Teens Don’t Have Jobs
“One girl’s work at a local farm makes her stand out — fewer and fewer have jobs at all.” Thus begins an intriguing profile of 16-year-old Patty Bochsler of Lonely Lane Farm. As other teens bake on the beach this August, she stands in steel-toed boots packing freshly butchered beef, pork and lamb in a 40-degee plant.
The article goes on to report that the number of working teens has reached a 60-year low and that 80 percent of young workers lack basic communication skills and 70 percent lack a work ethic. Scary numbers. What do you think?
Teens and jobs are fields apart
OregonLive.com - Julie Sullivan - 08/20/07The proportion of working teens in Oregon has shrunk from 6 in every 10 in 2000 to just 4 in every 10 last year, according to the Census Bureau. That’s true across the country this summer, where the employment rate for teens has fallen even further, said Andrew Sum, who directs the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston.
The repercussions will play out for decades. Students with jobs are more likely to stay in school. And for 10 years, they earn more for every year they worked.
“Kids are working at a lower rate today than at anytime since just after World War II — a 60-year low,” says Sum, who studied teen employment for 30 years. “I consider this disastrous.”
Why aren’t more teens working?
Economists say they are squeezed out by immigrants, workers older than 55 and recent college graduates unable to find jobs. Big-box retailers, which have proliferated in the past seven years, don’t hire anyone younger than 18. And some ambitious kids — or their ambitious parents — choose academic camps or classes instead of job hunting.
But it turns out that nonworking teens might be hurting themselves. Employers reported 80 percent of their young workers lack basic communication skills and 70 percent lack a work ethic.
Once you have read the entire article come back here and join the conversation. At the bottom of this post you will find some discussion questions to get you started. Choose one or all of them and share your stories.
We would also encourage you to ask your parents about their job history. You’ll be surprised to hear about some the interesting places they’ve worked. As I was writing this post I decided to go and ask my father to share his job history with me and most of them caught me by surprise.
The Job History of Gregg Harris (Our Father)
His first job was at Burger Chef in Miamisburg, Ohio, at the age of 14. I didn’t know this. He told me that they were allowed to make whatever kind of burgers they wanted for their own meals. He would create monster cheeseburgers with 4-5 patties and cheese between each one.
His next job was at Union Concession Stands in Dayton, Ohio. After that he worked at the Paul Harris (no relation) clothing store back in Miamisburg. At the age of 16 he was a runaway in Clear Water Beach, Florida, working at a concession stand.
A few months later, at the age of 17, he was in southern California working as a restaurant and coffee house musician. At the age of eighteen was a member of professional band in Indianapolis, Indiana.
From that point on he has worked at Countryside Nursery in Centerville, Ohio, at an auto parts stripping factory, owned the Custom Terrarium & Houseplant Shop, served as a youth pastor for a year, pastored a missionary church in Harlingen, Texas, and was the senior pastor at Grace Fellowship in Dayton, Ohio.
Most of what I knew didn’t start until after all that, when he started Christian Life Workshops, founded Noble Institute for Leadership Development, founded and sold Noble Publishing Associates, and now pastors at Household of Faith Community Church in Gresham, Oregon.
Go Now, And Do Likewise
Maybe that was only interesting to me, but I have a feeling that you will find your own parent’s job histories immensely intriguing as well. So ask them! If you learn of anything particularly incredible go ahead and share it (with their permission, of course) in the comment section. Also, don’t forget the discussion questions directly below. May God bless you all. Do Hard Things.
- Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?
- Tell us about the best (or worst) job you’ve ever had. What did you learn from the experience?
- Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?
August 30th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Timely post, guys.
Did you have a job this summer?
Not officially. My reasons really aren’t that great, but for what its worth, here they are:
I had just gotten back from 9 months in Brazil. I was taking 6 credits of college. My Mom didn’t want me to get one because she didn’t think I’d have enough time off. And the ultimate reason: laziness, and fear of rejection.
I’ve never had a paying job before, although I have done some volunteer work. The most fun thing I did was serving as light tech in the large church we attended in California. A close second to that was working in a welding shop in Brazil, I enjoyed learning to weld, and learning Portuguese at the same time, but as a worker, I wasn’t too valuable, needing to learn both the language and the skills simultaneously.
If I was forced to support my family, I could do a lot of things, I think. I can arc weld, I can drive a car (useful for pizza/newspaper delivery), I can do some limited tutoring in certain school subjects, I could work in a retail setting, I know some mechanical/construction type skills, and I learn skills well. The only downside is that I’m not a big people person, which I need to get over.
Now then… to get on with my life and find a way to buy my own gas…
:)
btw, convicting post guys…
(my webserver is down right now, but the link to my blog should work again sooner or later.)
August 30th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
A few years ago dad was laid off from a company he’d work for nearly 16 years. Then he was laid off a year later from his new job,due to 9/11 and was out of work for nearly 8 months. He worked odd jobs (raked leaves, painted apartments, read electrical meters, worked on computers, etc) to help provide for the basic needs of our family until he found full time employment again. I helped by mowing lawns and shoveling snow. Our family learned a lot that year. One lesson being that GOD is the provider.
Now to answer your discussion questions…
Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?
This summer I have mowed lawns, did handy man work and took care of dogs for folks who went on vacation. I’m trying to save money up for a car.
I’ve worked odd jobs since I was 12. Over the years I done baby sitting, mowed, rake leaves, help bring in hay, dog sit, shovel snow, chopped wood, washed dogs, painted, cleaned fences, help pour concrete and build barns. Sometimes I’ve been paid, and sometimes I haven’t. My parents always say, hard manual labor teaches good work ethic.
Tell us about the best (or worst) job you’ve ever had. What did you learn from the experience?
The best job I ever had was doing hay. I actually liked it because I got to work outside and I love being outdoors. I learned to work hard regardless of the conditions. It was hot and muggy and a very dirty job. Plus you had to keep your eye open for copperheads. However, the job was great because I got a good work out and became stronger physically lifting 100 pound hay bails all summer.
The worse job I’ve had was spading a garden. I’m not much into gardening, I don’t mind mowing and raking leaves, but I’m not too much into turning soil over.
Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?
I have experience in pouring concrete, and know a few guys that own concrete businesses, so if need be I would pour concrete to help my family out. And I’m sure if I had to, I’d work different odd jobs from mowing lawns to flipping hamburgers. Whatever it took to help make ends meet. My dad has taught me, by example, that there is a job for anyone willing to work.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:28 am
>2 reasons, 1 was in college full time(we run on a quarters system and graduate a year early) 2 in D.C. you usually need a degree and several years of experience to flip hamburgers.(Which is very frustrating I can assure you)
>The Best job I ever had was working with a tutoring company under No Child Left Behind in D.C. public schools. It’s a Christian company so we would pray for the kids every day and we knew that whatever we were doing was not for money but for God and the Gospel. Legally we couldn’t tell the kids the Gospel but their parents knew we were a Christian Company and a few of the family’s began going to local churches after meeting with us. Basically we couldn’t share the message but we could shine the light.
The Worst Job I ever had was at University of Maryland Concession Stands. My Boss, a man in my church, knew I could handle working with non-Christian guys. So I was always on the stand with the non-Christian, rude, mostly slackers(Mind you one of the girls worked harder than any of the Christian employees, but that was because she was in collage and knew how much she needed her job). It was almost torture to work with a lot of people who were just there to take money without doing anything they didn’t have to, across from a stand full of my brothers and sisters in Christ who would go out of their way to make eachother’s jobs easier. Besides I knew they were having real conversations not “oh, my boyfriends such a jerk!” and the ever popular flirt with the customer game. I was so happy when I could leave that job!
>If Dad were finally unable to work, and If he and Mom let me I could either go to work for the tutoring company again or I could probably get a job in Graphic Design. In either one I’m probably worth about $12 an hour. Less than my Dad, but it would help. Mind you, I don’t think my Mom would let me drop college to work, even if it they had to sell the house and move back to Lancaster, PA.. Mom and Dad would want me to get my degree, ’cause they knows how much it cost our family that Mom didn’t have a sale-able skill when Dad was unable to work.
