attend senior year for half day and get a job and I did that and worked at a shoe store at a mall. Once in junior year, I worked at a sporting goods store at a mall and lost my job for a mistake I made on the cash register and for some reason, my mom likes to tell my kids that story and they never let me forget it, LOL. Math was my best subject, by the way! I worked summers during college, usually in programs with children as that was my field as well. My hubby grew up working in a folk music cafe and bussing tables in restaurants and at a horse race track. When in graduate school (we were married but young) he not only bussed tables in fine restaurants in Boston, but also drove a Boston Cab!</p>
<p>I truly believe it is a good experience when young, to have done a more "menial" or service type job. It really is part of a growth experience.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>I have such mixed feelings about h.s. students working. Certainly, I feel like working during the summer is a wonderful thing. It teaches financial responsibility, independence and it is an eye-opener for those who may have been quick-to-spend in the past. </p>
<p>Early last summer, my DD got a job scooping ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Although the pay was minimal, it truly instilled a sense of pride and independence in her. Since getting her job, she has not asked us for a single penny. She makes a car payment ($25) every month based on what we figured she could afford with just 10-15 hours per week. She also pays for all her gas and her entertainment. She purchases gifts for family and friend's birthdays, Christmas and other occcasions and buys some of her own clothing (extras that I wouldn't necessarily buy). She has worked there for nearly a year, but had to recently give notice ... she's going to Girls State and Governor's School this summer. Her boss did tell her he would hold her job for her during the six weeks she is gone or would give her first priority should she decided to ever return to work there. </p>
<p>Although I am extremely proud of the way she has balanced her very busy schedule of school (APs), mock trial, teen court, piano lessons, work, etc., I must say that I would be happy to see her not work during her senior year. DH disagrees with me. He thinks the responsibility and independence she has shown during the past year is, in great part, due to her job. I remember working during high school and not being able to participate in some of the activities I loved. I had to quit basketball and track. I want her to have a fabulous senior year and to have fun, too. She's worked so hard. She's taking several AP classes next year and has a multitude of activities in which she will be involved. </p>
<p>Like ermaldkity4 mentioned, volunteering is a wonderful way to go, especially if someone isn't old enough or doesn't have the skills to get a paying job. D volunteered (tutored) during her 10th grade year at the Boys & Girls Club. Recently, she mentioned going back as a volunteer now that she may have an extra couple of hours. It made her feel very good to be needed and to actually see some of the kids "get it" when she explained something to them.</p>
<p>Volunteering is a wonderful way to gain life's experiences. Unfortunately, for some employers or in terms of a resume, D was told this would not have value. No kidding. They wanted to see were she had worked before they would employ her. Kind of a vicious circle in some ways. Fortunately, one of the member warehouse club managers recognized her computer skills and maturity and will waive their age requirement (18) to work as a cashier this summer.</p>
<p>From an employer's perspective, the problem with volunteer work is that agencies which use volunteers generally don't turn people away or have expectations of the volunteers that are as stringent as what employers typically expect. A volunteer can show up late, or change their schedule to take off for vacation, or chat on their cell phone while on duty, refuse some tasks or assignments in favor of doing others, or be the least efficient worker in the place -- and they generally keep their position and are still welcome to return. Volunteers are often extremely helpful, but in the work world, they are not considered dependable -- it's the nature of what they are: people voluntarily giving of their time, NOT people who have entered into a contractual obligation. </p>
<p>Volunteer work in a closely related field can be helpful, but I still think employers want to see a history of paid work as well. I think there is also a subtle message with paid work: "I was valuable enough that someone paid me to do something."</p>
<p>Exactly, Calmom. The paid work carries a sense of responsibility with it that volunteer work does not, deservedly or not.</p>
<p>My D got a job after midterm grades came out. She too has to schedule her work hours around her AP tests, study groups, choir performances and finals, not to mention her prom. I am so pleased that she is able to coordinate everything. I had always discouraged her from working in the past, thought her grades would be compromised, but I'm now starting to think it might have been a good idea even as a junior. I think it's helped her become more organized, and has certainly helped her in understanding the value of a dollar. She's now talking about getting a second job over the summer. She likes the extra cash.</p>
<p>They wanted to see were she had worked before they would employ her.</p>
<p>That is a bit of a catch 22, isn't it? My D is 17 and inexperienced too and many places wouldn't hire her. She ended up at a cart in the mall. It's not bad really. She has learned to handle payments, reconcile the cash at the end of the day, schmooze customers. The next time she is in the market, she will have something on her resume. I agree that although there is much to be said for volunteering, it isn't held in as high regard in the "real world." When you have a good work record at a menial job, future employers respect that.</p>
<p>Luckyme,</p>
<p>I think it's great that she has taken on a job as a junior. Even the Common App has a place for jub/work experience on it, so it wil ladd to her college applications.</p>
<p>DVMmom, </p>
<p>Supervising cart or kiosk sales in a mall sounds like a terrific and even challenging way to go. One of the challenges I can see is having to keep an eye on merchandise ("loss prevention," as they say) while also selling to customers. It will give her great experience.</p>
<p>My daughter was lucky to have had a lot of responsibility and leadership in her volunteer job. Volunteers did most of the work caring for, exercising, cleaning up after and feeding the ponies while they were supervised by a paid staff person.
They learned how to handle herd animals in all weather- and dealt with a lot of hands on experience you wouldn't get anywhere else like how to move people along when there is a monkey loose.
She learned to not only work as a team with the other pony leaders, but she trained a young pony to be ridden and summers the leader gave pony rides to children. Working with parents and kids as well as ponies in an artifical stressful situtation.
The paying job that she eventually also started as a volunteer job. At the residential camp where she taught riding she first was an intern, then a wrangler in training before she was riding staff.
She then moved into a job where she was doing more science ( working at a flight museum) but still working with kids- she did that for a few years, last year she worked as a naturalist on a saltwater beach at a nature day camp- so she has progressively been doing more science while still using her skills working with kids.
I think she is really looking forward to her computer job this fall however- she tells me she is getting a promotion to a flunky. ;)</p>
<p>Hi Parents. There were two threads going on simultaneously for some reason on "Summer Job?" and it was getting confusing. I have merged the two threads into one. However, this action means that all the posts are put into chronological order and therefore, the posts from one thread are interspersed with ones from the other (though on the same topic) and it may read now in such a way as that one post under another may not seem to be responding to the one right before it. Then again, as often is the case on a thread, people sign on at different times of day and choose to respond to a post ten posts back anyway, so it is not that far fetched. However, bear with it because these posts are comingled and posters did not necessarily read all the prior posts before posting. Good topic....keep it going!
CollegeMom</p>