I know it’s early, but after having D home for 3 weeks at Christmas, I’m worried about having her occupied during the summer. When she is home on breaks she sleeps and watches Netflix … understandable after her rigorous academic program, but not acceptable for almost 4 months in the summer. She doesn’t really have any friends here, and the ones she does have live 45 minutes away.
We’ve signed her up for a one-month theater program in July that runs from 9-2. I’d love for her to find a part time job to earn spending money, but I’m not sure that’s possible at age 15 if she’s only home for the summer. She has no interest in babysitting. Volunteering is an option if it doesn’t involve transportation expenses. And frankly, between school tuition and the theater camp, we can spend any more $ on summer classes, etc.
Any other creative ideas, or things that I’m missing? She found a free online course that interests her (through Coursera) but I’m not sure that’s really enough.
It is tough at that age. Maybe I am reading between the lines inaccurately but she seems a little unmotivated. I gather she doesn’t play any sports? Maybe join a cheap gym and she could get some exercise? Mine are always playing on summer leagues, clinics, camps–local town stuff is pretty cheap. How about a light cleaning business where she makes flyers and drops them off at peoples doors?
A summer job was one of the best things that ever happened to my kid. The benefits of this are substantial… and I am not just talking about having the extra spending money. Learning to be accountable, responsible, showing up on time, importance of work ethic and positive attitude, the independence of earning one’s own money… the list goes on and on. She has worked every summer since she was 14, and they are always happy to have her come back on school breaks during the year.
In our city, there is a really inexpensive tennis program offered in the afternoons at local school and park courts. My kids also did a laid back track program two nights a week. They could get to both of these by bike.
Have her look for a job or start her own! This may sounds cliche but I walk dogs in the summer try calling up smaller stores like candy stores or pet stores and see if they need help, or see if your local hospital or children’s hospital has any candy striped like programs. Would she ever have an interest in being a camp counselor?
Thanks, everyone. I appreciate your ideas very much.
@Center - She’s not unmotivated, and in fact wants to get a job but the only place that we know of that will hire 15 year-olds will not allowed unnaturally colored hair; and also, her older sister worked there and hated it.
@cameo43 - I agree with you on the value of work. The challenge will be to find someone that will hire her and be willing to train her for summer only (her other breaks are too short to really work). Most places I’ve checked (local bookstore, coffee shop) require you to be 16.
@CheddarcheeseMN - city programs are a great idea. I’ll see if they have the schedule up yet. Tennis would be great. She’s not super athletic but tennis would probably work.
@cababe97 - Camp counselor won’t work because she can’t work the entire month of July (and school doesn’t get out here until the end of June and that’s when camp starts). But yeah, she’s going to have to canvass some places. The hospital is an interesting idea. I’ve got the library on the short list of volunteer opportunities, too (they don’t have funds to pay).
In our area at 15 you can get a job as a lifeguard. Yes, you have to take a class but they are usually just over one long weekend. If she swims that is a really good job for the summer that can be repeated year after year. My kids continue even in college at their schools a few hours a week
There are plenty of jobs out there for 15 year olds if she looks hard enough. Every fast food chain around here (Burger King, MickeyDs, Papa Ginos etc) hire 14 year olds. Look at long term care facilities…they are always looking for kitchen help. Mow lawns, babysit, walk dogs. And honestly, if the only job that hires 14 year olds doesn’t employ her because of her hair color maybe she needs to change that. Real life: lots of employers don’t want kids with purple hair, multiple piercings/tattoos, and an inability to dress professionally. Never too early to learn that those things are choices you make that can have an affect on your employability.
Also you might consider letting her visit a friend from school in another part of the country and hosting a friend in return. Our kids think this is one of the best parts about having friends around the country. Really breaks up the summer.
Our kids have also volunteered as camp counsellors for week long day camps in our town (camp invention). If she loves animals- she if she can volunteer at an animal shelter or vet clinic.
@skieurope, looks like volunteer is the way we’ll likely go. With D’s OK, I called every coffee shop and fast food place within a 15-minute drive, and minimum age is always 16 (or 18 at some places). Even the local bookstore is 16. When you add in the fact that her hours would be limited all of July, it seems like volunteer would be more realistic.
Around here, day camps make teens pay for the privilege of being CITs, and they only hire from their pool of previous campers. But if you keep looking, you may luck out. My daughter found an art camp that gave her some hours at age 15 and even more last summer at age 16. I hope she stays with it; it pays better than the usual options.
After my years of research on selective Summer programs for high school students, my BS freshman ended up not applying for anything. Nothing available for her at the moment seemed to offer substantially different experience than her BS experience.
After all that sleep and Netflix, I think she will be reading and do lots of arts eventually. If I get really lucky, she might take a local class which I am not hopeful.
My kids would put up flyers in the local library and pizza place offering their labor for things like pet sitting, babysitting, weeding, and other assorted jobs. It was a good way to earn some extra $ and it also gave them some flexibility to work a schedule around anything else they might have had going on. They could always turn down a job if they had a conflict. (being paid under the table was another fringe benefit. )
Ah, @doschicos, as I read this, I see industry! Not the slackers you described in the other thread
Baby sitting, pet sitting, and teaching skills (like swimming) are in high demand over the summer. If you live in an area where there are produce stands or farmers markets, people are often happy to hAve a teen represent them at the roadside or at a table.
@gardenstategal Neither is lazy by any means just not that studious sometimes, at least relatively speaking. They’d rather be doing. They are my favorite people just the way they are. :x
try calling up smaller stores like candy stores or pet stores and see if they need help, or see if your local hospital or children’s hospital has any candy striped like programs. Would she ever have an interest in being a camp counselor?
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