August 31st, 2007 at 6:30 am
Oh, Are you supposed to be unable to read the article without giving information?
August 31st, 2007 at 7:26 am
I am no longer a “teen”, but still a young adult. I have had a regular job every summer since I was 12 or 13. I have babysat, worked at a fast food restaurant (in two locations), and for the past three years I worked at the gift shoppes in a dinner theatre. This does not include the many 4-H, volunteer, or odd jobs that I have had. It is difficult to choose the best job, because each has been an experience that I try to use for the best. I have enjoyed most aspects of each job, and of course there are a few that I dislike…but even those have been an opportunity to learn. I have deepened my customer service skills, observed business practices, used leadership skills, practice communication, etc. I have also had the opportunity to practice many virtues: patience, humility, honesty, perseverance, and love of neighbor.
I can attest, in my experience to the problem, to communication and work ethic of teens in general - and it is exceedingly annoying at best. However, I think that there is great potential in formation for students who are honest and want to learn by working, building up skills that will serve them and their community for the rest of their life. The formation from your family is even more important, though. Many of the teens that I have come in contact with that have little work ethic and poor communication (not to mention lack of basic skills) come from broken homes or have been given everything by their parents for their entire life. I don’t think it is necessary to have a job in order to gain skills, experience, etc. - it is just another opportunity. And without a basic understanding of work and responsibility, it will be more difficult to take advantage of what working has to offer.
August 31st, 2007 at 7:29 am
I am sorry, the first sentence in the second paragraph should read: “I can attest, in my experience, to the problem of lack of communication and work ethic of teens in general - and it is exceedingly annoying at best.”
August 31st, 2007 at 7:58 am
I delivered the morning paper during July and August of this summer. Also, my dad offered to pay me to do necessary maintenence work at his kennel, and I accepted his offer. I also have an interview this Tuesday to potentially serve as a busperson at a local restaurant.
If one of my parents was unable to work, I think I could probably generate some income by publishing my writing. I could be a tutor. I also am friendly and have good communication skills, which would allow me to excel in retail and food service.
August 31st, 2007 at 8:41 am
I didn’t have a real job this summer or last school year for a few reasons. One of the reasons was that it would serve my family better for me to stay home and help my mom. My parents feel that working in the home as a teen should be first priority. A job on the side is fine, but I didn’t feel God leading me to a job. I’m hoping to get one next month, though. I do clean my sister and her family’s house once a month (in other words, I’m their “maid”). I also babysit for people, though most of it I don’t get paid for (I do some of it as a ministry to others).
The hypothetical question is interesting. My parents start allowing us to hone in on skills during the high schools years. For instance, I have been allowed to take writing courses. I don’t think I could make a living off of writing right now. I’d have to think more about the question…
August 31st, 2007 at 9:20 am
Since I am still a teen (at least for a couple more weeks) I thought I would share my job experience. While I was a 4-H volunteer for most of my teenage years, my first paid job didn’t come until I was 17. I was a cashier at a local hardware store. This job taught me alot, like how do deal with the public, having a good work ethic, and the difference between a nut and a bolt!
When I was 18 I picked up a second job as an assistant for a real estate agent. After working with her for 9 months I decided to get my own real estate license. I took the course and passed the state test and now at the ripe old age of 19 I am a Broker and also the Office Manager for our company’s branch office.
Having a job as a teen has many benefits like gaining a good work ethic, learning how to handle money, learining to cooperate with other people, and becoming a part of your community.
It also gives us another opportunity to share Christ with others. Teens who learn how to thrive in the work place are much more prepared for the future and they also gain the respect of the adults around them. No matter what your goals are in life, you can gain a wealth of knowledge by working at home and in your community.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:29 am
Grace: OregonLive.com will occasionally ask for you to let them know where you are from before you proceed to the next page. It’s unfortunate, but you get used to it.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:11 am
Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?
Yup. I have for the past 3-4(?) years. I work for my parents at one of our bookstores 4 days a week in the summer (only 2-3 during the school yr) which equals out to be about 40 hrs a week.
Tell us about the best (or worst) job you’ve ever had. What did you learn from the experience?
Well, since it is the only ‘real’ job, I have had aside from random little jobs, it is the best I have had. I love the fact that I have the opportunity to do so many different things. Working in retail, ordering, organizing, janitorial work (haha), and people skills are all involved. I have had to deal with really different personalities and it has certainly not been easy at times. But over-all its just great, and I don’t really think I would know what to do with my time if I didn’t work.
Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?
I probably would be able to get either a job in retail or teaching/tutoring (just from having experience with learning styles, curriculums, kids, teaching siblings etc). Neither of them really generate alot of income but it would be atleast something. Worst coming to worst I would flip burgers if there were no other options.
August 31st, 2007 at 11:35 am
I didn’t read the whole article because I wanted to ask my parents before providing information, but what I did read was very thought-provoking.
I had an informal job this summer - working at home. Because I have a two-year-old sister and some parts of managing a home are more than my mother can handle alone with a toddler and two teens (one of whom just left for college), I was paid to help work at home and do frequent babysitting for my sister. This job has enabled me to stay at home during my older sister’s last summer before college, but I got paid and learned valuable skills of managing a home that I’ll need some day for my own home.
As the article noted, most places refuse to hire teens younger than 18, which is difficult for those younger wanting to get a job. If my father was unable to work, I’m sure I could probably get a job at a few places using my writing, people, and children skills.
My parent’s work history is also interesting…my father spend many summers as a golf caddy, an experience he loves to recount. He and my mother both worked at many traditional places such as clothing and retail stores as well.
August 31st, 2007 at 1:10 pm
“Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?”
Yes, I’ve been interning for Ohio Roundtable all summer and plan to continue through the school year. I work there primarily for the experience and because I believe in the organization’s mission.
“Tell us about the best (or worst) job you’ve ever had. What did you learn from the experience?”
The worst job I had was working in the dining room at Grande Village Retirement Community when I was 15. My parents weren’t crazy about me getting a job at that point, but I really wanted to work, so, reluctantly, they allowed me to apply. I loved the residents, but, at that point, I wasn’t prepared to deal with the people I worked with. I wasn’t strong enough at that point to be a good witness in that sort of environment, and I just sort of kept quiet and tried to fit in. My employers didn’t seem to care about their employees, and the result was…not good. Everyone I’ve talked to who still works there is completely fed up with management.
As I mentioned earlier, I now work for Ohio Roundtable, and that is the best job I have ever had. I do research for the legislative director, who is truly an incredible woman. I work primarily from home, and when I do go into the office the people there are godly individuals who have a common purpose (restoring Judeo-Christian values to policy making on a state and local level).
“Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?”
If my dad were injured and couldn’t work, I could help my mom with her network marketing business, if she wanted to keep doing that, but, financially, God has provided for us well enough that were either or both my parents to die today, the rest of us would still be financially secure.
August 31st, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Like most of the other posters, I’ve had “odd jobs” all of my life. When I was younger, I sold pinecones, potholders, flowers, lemonade, and held carwashes. I started selling on e-Bay and Amazon.com when I was 13. Last fall I was a teacher’s assistant. None of these jobs were especially monetarily rewarding, but I have learned so much about basic economics and selling skills!
This summer my “job” was holding a stand at the local farmer’s market. I heard about a niche, baked goods, and filled it. I spent more capital than I earned, but I set up a reputation and learned alot! So next year when I return, I hope to double my capital. One comment I heard all the time from people was “Are you with Shank’s?” [ a popular bakery downtown]. “No”, I’d reply, “I bake for myself”. Most people didn’t question my age because they assumed that I was older than I actually was. But, the people who asked were usually shocked!
August 31st, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I got a babysitting job this summer, but that’s pretty much it. I’m not the center of my social circle, and I don’t like to talk on the phone, but that doesn’t mean I can’t communicate.
