@NJWrestlingmom McDonalds hires at 15 if that’s any help.
One of my friends proclaimed that the rich kids in our area are spoiled, not interesting in working, no work ethic, whiling away the summer hanging out downtown or at the beach, etc.etc. My child, who has 2 summer jobs, immediately debunked his statements naming a bunch of wealthy kids who were working at the local grocery stores, in retail and in restaurants as dishwashers, hostesses. My child shut him down stating, “besides, it is cool to have a job!”.
To add onto the McDonald’s comment, I’ve worked at McDonald’s for a year and a half and it was an amazing first job for me. With the new tuition assistance program ($2,500 sent straight to the school as long as you’ve worked an average of 15 hours/week for 90 days) it makes an amazing summer job!
I had classmates telling me they needed money for college, and when I gave them the McDonald’s spiel I got almost consistent responses of “I would never work at McDonald’s!” To me, if it makes the difference between loans or no loans, you should suck it up and take the job!
@annabanabelle, good for you! Wow, that’s an amazing benefit for McDonald’s to offer.
@annabanabelle It’s funny, isn’t it, how honest work in fast food can be below someone with no money and no work experience?
You’d be amazed how many F500 CEOs and many other business leaders site McDs as their first job. Brings back great memories actually. You really do work your butt off but you quickly learn who the stars are during a rush. Lot more difficult than most people think. Great training for dealing with stress and difficult situations.
Thanks @bjkmom unfortunately the nearest McDonald’s is a 15/20 minute drive. Hopefully next summer she can get something at the local pizza or ice cream shop. And we have to start looking in February!
I guess it is all relative but everything is at least a 15 minute drive from our house. 
I don’t think it’s immigrants per se, rather adult immigrants. They aren’t subject to the same scheduling constraints as high school kids.
How times have changed… D (16) has a job a few miles away. She does not have her drivers license yet so it requires my wife or I to be available to take her and pick up. Pretty inconvenient on the weekends as she typically works 5 - 10:30 pm. Cuts in to our social life quite a bit.
My dad would have said, walk, ride your bike, hitch hike, find a ride. I’m not taking you. I already have a job… I used to ride my bike to open a restaurant at 5 am over the summer. No way that’s happening today.
So we get inconvenienced but are willing to sacrifice because it’s good for her and will solve itself soon.
Summer jobs are not difficult to find where I live, but it can be competitive so kids have to start looking pretty early. Waiting until April, May (or June) to look will definitely limit the options. Both of my kids work seasonal jobs–lifeguarding and/or coaching.
I would say that nearly all of my daughter’s friends worked. There were plenty of summer job opportunities. Most worked in fast food/restaurants, dd included.
One of my kids rode a bike to a high school job. If the weather was bad, we’d drop off and pick up or let kiddo borrow a car. Sometimes, a coworker would drop him off late at night. It worked fine.
My older kid, out of college, rides a bike to work on days when it isn’t too hot, too cold, or precipitating. Most of this kid’s peers do the same.
@annabanabelle so glad to hear you say what you did about McD’s. I took a 3rd (yep) job there when I was in college in the late 80’s making $7/hr which, by the way, was great pay back then - well above minimum. I worked with all college kids just like me and used it as a back up when I couldn’t initially secure a job in my field during the early 90’s recession. I worked as a manager until I got my first “dream” job after a year out of school. To this day I credit McD’s with the majority of my professional work ethic and use the skills I learned there daily.
It was a great place for me to learn how to deal with stressful situations (cue the busses coming in!) and difficult people. The best part-time job that taught me life long lessons…great to hear there are still kids who appreciate it. Kudos to you!
I think tomorrow I’ll be driving through our McDonalds for an iced coffee! =D>
When I visited my daughter in Philly the last couple of days, my friends and I ate in the restaurant where she works and she waited on us. She did a good job! She said it’s MUCH easier than her job at the YMCA last year, where she and two other 19-year-olds took care of 60 kids at times!!
Relatively off topic- did use the McDonald’s drive through the other day when I was on the road for work. The boy who served me looked so familiar I had to ask - yup, I went to college and was friends with both his mom and dad! He looks just like her! I think he thought I was crazy at first…but what a coincidence!
Many families travel so teens have little choice. To be fair, travelling isn’t a waste as its a different sort of education. Some do volunteer work, academic/research or extra-curricular stuff as during academic year, their schedules doesn’t allow spending much time on out of school activities. They may not earn much but help many and learn different skills. Many have to study extra to make decent enough scores to earn merit money, their fast food jobs won’t pay college tuition.
@NJWrestlingmom Wow! That resemblance must be uncanny and you have quite an eye! :-B