i am not sure if this a rant or not....

[deerman]

As my wise father told us. I am not asking you, I am telling you. Make these boys look every day for a job, everyday until they find one.

Hard to find a job ,setting at home or at a friends house.

I raise 3 sons, all three want to drive at 16, my rules you must have a job,and keep up your grades.

First son had a job the day after he turned 16, and got straight A first time in his life.

All three had jobs when they were 16, not to help pay my bill. But to have their own money


Point is if they want something bad enought, they can find some kind of work.

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

Quote:
My 6 year old daughter has a list similar to that daily.
She gets an allowance that goes right into her savings account. If she wants something at a store, we check her acct balance. If she doesnt have enough she has a choice to wait and save to get it when she does or find something else she might want and buy that. If she wants something, we buy it for her then I take her to the bank remove the amount and put it into our account to cover it.

I dont get it. Sorry.
I was a SAHM for 6 years and that has been the LONGEST time I have been without my own paycheck since I was 13. And it killed me to be dependent on my dh for money.And even then I was working doing daycare(piss poor money) and making and selling fudge to help out.

But then again I am a workaholic and cant sit still. even now as I type I am working in another window!!!!!

To me all I can see is several generations of spoiled kids being allowed to continue being babies.

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

Quote:
Really? wow. I was working when I was 14. Sure my folk had to sign off on it, and it was only bagging groceries. But it was still money.
And when I was sophmore in HS you HAD to get a job, in your chosen major for the summer work program. *Agricultural HS* Not that I did since by that time I had been working for a dry cleaners and was making GOOD money. I cant imagine how half the places around here would do it if they couldnt hire anyone younger than 18.
The donut stores, the grocery stores,some of the retail clothing stores.

Wow. Just wow!

I first ran into the issue with my son when he was 16 looking for a job. At the time I didn't believe him. Now everyone I know who has teens, they can't get a job, AT ALL. I am sure it is specific to the area here, but I don't get it either. With the economy the way it is I guess businesses would rather hire someone with a family than a kid.

When I was working at dunkin donuts back in the mid 90s we had a customer tell us that "we"(the counter people) were taking jobs away from the kids. I was the only one without children that worked the second shift.
I guess "we" should have been home taking care of our husbands and children. The other women all had kids in their teens and 20s that went to HS, college or were engaged. But all of the kids were also working jobs at local retailers etc.

That said I know a few years ago the Cape and other tourist areas were all in a panic that they couldnt get teens to work the summers anymore. Not because of a law telling them they couldnt. But because the kids didnt want to work. I would have killed for a summer job on the Cape when I was a teen. But kids now just want to spend time with their friends. Either playing on the computer or sitting on the beach. I love seeing teens working. And I always give them tips. Since they are being responsible for themselves and their futures

 

[deerman]

My oldest son was a paper boy at the age of 10, he took a heck alot better care of things he got with his money, than what I got him.

Myself I start working making my own money when I was in the 4 th grade. Doing odd jobs,yard work ,etc. Went door to door, asking for work.

No reason boys 17 and 19 cant find some kind of work. Problem is they dont want it bad enought.

Not like they have to make a living at it, even if they just make 20.00 a day better than nothing.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
It must be your area then. The 14 year old that I know who was working last summer had just completed JR. HIGH! If I was in your shoes, I'd be checking anything in the fast food or grocery bagging businesses. Retail clothing stores are other places that often hire teens. Temp agencies are other places to look. I can't believe for one moment that you must be 18 to work fast food. There may even be a job board at his HS. I realize that things are tighter in the IE than they are here on the coast, but I'm certain that a young man with a persistence can find himself a job. It may not be glamorous, but that's not the idea anyway.

On the other issue, if he has not already done so, I highly recommend that he take a HS class in general living skills. Most HS's offer them. He needs to learn to balance a checkbook, make a budget, and live off of it. Sadly, so many kids these days think that money grows on trees. My 20 year old nephew is one of them, so I know very well what you're dealing with. But, if food keeps showing up after the initial food got a crack in it, rendering it "inedible", then they don't learn.

PC is right. Kids these days aren't growing up nearly as quickly as they did in years past. Sadly, our society doesn't really ask it of them and they certainly have friends whose parents will literally go into debt to buy Johnny whatever he wants. You have to live within a budget and they need to as well.

Perhaps you should include them in the solution. Education and problem solving can go a long way to offer lessons in life.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

When I read these posts I realize that we are in a tough situation as parents. When the I talk to people who grew up during the first depression, they say that they were poor, but they didn't know they were poor, because everybody they knew was poor too.

Our kids are bombarded day and night with buy, buy, buy messages that tell them that they are not good enough, not cool enough and smell bad if they don't buy XYZ product.

I try very hard to shield my kids and teach them to see through this, but it IS hard for them. And some parents! I swear - why in heavens name would you give a 6 year old an IPOD! So, of course my daughter wants one too. I told her that I didn't approve of encouraging 6 year olds to cut themselves off from the world that way.

People, even my mother in law, tell us we're too strict! But, then I overheard my mother in law talking to one of her friends and they asked her why she would risk taking such young kids to this show and MIL said, "I can take these kids anywhere! They're very pleasant, well behaved kids!" As if she had anything to do with it!

I love my kids enough to allow them to hate me.

 

[debilorrah]

Here is an example of how tough the situation is here in the High Desert: Red Robin is opening a new restaurant. My step daughter is 19 and doesn't have a job, but does have experience as a server. Over 1400 people showed up for 125 jobs. You couldn't drive down Bear Valley road that day! We have one more Sonic opening up in April... All the kids are waiting for the applications. Jobs have always been scarce around here, and now it is just nonexistent.

Your key word was persistance. How would a vial of it to inject in his fanny.

 

[WriterofWords]

I know how you feel, Steven is usually very aware of what goes on around here and right now he knows I am under severe financial restraints. I will finally be paid again the 15th, but I haven't been SINCE the 15th and we are taking a paycut anyway. I bought enough snacks to last a month, some chips, dips, vienna sausages etc so we could have some treats. He got the munchies one night and cleaned us out and then it dawned on him I can't replace them! I have some things to mail out to people on here and they paid for that postage, so that money is taken. He feels awful about it, but teens don't tend to think first, especially when it's something they are used to having around and they want it. I hope it all gets better for you soon!

 

[debilorrah]

It will hard for a bit because both boys are gonna pout for a while. Oh well!!!! When Ken and I sat down and realized that we can't take a trip for his birthday, around $700 for the week, we both just looked at each other and said "ITS THE KIDS!!!" So I spent $100 less at the store yesterday and when they said there is no food, I told them to eat what's here, including leftovers! I don't starve my family, but this being wasteful is OVER.

Maybe if we stick to our guns, they will move out.

I want to thank everyone for listening to me about this issue AGAIN! Step families are hard!

 

[deerman]

Deb, no wonder you have trouble. A son ,step son, and a step daughter, all adults none working living off you.