I’m good at school, good with kids, good with cooking, good with crafts, so I could probably manage. Not completely by myself, though. I have five younger sibs.
Oops, was I supposed to be a teen to comment? I’m still a tween, but not for long!
August 31st, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Did I have a job this summer? Yes. I’ve been working regularly since I was nine years old. This summer, I did yard work, cleaned neighbors’ horse stalls and judged foods at the county fair. During the school year, I teach piano and care for a neighbor’s horses.
Mmm, the best or worst job I’ve ever had. I can’t really say that I’ve had a bad job, so I’ll go with the best- caring for horses. Through doing that for the last nine years I’ve learned dependability (animals always need care), precision (measuring foods), communication (making sure I understand the boss’ instructions, and that they understand what I’m saying) and how to have fun even when it’s dirty! Rain or shine, I know that there’s work to do, and there’s a reward for doing it.
If one of my parents was injured and unable to work and I was forced to help provide for my family, what skills do I have that could help generate an income? I don’t have a whole lot of “special” skills. I can teach music, do basic yard work, or do basic bookkeeping, but that’s about it.
Also, to those whose parents want them to help around home, don’t feel bad. That’s part of living with my family too. If you’re truly working around the house, you’ll learn similar basic workplace skills to if you were working elsewhere. Who better than your parents to teach you how to properly relate to authorities?
August 31st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Great post, you guys!
I have worked at a Christian day Camp for the past three summers as a Counselor In Training. Besides babysitting, this has been the only paid job that I have ever had. I have also done a lot of volunteer work at my old church (mainly childcare). I love working with kids, but I would like to do some photography this next year, as well. Thanks for posting this. It goes right along with what y’all talk about concerning low expectations for teens in our society.
Amanda
August 31st, 2007 at 2:41 pm
I did not have a job this summer (other than teaching one of my brothers through an extended schoolyear, which is a job!), because if I went into the workforce, even part-time, I would miss too much precious time with my family- even as it is, I feel the days tick away.
However, there are prospects on the horizon for the whole family- my Daddy will be opening a business in a year, and we will all be able to take part in that effort. One of his primary reasons for choosing this route instead of getting an office job when he retires from the military is the chance to A) have his kids work WITH him and B) have his kids WORK with him. In the one sense, he wants the relationship building time, and in the other he wants his children to have a work ethic, marketable skills, excellence in customer service, and business acumen as early as possible.
Until next summer, then, my foray into the business world will be learning as much accounting as I can, and absorbing as much reading material as possible about the way we will be working. I’m so very excited, because I’ve always wanted to help my Daddy in this way, but even more pleased at the character and relationship building opportunities for my three younger brothers! Another thing I can do in preparation is have my student (9th grade) get lots of high school credits knocked off the list this year, so that he can take advantage of the opportunities later.
As to the Hypothetical: I can sew/alter/design/repair clothing et cetera… I don’t know how much demand there may be out there for a professional seamstress, but I could do the work itself. I do know that there are a lot of Victorian re-enactors who have their lavish historically correct ensembles made for them- if wage is based on skill level it should be pretty substantiall! I have connections in that realm, experience with that type of sewing, and ‘’hypothetically'’ could find enough work to at least help support my family.
My Daddy has cooked in a restaurant, fixed cars, preached, and worked with Intercontinental Ballistic Missles.
Varied enough, do you suppose?
August 31st, 2007 at 3:04 pm
I think the article was a bit unfair to teens who don’t work for academic reasons. I’m building up college credits in high school right now - an enormous educational advantage - and a job would effect my grades detrimentally. I have a strong work ethic, and I don’t think that not having a job now is going to hurt that.
My dad is currently working on starting a business, and I may have a job in it when the time comes - so let’s hope that works out if God wills it! In the meantime, I think it’s more important to work on gaining job skills than job experience, because working at Wal-mart won’t prepare me for any career I’m thinking about entering as much as high education, technical skills, and the foreign language skills I’m also developing.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Ariadne: You are welcome to comment any time you want!
As a tween you have a great opportunity to build the kind of convictions that will carry you through your teen years. You don’t have to waste any of them. Keep doing hard things!
August 31st, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I didn’t get a job this summer because I used the spare time to practice wedding songs. I’m hoping to earn money by starting a business (so to speak) as a part-time wedding pianist. Also, since my two older sisters left for college, a job would have kept me from being there for my family. Having a job really is important, not only because of the value of earning money and learning to work hard, but it is also important because teens have the opportunity to be a blossoming Christian witness, maybe even more so than if they had not gotten a job.
August 31st, 2007 at 4:41 pm
ok…I am a teen, but although I applied at several places this summer, I was not hired due to the fact I am not 18…(I will admit that I did not apply at any fast food places or any childcare places)
However, I decided to spend my time this summer serving at our church. I do work for my Dad every once in a while, when they need me, doing odd-jobs at his work…mostly because they can pay me less than the employees and I am willing to work for less.
The worst jobs I have ever done are picking rocks at our house for the last 7 summers and I cleaned a toilet paper log saw that was covered for two inches in grease and paper dust….
and if God forbid, my Dad died I wouldn’t drop out of high school, but I definitely would be less picky about the job I took. I can tutor in any subject but a foreign language, I can drive, I can communicate and I have people skills, and can use a cash register, and can wait tables, and have basic computer skills.
Maybe one reason I did not get a job was the fact I didn’t need one…I still live at home and my parents cover my insurance and most of my gas…If I need money I can babysit and get it…once my parents cut my allowance I will be hard up for cash…but By then I will have a job.
August 31st, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Hey, I know this has nothing to do with this post (although it is an interesting one..) but just wanted to let you guys know, I heard you on Dr. Mohler’s program today. THANK YOU for taking a stand in our culture and encouraging the rest of us to do likewise!! I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met my age (Younger and older than me too. I’m 23…) who can’t carry on a conversation about theology or doctrine ( and don’t know what they believe…) let alone an intelligible conversation about anything besides the latest movies and video games. It seriously can be a depressing thing at times. You guys did an excellent job in the interview of making your goal of The Rebelution clear. I’m coming to the Indy conference and I’m very excited to see what comes of it. (Actually, I’m one of the four volunteer photographers.
Later!
August 31st, 2007 at 7:32 pm
1) I’ve had on-and-off part-time jobs since the spring, mostly consulting. Why? Well, just to test the market. My work experience has given me plenty of knowledge about a field of work I’m considering entering. I’ve also come across a very nice pediatrician, which is quite helpful to my family.
2) The worst work experience I had… well, it wasn’t exactly horrible, but one of the jobs I had in the spring didn’t exactly provide a ‘clean’ work environment. I’ll leave it at that.
3) I have a varied set of well-developed skills that could get me a very good-paying job in many high-demand fields basically in my sleep. If I wanted to. In that hypothetical situation, want wouldn’t really have anything to do with it.
In response to the article, I think if the US would start enforcing our border laws, the problem would begin to correct itself. I take it, though, that this isn’t the direction you’re wanting the conversation to go, so I’ll leave it there.
August 31st, 2007 at 9:12 pm
I did have a job this summer. I teach violin lessons. This fall, I will start teaching piano as well. I am able to stay at home with my family (where I feel I have been called), and have learned teaching skills that will hopefully help me home-school my children someday.
If my daddy were injured and unable to work, I would help my family through teaching. My daddy has also been teaching me some web design, and I hope that I would be able to use this to bless my family, as well.
August 31st, 2007 at 10:12 pm
My first job I had was at age 13, working as a sales assistant at a major shoe store company. I worked there for 4.5 years. when I turned 15, my manager offered me the position of second in charge of the shop. I stopped working there at age 17 1/2.
most of the time, I really really didnt like working there. It was very high pressure sales. The management was horrible too. But I did my work to the best of my abilities, and became the youngest second in charge in the history of the company, and thankfully was highly spoken of by the big bosses. Now I work at a sports centre, as a sales assistant and receptionist. I love my job here. God blessed me with the perfect job quite literally. before I got my job with the sports centre, I joked with my friend that my next job had to have lots of perks, and then preceeded to rattle off a bunch of things that I wanted. God not only gave me EVERY single thing on my ‘perfect job list’ but a whole heap of other blessings.
