At what age is it time for your teen to get a job?

For this week’s Because I Said So Buck and I are answering the question “Will you make your child get a job at 16,17, or 18 years of age?”

If I switch the question around to ask ‘will I allow my child to get a job at that age’ then the answer would be yes to all of the above.  I would allow my daughter to go out and work at the age of 16 just as long as she kept her grades up, was home by curfew (not working car-hop at Sonic until midnight on school days) and was able to keep up with what was going on around the house.  In other words, if she starts living like a slob, is never home to do her school work, her grades drop and she is always too tired to help with chores… Then I’d have to step in and cut the job out.  To me the age 17 is border line adult and obviously every situation is different; whether they are in school or not, when their birthday falls, if they are moving out, maturity level, etc.  The age of 18 in my eyes is an adult and I don’t really think I could stop them at that point from getting a job.

Now to answer the original question on whether or not I would make my child get a job and at what age: I’m not real sure on the answer to be honest.  I highly suggest working at least a few hours a week as a teen.  I think it is very important to learn responsibilities and experience the real world through the work force.  I think teens should have summer jobs to help them earn their own spending money, save for their car of choice or even to just cover their car insurance.  Working and earning money helps prepare them to move out and teaches them independence.  It is very difficult for a teenager to move away from home and step into the adult world head first without being ready.  Of course at the same time I am torn between the facts that if my daughter was very busy in school and extracurricular activities and didn’t have time to work how I would handle encouraging a job.  I wouldn’t want her working to gain extra spending money to get in the way of what is most important which is her education.  I think by the age of 16 if she wants a car, gas money, insurance and the normal teenage necessities like getting her hair done and buying all the material items her heart desires then I would require her to at least get a summer job.  I would asset the part time job during the school year at that time and make a decision based on the situation at hand.

What are your thoughts?  Would you require your teen to get a job and if so at what age? Share your stories in the comments, I’d love to hear your feedback.  I wonder what Buck has to say, I’m headed over to read his post now, you coming with me?

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