Is my teen ready for a job?

Having a job can do a great deal of good for any teen. First it can provide something productive for the teen to do with their time. If teens aren't involved in many extra curricular activities or sports then they may be more prone to get into trouble. Second, it provides income for the teen to use for whatever your family agreement is. A great way to clarify what expenses belong to any teen is by using a parent contract. Teens are more than capable, most of the time, of paying for a lot of their own belongings. They can also use their income for fun money. It is always good to add that it is a chance for a teen to learn to save and respect the value of money.

On top of the advantages mentioned above it is great for a teens self esteem to know that they are contributing and being compensated for a job well done. A good work ethic is a great thing to instill in our teens today.

So how do you know if your teen is ready to work?

• The best way to know is to let your teen get a job and just watch them and listen to what they have to say. Some teens rise to the challenge and can handle it and others are not quite ready or lacking in self discipline.
• If you teen started at 13 and 14 mowing lawns, babysitting, doing odd jobs and helping people and was good at it then by 15 and 16 they are probably ready.
• Does your teen have so many other responsibilities and commitments to outside obligations and family that the job will only create added stress that may cause teen depression? If so, you may want to choose to eliminate certain activities or decide that it isn't time for a job.

While you may not want to push a young teen to work, by the time a teen is 17 you may want to urge them to start. Teens have a sense of accomplishment and appreciation when they help earn the money for their college education and other expenses.