I get a higher rate of pay than most people who have gone to uni and now work in a top field. I have a fantastic boss, the most flexible hours possible, and I can work with people without having to force products down their throats.
I am always so amazed and humbled whenever I think of work now.
So saying all this, as much as I hated working with the shoe company, it was a blessing to me. It taught me how to deal with people, It built my character, and it taught me not to quit just because things get a little tough.
Thanks God.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:04 am
First of all my parents love this post and see it as a good thing to be talking about. It has started a conversation in our home on the topic of jobs. That is why I’m getting to comment
on this pacticular post.
I don’t think the news article is taking in consideration that some teens are baby sitting and mowing lawns. I feel that this article is only looking at teens that are actually working at a place, such as a convenience store, mall store or fast food restaurant.
To answer your questions…
* Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?
I didn’t have a “paying” job this summer. Nothing came up. When I talk job, I’m not talking working at a place. I hire myself out to baby sit and clean, but nothing came up at all this summer. I did help my mom a lot around the house. I know that really doesn’t count as a paying job would, but it’s still a job.
* Tell us about the best (or worst) job you’ve ever had. What did you learn from the experience?
I love to baby sit and is the best job I’ve ever done, because I love children. However, there was this one time when I baby sat for a child for 6 hours, the girl would not listen, was extremely hyper and did not understand the word NO. She also had a very bad attitude. I was only paid $5.
* Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?
There is good money in baby sitting. I would clean houses for money too. There is good money in that as well.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:31 am
I had a job this summer and the last working at a Christian camp for 8 weeks. I was kitchen staff, so though I wasn’t with the kids, it was one the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’m not usually a person who likes to work. I tend to be lazy, actually, which is a great flaw for me. But at the camp, I was always eager to work, even though I had to get up early in the morning to make breakfast. I felt so acutely that I was working for God, that God was blessing our work and he was the one giving me a reward. It was a volunteer position with a love gift at the end of the summer. Not worth the money, but that’s not why I was there. I recommend a volunteer position like that to any teen. What a way to develop a work ethic!
The camp job was both the easiest and the hardest job I ever had. The hours were long, I only saw my family a couple times over the whole summer, and I have never had my emotions tried so stressfully. When you work with 20 other staff for 8 weeks, living with them constantly, you get to know their flaws and conflicts are sure to arise. It’s a sure way to develop a Christ-like love, and also to earn some killer people skills! It was also the best job simply because I was working for the Lord, and because he brought people into my life I know I will have beside me for a lifetime.
September 1st, 2007 at 9:54 am
I’m 18 and I’ve never had a job. I do not intend to ever have a job in the corporate world. I do work and make money, though. At 16, I did a full summer of our town’s Farmer’s Market, baking and cooking breads, cookies, candy, and making a couple garden trellises in the beginning.
In the fall of that year, I was asked to babysit/nanny my 9 month-old cousin about 3-4 days a week, while her daddy was working for another uncle of mine in another state, and I did that for 5 1/2 months.
The following year in August, I became a transcriptionist. For those of you who don’t know what that is, a transcriber, or transcriptionist listens to an audio file while typing it out as document file.
My mom is now the manager of that transcriber group, and I am assisstant manager plus transcriber and proofer. I make a good bit above maximum wage, and for less time too.
This past week I was attending a business/entrepreneur conference that I also volunteered at. I have a lot of friends there, and the woman who started this particular conference is incredibly God-led. She and her whole family are very, very good friends of mine. While we (these conference attendees as a whole) don’t have anything against jobs, we dislike them immensely because 1) they take dads, and sometimes moms, away from their families, 2) you are trading your good time for poor money, and 3) sometimes, the job you are doing is not something that you are really passionate about and can distract from the potential and plans God has for your life.
Lately, we’ve been mostly working on finishing the renovations in our home so we can move South, and hopefully we’ll be done in a few weeks, God willing.
If either of my parents had been injured, I would have no problem taking over the management of the transcriber service, as I already have had experience managing it while my mom stayed with my sister in the hospital for 2 weeks this past month.
If I may…I will add that a J-O-B isn’t the only route to go to make money for a living. I don’t want to offend or upset anyone here, but it’s true. Being an entrepreneur and having received the knowledge and training I have from the Godly men and women speaking at these conferences I attend has opened mine and my family’s eyes. Working for yourself is one of the best things you could do with your life. Money isn’t the primary or only object of interest in being an entrepreneur - managing time is. Money is a close secondary. Managing time so you have more time with your family, so you have time to do hobbies and passions that you have longed to do, but haven’t had the time to, so you have more time to be with your friends. But still, in that case, you’d also not have to worry about the money. I know sooo many people in the homeschool and Christian world that think making millions is going to lead you astray and make you one of “them,” meaning the rich people in our world. It’s not true. I’ve seen the evidence with my own eyes and experienced it myself.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:14 am
* Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?
I didn’t have a job this summer, except for helping around the house. For one thing, transportation here is complicated, there are basically no forms of public transportation and so my parents would have to drive me, and also, other than babysitting, there aren’t really that many jobs open to younger teens like myself and most people have maids, so there aren’t many babysitting jobs.
* Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?
I’d probably try to (I know this sounds crazy, it wouldn’t do much at all), get one of my stories published somewhere. But since that most likely wouldn’t work, I could babysit, clean house, cook or bake for people.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:33 am
After being on the “job hunt” for almost six months this spring, I can well understand why some teens may just give up. I applied at a score of different places - nursing homes, small restaurants, chain/fast-food restaurants, grocery stores, department stores… nothing. I guess people think teens under 18 can’t really be a good worker. Or maybe, God was just trying to teach me patience and trust. ( :
And yet, I wasn’t earning money to buy a prom dress or senior pictures or a cool car, and thus didn’t give up as easily. I want to go to college, and have to pay for it on my own.
Well I finally did land a job at a nursing home as a “Dietary Aide” - haha - a fancy name for the person who does all the dirty work in the kitchen! But really, I love it, and can totally see God’s hand in everything. He has granted me favor with my supervisor (who can be known to be pretty cranky and nit-picky), as well as with my fellow employees. Funny, the first place I applied to was a nursing home right next to the one I work at now and I was turned down without a glance. Six months later… God moves!
It is amazing where he brings us when we simply say, “Here I am! Send me!”
~Carlin
September 1st, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Cait: You are completely right that self-employment is a great way to go — and when I asked everyone what jobs they’d had I was including any kind of work (even if you’re not being paid). Your working at the Farmer’s Market would qualify as a “job” in my mind — and that is sort of what the girl in the article was doing too. By the word “job” I didn’t mean working for someone else. I just meant working.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:24 pm
>>Did you have a job this summer?
I’ve been working at a homeschool/educational supply warehouse, Rainbow Resource Center, for the past year and a half. I’ve also been doing work with my own media production company.
>>What did you learn from the experience?
It’s been interesting to see what the world (i.e., my co-workers) places their emphasis on, that is, the vicious cycle of working to have the money to spend on the pleasures of this world. I found a great contrast in having the satisfaction of buying some expensive equipment for my own company without having to go into debt to pay for it. I’ve also learned that sowing honest, hard work done unto the Lord reaps being trusted among overseers.
>>Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?
Manual labor (taking the skills learned from working on our farm and at the warehouse), as well as fine arts, such as teaching violin and viola, and media creation and design.
Though our work is cursed by the sin of mankind starting with Adam and Eve, a mindset of glorifying the Lord through our work makes it so much more enjoyable!
September 1st, 2007 at 2:14 pm
These statistics are sad, indeed. However, one must look demographically as well as nationally at this. For example, in my area (Michigan), unemployment is well over 7%, while the national average hovers in the low 4’s. Many teenagers here are competing with laid off 40 and 50 year olds for jobs at places like McDonald’s. One must also consider the rise in minimum wage. That is having a huge impact on unemployment.
I do think there are teens who are just loafing on the beach, but there are others though who are looking for work, but just can’t (as is the case with my brothers and I). We are very entrepreneurial in this market, however according to the statistics, we would still be considered unemployed. I’m not a statistics person, but I do know that they don’t always tell the complete story.
September 1st, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Just out of curiosity (and I’m not trying to be antagonistic here), but what is your work history? I realize you’re writing a book, etc. But for somebody who doesn’t know, you could be two guys sitting in Starbucks on your computers all day
Perhaps something similar could be said about a few of those kids on the beach 
Heck, when I was 14, I spent 2 weeks on the beaches of Hawaii. I hope that wasn’t when this survey was taken 
Now seriously, one must also keep in mind, there’s also a large segment of the homeschool population that believes young ladies should not work outside the home. This probably doesn’t factor into the national stats and these girls are definitely not lazy, but in some peoples eyes, they’re just sitting around. Do you know what the unemployment stats are among homeschool *teens*?
September 1st, 2007 at 2:45 pm
* Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not? Yes…and no. I worked for 3 weeks at a community college bookstore to earn enough money to start my own photography business. I have been working on a book (which may never sell…and hasn’t paid me anything yet…but is work nevertheless - as you guys know, I’m sure), helping out with church needs and helping my dad out some with his own business.
* Tell us about the best (or worst) job you’ve ever had. What did you learn from the experience? Hmmm…the best job I ever had was probably working in the kitchen of a restaurant - first as a dishwasher…and then moving up to doing salads, desserts and side-dishes. I had a gracious boss, who was very kind whenever I accidentally broke a dish or dropped a dessert. I was quite shy then, and I missed many opportunities to be a bright light for God. I think the experience taught me to never overlook the small jobs, or start thinking that something is more important than something else. We all need to work together to make things work smoothly. It also taught me to do things well, and joyfully…and to admit when I messed up, and start over again. I was also very thankful to have a great boss…which reminded me to be the person you would want to work for.
I actually have never had a terrible job, and God has taught me something different at each of the 3 or 4 different jobs I have had.
* Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income? Wow. Well: I could write or take pictures for any number of things…newspapers perhaps? I can sew, cook (desserts best!), watercolor/paint/draw (or teach said skills), I can design websites to a certain extent, my dad finds me very skilled with Adobe Photoshop, I can type quite fast (transcribing), I could make scrapbooks for people (actually thought of that as a job once…), I could teach violin, photography of any number of things, I’ve worked as a secretary, kitchen hand in a restaurant, a transcriber, and worked as a cashier…I am a hard-worker, and quick to pick up most any skill I need to.
:)
Tada!
Well…this has been a very thought-provoking article. Thank-you.
~Lady Tai
September 1st, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Well Kristin, I can’t say I blame you. I’ll barely be 15 when I go spend two weeks in Hawaii (for the Pro Bowl!!!). I’ve been mowing my grandparent’s lawn since April. It’s been a big learning experience. I don’t like mowing but you know what we’re supposed to do; DO HARD THINGS!!!!!!
September 1st, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Kristin: You are absolutely right that there are other factors involved in the statistics. I’m not so concerned about how many teens are working as that most of the teens that are working lack basic communication skills and a work ethic. I’m not encouraging anyone to go out and work for someone else (or even outside the home in the case of young ladies), but just to work. Do Hard Things and all that.
In regards to your question (I was afraid someone would ask): We worked as paid walkers for Bush/Cheney in 2004 and as volunteers on many other campaigns prior to that. Then we worked as interns at the Alabama Supreme Court in 2005 and were on staff as Grassroots Coordinators for four statewide races in Alabama in 2006. Starting in late 2006 we worked part-time as Executive Assistants for Noble Institute for Leadership Development and now that we are done with high school (and are putting off college for a year) we are working full-time on The Rebelution — which includes the website, conferences, book, etc.
September 1st, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?
other than a babysitting job once or twice, I have not worked this summer… between making up two lost elective credits and starting homeschooling, (and being only 15) I have not been allowed to work at an actual job other than cleaning up around the house. (but that could become a full time job ;c) ) When I turn 16 though, I will be allowed, and by then I’ll be settled into the homeschooling groove.
I want to get a job because I like the feeling that I am doing something worthwhile with my time and energy and not being wasteful with my talents and time. And I like knowing that I am making my own money, and am not straining the family finances for my various fetishes, and I’d like being able to save some of my own personal money for future, important things.
Brett: That is so awesome that you guys were interns at the Alabama Supreme Court and all of those political jobs! My twin sis and I had helped last year in the political elections and stuff by handing out Bush/Cheney and info and flyers outside the polling places all afternoon. (even though it isnt too fun while it is pouring rain outside and very cold)
and great post!
-Elisabeth Gruber
September 1st, 2007 at 5:05 pm
I wasn’t able to get a job this summer. Being only 14, no one would hire me. I am in the process of starting my own sewing business.
My 16 year old brother has a job working at a fast food restaurant. During the summer, he pretty much ran the restaurant. The owners relied on him to open and close the shop every day because there college-aged employees weren’t responsible enough to do it. Now that school is started, they have had to hire about 5 people to take his place.
My parents both had jobs when they were young. Mom starting waitressing when she was 16 until she got married (18).
Dad worked at his family auto parts store starting when he was a teenager until after he was married.
Those are some scary statisics!
September 2nd, 2007 at 6:10 am
I’ve worked every summer I can remember at my family’s produce stand. That really is the best job I’ve had. I enjoy the work, and learn a lot every year.
I also have my own bakery. Over the winter I worked at McDonalds. Although that has to be the worst job I’ve had, it also gave me a new perspective on the people that work in fast food restaurants. I learned to have more patience and respect for the people that are taking my order, and frying my hamburger!!
I’ve also worked at a local bakery and had other odd jobs.
I think parents have a huge influence on their childrens work ethic. My Dad is the hardest working person I know, but that alone doesn’t make me a hard worker. It’s that from the time we (my brothers and I) were walking, we would work along side our parents.
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:20 am
I read part of the article, but since I didn’t want to give out information, I didn’t read the rest. But, what I did get to read was quite interesting.
No, I didn’t have a job this summer. My parents don’t want me to get a job yet, so I respect them and honor them. I think it’s important to point out the fact that it is a good idea to check with your parents before trying to find a job. Perhaps, as in my case, your parents may not want you to have a job just yet.
Also, most places around here won’t hire until you’re at least 16, but I know of one place where they hired a 14-year-old.
However, I do occasionally baby-sit and I definitely enjoy that. Just yesterday I baby-sat a boy with Cerebral Palsy. I am so glad that I got the opportunity to take care of this little boy who is so special to God.
And lastly, I’m not quite sure what I would do if my parent got injured and couldn’t work. I guess I’d have to go find a job somewhere! I trust that if that ever happens, my Heavenly Father will give me guidance.
September 2nd, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I didn’t have a “job” this summer, in the sense that I earned lots of money! =) I babysat a few times when needed, but I also worked quite a bit on writing, choreographing, directing, and acting in a musical that involved 30 actors, singers, and dancers, plus backstage help and sound crew (my wonderful family!). It was a ministry opportunity, and while I didn’t earn money, I learned many invaluable skills about acting, organizing, producing, and so on, too much to recount!
I will continue teaching The King’s Praise Ballet (http://kingspraiseballet.com) this year, and am excited to get to teach the 30 girls God’s entrusted to me.
As many others have mentioned, if something did happen where I had to support myself, I could continue teaching, and also probably earn something (I’ve already had people ask!) with my sewing, cooking, cleaning, etc.
September 2nd, 2007 at 6:37 pm
I think that having a job is great. my 17 year old brother has a job and has for awhile. As for me, apart from babysitting and helping out family i do not work outside of the home. i think it is good to have a good work ethic and in the situation you mentioned (parents needing help and all) to work, but i think as a teenage girl, it is not nessacarily the best idea, for accountability and in the role that God has ordained for women and all. Not to say I will never have a job, but at age 16, maybe not!
September 2nd, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I have been working since i was 14. Before then I babysat and did odd jobs for my parents and friends. My parents never had a lot of money and I wanted certain things(clothes, cd’s etc) so I worked, maybe my motives weren’t that great but I always tithed, I didn’t save very much but it was a learning curve. From age 14 through to the end of highschool I worked in a Pizza shop 12 hours a week, this was usually two 6 hour shifts on Friday and Saturday nights, it meant I missed out on a lot of social things but it also kept me out of trouble! During school holidays I would work at and Internet Cafe and doing filing or stuffing envelopes for a friends company. This instilled in me good people skills, leadership skills, the ability to work under stress and deadlines, the importance of being a good witness through my work ethic, and being able to communicate on many levels. All these things are invaluable. I never went to college or uni but I have never been without a good paying job because I work hard and present myself well. I worked for a year when finishing highschool for a large communications company earning a good salary then I went to Bible College, it was hard going from having so much money for a long time to having hardly any. In desparation I worked at McDonalds to pay my college fees, that was a humbling time being bossed around by 15 year olds and being over qualified, I didn’t want to be there but God knew better.
Best job I had was the Pizza Shop, the people I worked with were fun and supportive and there was a real sense of community… and I LOVE pizza. The worst was a bank’s Call Centre, I only lasted 8 weeks, mainly due to lack of training and support. I have had a lot of jobs I haven’t particularly liked but it’s taught me to have a good attitude and be thankful for God’s provision, my goal is to store up treasures in heaven not on earth!
If my parents were not able to work… well they still don’t have a lot of money and I earn more than they both do so I’m sure I could support them!
September 2nd, 2007 at 7:49 pm
I had a few jobs this summer.
I worked for several local equine facilities — including a top-level dressage barn and a barn that specializes in importing horse from Europe, training, showing, and re-selling them. This was definitely my favorite job this summer. I not only learned more advanced riding, training, and showing skills, but I also was able to learn the business aspects of international trade — and how it works with horses (but also with other “commodities”). Very, very interesting stuff. It was also cool because the barn is family-owned, and the father is a first-generation American who was originally from Denmark (where they get most of their horses from), so I learned a lot about European culture while we worked together, and was also able to share Christ with him….and its a long story, but through a long train of circumstances, he was able to see that God does answer prayer! Amazing stuff. I also worked as a typesetter for a local homeschool curriculum publisher this summer, taught horseback riding lessons, trained horses at my own barn, and finished school. I mention finishing school, because even though you can have a lot of fun and maybe even earn a tiny bit of money working with horses, you can’t support yourself or a family. The school I was finishing (distance learning) enables me to practice as a paralegal — should I ever want or need to (at least for the next 5 years, while my certification is still good). A legal assistant gets paid pretty well on average, so assuming that I could find a lawyer in need of help, it would definitely be a supplement in supporting the rest of my family were my parents injured.
September 2nd, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Interesting post!
1. Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?
Yes, I have had a job gutting chickens at a local friends’ farm five days (four gone, one to go) this summer. I mainly did it for the money (pays well) because I wanted to help out my family with paying for the dairy goats I raise but I also did because I enjoyed the fellowship with the other young people (whom I knew) who worked there.
2. Tell us about the best (or worst) job you’ve ever had. What did you learn from the experience?
I’m not much good at answering this as I’m only 13 *g*. However I can say that all of the jobs I’ve done at this farm I’ve enjoyed and learned a lot from the experience…like how to clean a chicken, feed bulls, or milk a cow.
3. Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?
Not many but I’m learning!
In nomine Christi,
Lydia
September 3rd, 2007 at 9:53 am
Blog link works now
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September 3rd, 2007 at 12:02 pm
My dad is in the Air Force, and so we are currently stationed at Lajes Air Field, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal. There aren’t to many job opportunities out here besides bagging at the base commisary or doing secretary/odd jobs work for different units out here, but I was blessed in that I was given a unique opportunity. There is an organic farmer a short drive from where I live, who grows everything according to the permaculture technique, and he is probably the only farmer in the world who grows organic vegetation specifically for the health benefits. He also is the only person in the world who sells certain hybrids in salad leaves.
Everything is done by hand, including the watering, weeding, insect killing, and mulching. I worked their three days a week, three hours a day. It was a great learning experience.
I guess my bottom line is that don’t just look at a job for the money you can get out of it, but for the experience, and the educational value in it. I now have at least a rough idea of how to organically grow a few things, and I know a little bit about permaculture.
The only drawback was having to catch slugs by hand, because you weren’t permitted to use pesticides, and if you didn’t catch and kill at least 300 a person in one night it was a waste of time, because each female lays 300+ eggs. LOL
In Christ,
Andrew >
September 3rd, 2007 at 11:59 pm
My brother and I have had part time jobs ever since we were about 6 and 8. My Dad manages a timber business, so there were always odd jobs for us to do in the school holidays. When I was 16, circumstances changed, and my Dad needed my help full time at his business. I have been working there for nearly 2 years now, as well as supporting the website development business, which my parents encouraged me to start. This has certainly been an interesting time of my life, as many believe that unmarried girls should not have a full time job outside the home (especially in a timber yard!), and yet that is what my Dad asked me to do! God has certainly used this season as a time of teaching for the whole family.
The best job, or best *part* of the job is being able to help my family, especially my Dad. It’s really special to hear that I’ve made a difference for him. The worst part is dealing with profane or crude people, which is inevitable in any job that involves the general public I suppose! If circumstances forced me to help support my family, I would have to draw on my skills and knowledge of timber and processing for a day job, and work on web design at night.
Blessings,
Samalah, NZ
September 5th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
>>>Did I have a job this summer?>>Best/worst job I’ve ever had?>>What skills do I have that could generate an income?
September 5th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Leave it to me to leave a comment that doesn’t work! That was so dumb… and I can’t leave the comment again right now ’cause I have to get off the computer. I’ll try again tomorrow!
September 5th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
I’ve never had a real paying job. The real reason behind that is because it is too much for my parents to drive me to the job (I haven’t gotten my liscence yet for insurance reasons), and it is not the safest thing to ride a bike here by myself to and from work. I am the oldest of four kids (the next sib is 6 years younger), and I am pretty busy with homeschool, helping my mother with housework, and teaching my younger sibs things. The only thing I have done closest to a job is baby-sitting, but I don’t charge a certain fee, just accept what people want to give me.I also volunteered to work at the library and got school credit for helping.
=) I would love to get a job next summer, when I get my liscence, and work maybe at a bookstore or music store. I think I would have the skills necessary to work there as I love to read and am constantly learning about music. I am very involved in our church group, and people have said that I’m the “mothering/informative” sort of girl (from the being the oldest sib!). These skills I’m pretty sure I got from helping around the house and teaching my sibs (not to mention reading.. he he I’m a bookworm).
If my parents ever got sick, I think I would work at any store that’s nice. I’ll be in college next year, so I could get a job tutoring at the college, too.
September 5th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Maybe this is just because of where I live (Crazy worker shortage in Alberta right now), but we are having problems with kids “working to much” here, grades in our town are very low, much of it blamed on the fact that some kids have up to two full time jobs, they will get up supper early and work until they have to go to school (getting some much needed sleep during classes) and then head of to there other job to work late in to the night, get very little sleep and get up and do it again!
Not “every” kid does the but pretty much everyone has at least at part time job. Every restaurant (waitresses and ever cooks), box store, coffee shop, auto parts stores, gas stations, you name it, it is practically run by kids 13-17.
September 6th, 2007 at 6:49 am
I had a job this summer mowing a lawn for an elderly friend of mine. She’s a wonderful Christian lady, so the fellowship when I’m done mowing the lawn is really neat. I hope that I’m still going as good as she is when I’m over eighty!
The best job I ever had was babysitting for some missionary kids. We had a great evening together! I felt bad for awhile after it, though, ’cause I let Rachel go to bed with her glasses on.
The worst job I ever had was babysitting for my cousins when I was 10. The babysitter who was watching all of us had to leave for some reason, so I was left in charge. NOT FUN.
If something happened to my dad and I had to help take care of my family, I could sell baked goods, clean, teach music, or get a job at a fast-food place. I don’t think that anything I’ve written would become popular enough to take care of my family!
Thanks for the post - I’ll have to ask my parents about their jobs. I know that my Dad and Mom have both worked at The WILDS Christian Camp and at The WILDS of the Rockies Christian Camp, but other than that all I know is my Dad’s current jobs.
Sorry about my first comment…
Have a great day, everyone!
Emily
September 7th, 2007 at 6:23 am
[b]Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?[/b]
I did. I worked in an office at the University I’m attending. Simple reasons why- I need to pay for my college (debt free so far…) and pay for a car. Parents can buy you dinners and toys, but there comes a time when its your responsibility to pay for the big things.
[b]Tell us about the best (or worst) job you’ve ever had. What did you learn from the experience?[/b] Well, in 4 years I’ve only had two jobs, and they were with the same institution. I’d say that my current position is the better of the two. It teaches me responsibility and is helping me to learn skills.
[b]Hypothetical Situation: If (God forbid) one of your parents was injured and unable to work and you were forced to help provide for your family, what skills do you have that could help generate an income?[/b] I have several years of experience working in a financial office… My current job would help I think, unless it was my father who was injured. My brother might have to pitch in on that one…
The article was interesting. I have several friends still in high school/just graduating, and some of them have admitted to me that they don’t want to get a job. Getting a job represents something different to a teenager today. Instead of extra spending money, they see it as a cut into their social time. Instead, they ask their parents for cash and spend evenings hanging out with friends.
I think that having a job is important to teenagers. It builds life skills and experience. It helps you care too. I have noticed in my fellow college students a trend- the difference between a student whose parents pay for them and a student who pays for their own tuition is several letter grades!
September 8th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Yes, I had a job this summer at a local organic farm, mostly planting and weeding, and it was so lovely, because I wasn’t stuck inside some fast food restaurant during the beautiful summer months! It was also an interesting opportunity to be a witness to the lady I worked for, whose daughter (age 41) is a Christian and hasn’t been able to make any real headway with her Mom. Although I never gave a long account of the gospel, I dropped seeds here and there (literally and spiritually!), which is what her daughter asked me to do. I prayed so hard for this lady as I pulled the weeds, hoping that the seeds I would sow in her life would not fall on rocky or weedy ground. But she was still a wonderful person to work for, much better than last year’s job!
Yes, last years job–which was similar to what I did this year, picking, planting, and weeding at a local organic farm, except a different farm–was rather awful. Although all my colleagues were fantastic, and the actual work we did was mostly pleasant, our boss was very strange. She had a temper that couldn’t be controlled, and was one of those people who says you are the best worker ever on one day, and the next day is a terror to your soul. A few other bad experiences certainly tainted that job, however I did learn from it, how to handle unkindly overseers, and how not to treat employees. I heard this summer she didn’t have enough workers. I wonder why!? So I definitely learned from that.
I would probably be able to teach music, and work at gardening type jobs, and earn a decent income, if I was working full time. In a year or so (when I am old enough to finish all my qualifications), I will be fully certified as a lifeguard/swim teacher, which would also be an immense help in a terrible situation as the one you posed.
Thank you for the encouraging and interesting post!
In Christ,
Sheila
September 8th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I have had jobs in the past (babysitting five days a week, housecleaning) , but my dad and I have come to the conclusion recently that to start an appetite for working outside of the home is not good for girls. Since Titus 2 says to teach the young women to be “keepers at home”, we saw that there is no better job preparation than actually keeping the home. Being a woman of God requires completely different preparation than being a man of God. It is good for both to learn to submit to authority and handle money, but doing what your parents say and doing things like grocery shopping and helping with the budget can teach you this just as well as a job.
I now stay home and help my mother with the housecleaning, menu planning, teaching, grocery shopping, and anything else that needs to be done. My younger brother already has odd jobs like mowing, and he is selling his own leather working, but our parents want us girls to focus on the home. God is more than able to provide if something happened to my dad, either through the church, extended family, or some kind of work that we girls could do from the home (or other ways. God is incredibly creative).
It is true that teens (and younger) should be working in preparation for real life, but the kind of work is different for boys than for girls. We did not see this for years, but God has graciously shown it to us before I misused all my young adult years. We are trying to look for a family business to work at together, but if we don’t find one, I will not work outside of the home again. It does take away most of my spending money, but the trade-offs of being actually prepared to be a house-wife and following what God has revealed are more than worth it.
Raylene
September 9th, 2007 at 4:59 pm
This discussion is really interesting. I have enjoyed looking through everyone’s responses!
This summer I worked about 30 hours a week at a local hardware store and took two college classes (Biochemistry and Pathophysiology). The hardware store wasn’t my first choice, but since I had worked there my last year of high school and knew all the managers, I knew that they would hire me as soon as I needed the job. I had some problems with my manager when I worked there in high school, but this time God blessed the job so much. I was even promoted and put in charge of the newer workers! I had several chances to witness to my co-workers, and I really learned a lot about being a manager. Now that I’m in nursing school (I was just started this fall), I can see that the things I learned in that job helped me grow so much more then I realized at the time. It was really neat for me to see how much God turned what I thought was going to be a bad summer into a great growing time.
September 10th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
I started working year round when I was 13. My dad purchased four run-down apartments and he and my sister Caedy and I renovated them all nearly by ourselves. They were so dilapidated that he purchased the apartments for the cost of the land minus the cost to clear the apartments off—we had to completely remove several walls that had decomposed into dirt and had spiders and earthworms living in them. Rather disgusting.
After renting out the apartments, my dad purchased another property: a mold-infested house on an acre of land. The land was beautiful, sloping down from the road and backing up to Island State Park. Unfortunately, the builders of the house stuck it right underneath a hill at the bottom of the slope, so it had severe water damage. We had many difficulties getting the water to drain away from the home.
Currently I’m working with him to complete the renovation of a damaged modular home that we placed on a vacant lot and are hoping to soon sell. I work for my father year round, morning or evening, whenever he finds time off from his home business to go work on whatever project we have going at the time. Now I’m 17 and I have done nearly everything necessary to build/renovate a home: siding; plumbing; roofing; drywall; painting; building walls; electrical work; landscaping; insulating; building decks; laying laminate, tile, and linoleum floors; and so on. Needless to say, if something occurred so I had to enter the workplace to earn an income, these skills would be very useful.
My family believes strongly in working together as a family and our real estate projects allow us to do just that. In addition to babysitting for a family—and my own siblings—I stay very busy working with my dad on the projects he purchases and am grateful for the opportunity to do so.
Caedy and I also started a business together, Divinegift.com, several years ago. We create nativity scenes out of Sculpey clay and donate all profits to children’s charities such as Compassion International. We also sell American flag pins and fairies, but the nativities are our most popular product.
Brett: You said in a previous post that self-employment was “a great way to go.” Do you or Alex have any plans of creating your own business? (I realize, though, that working on the Rebelution must take up a great deal of your time!) God bless as you continue to encourage teens to Do Hard Things.
September 12th, 2007 at 12:18 am
Interesting questions! I began working when I was 11, and haven’t stopped since. My first “real” job (besides babysitting gigs) was at 13, which I held for 4 years. I am currently working 2 jobs while taking a full courseload at my university. During the summers I generally work 3 jobs, and 12-hour days are the norm. Actually, God recently convicted me of loving work above Himself, so I am toning down my commitments so I can give Him more attention.
My worst job was this Spring, when I worked for Quizno’s. I didn’t like it because the pay was lousy, the work was mindless, and (this is a big deal to me) the music being played was not uplifting. However, I learned a lot about dealing courteously with angry people. Also, it’s easier to associate with people who are less privileged because of the experiences and conversations I shared with my coworkers, one of whom was in her 50’s and still working in fast food (er, sorry…quick-serve
).
Right now, my father is out of work (ironically). If that were to continue for an extended time, my most useful skill would be teaching sign language or coaching fencing. But, thank God for his providence–I don’t think I’ll need to find more work any time soon!
March 6th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
I found this article ironic because out of all my friends the christian ones were the only ones who are not getting jobs or even wanting ones! My non-christian friends are the ones with the better work ethic by far.
I have been working at multiple jobs for many years and started my first full time job(5 days a week, 8 hour shifts) when I was 14, I did this for two months. The best job ever had to be when I worked at a horse farm!!!!!I loved it, I got to be in charge of taking care of two barns and 16 horses, It was the best, I was 12 then. The worst job was babysitting for two girls, I was really young and inexperienced and I hated it!!
April 18th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Strangely enough I am only recently starting to understand this phenomenon. I am the oldest of four children in a poor,home schooling family where my dad in disabled and my mom is only allowed to work part time. Ever since I turned thirteen I have been expected to hold down a paying job outside of the home (baby sitting my siblings and household chores are part of the package I don’t get paid for that). Not working is one of my fears not one of my hopes.
My question is how can other teenagers afford not to work? Without my job I couldn’t afford gasoline. Can their parents really afford to just continue to give everything to them?
May 1st, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Yes. I work full-time (self employed) training horses. I started last year and now have three horses which I ride every day all year. I board my horses at a Christian camp near us (campredcloud.org), and I do farrier work on their herd to pay for my horses’ board. My parents gave me a loan to start my business, and have been incredible teachers and investors (my dad started two of his own businesses, so he was a huge help).
The best job I’ve ever worked was at the soda fountain in our town. My boss is also an elder at our church, and most of my coworkers were Christians, so the accountability was awesome.
If I had to help provide for my family, my horse training could make some money. I could also get a job in town at a restaurant or move theater or work as a farrier. There are many jobs in my area for a person willing to work hard.
I am reading Do Hard Things and am incredulous. I’m only in the third chapter and I’m already feeling inspired. The Rebelution is an incredible movement, and I am proud to be a small part of it.
May 5th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Hey Brett and Alex! I think this post is really interesting.:) I am curious though to what you think about teenage girls working outside of the home? Like for instance being a waitress or working at a store? I’d really appreciate your guys opinion on this if you have time!
May 8th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I work at a grocery store, where I bag groceries and push the cart out to the customer’s car. I’ve been working at this particular job for 2 years, and let me tell you, it has been quite a journey. Oswald Chambers has been a great inspiration to help move me to do all things as unto the Lord. At our places of work, we should work hard and let our light shine in a lost and dying world. “Work” is a huge mission field, if you allow it to be. I have a marvelous opportunity where I work to share the gospel with numerous people. I am doing them a service, so I am meeting a physical need; I am conversing with them, so I am meeting a social need; I am smiling and showing interest in the person because I love them, so I am also meeting an emotinoal need. Once those bases are covered, people are alot more likely to allow you to minister to their spiritual needs. It’s great to see how God will shape your unwasted life even through “work”.
May 11th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
hey! I’ve never really been on here before, but recently I started reading do hard things, and it’s deffinetly made me reflect on my own life! It’s an incredible book Alex and Brett! I’ve been working since I was 10(if babysitting counts!) I started babysitting my sibling earlier than that, but I started babysitting a few kids from my school when I was 10. I’m 13 now, and from september-January I volunteered at the horse barn I rode at. But in the middle of January, I got a payed job at the barn of cleaning out the water buckets! Actually I just got back from doing that! For the question about how I could help if one of my parents got hurt, I get 80 dollars a month for the water bucket job, and about 20- 60 dollars a month for babysitting, so I could give that to my parents, I also could do more, like mowing lawns, raking leaves, cleaning houses, washing laundry, and lots of other things!
June 18th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I tried to get a job this summer, but the place I wanted to work doesn’t hire anyone under 16. Although you can supposedly get a job at 14 here in California, my friends say this is true for pretty much any business. So it seems if I want a job, I’ll have to either wait until next summer or make one for myself. I’m really good with computers, but hate doing “routine maintenance” type jobs. Any ideas?
July 19th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Did I have a job for the summer?
No.
My reasons aren’t great either, I spent time earning six college credits, and had 2 week-long trips planned. I’m going into 11th grade now, and I can’t drive, so that limits where I can work (Althought, I admit, I could probably find a ride.) I did work with my dad 3 hours a day in sixth and seventh grade, but then their small business went under so I had to go for free. I worked the stock market a little and turned my 800 dollars into a little over a thousand. I work part-time at a local bakery around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they don’t really need my help the rest of the year (Although on occassions they’ll call me in if someone is sick.) The summer isn’t over though, I’m probably going to see about finding a part time job for the last month, my college credits are over now and so are my trips. Sometimes I wonder whether my time would be better spent earning $6 dollars an hour or taking 2 courses which will save me thousands that I don’t have to pay for in college. So I’m still seeking God’s will.
The best job experience I ever had was in sixth and seventh grade working with my dad doing deliveries to the 5 small grocery stores my parents owned. Every night from 6PM-9PM we would take milks, juices, baby formula, eggs, and all sorts of other stuff from their headquarters to the sattelite stores. It was great because during that time my worldview was developed. We would listen to talk radio and debate the points. Dad would play devil’s advocate and challenge everything I said, forcing me to think on my feet and reason logically. This was a great bonding time for me and my dad, and allowed me to rack up a ton of cash (now in savings). It was out of this time that my love for politics and for debate sparked. Sadly, my school lacks a debate team, and I have been unsuccessful in starting one (out of lack of persistence on my part, and lack of interest fro administration).
If my parents lost their jobs I believe I would be able to step up and help out. Because even though I don’t have a job now, my time is hardly spent idling around. I love to read and study, both inside and outside of school. My parents have done an excellent job instilling a work ethic in me, one that I believe I could replicate in most any job situation.
July 25th, 2008 at 5:16 am
Why I don’t have a job this summer? (Good question)
The reason I didn’t have a job this summer is because I was too young to legally work in South Carolina. Many people told me I could work at Chic-fil-a but that was a fast food restaurant and they told me it was very hard and I didn’t want to smell like grease all day. I know that is not a good enough reason. The worst job I think I could’ve had is babysitting a 2 and 5 year old children. I learned that you have to be patient because they don’t what is right and what is wrong sometimes. If my parents couldn’t work I believe that I would be able to help. I am a mechanical person I can take things apart figured out the problem and fix it most of the time. I am also good at math and I am very willing to do what ever i am told. I am a fast learner and I could work any where that i can get a job.
July 25th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I posted on July 19th (I’m Seab) lol. But I wanted to add this.
Since that day I’ve had the opportunity to take a small job 4 times, (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and now Saturday) I took the Mon, Fri, and Sat job, and its been difficult. Today I worked 9 hours, 3 of which were spent cleaning out an oven (HUGE OVEN). I just wanted to encourage all of you looking for a job that God will provide. My post said that I will probably start looking for one, but a few jobs came to me and I’m glad, its better than idling my time. I prob. wouldn’t have done so much if this post hadn’t challenged me, so thanks!
July 29th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
When I was 11, I started babysitting. There was one family I would babysit 2-4 nights a week for. A year and a half later we moved, so I quit babysitting, but I started working for a family friend in a pottery shop, which I really enjoyed. Then, when I was almost 15, I started working at McDonalds. I ended up becoming a shift manager. (BTW, Dallas mentioned that in Alberta, shops, restaurants, etc. are often “run” by teenage kids and that is SOO true!) That job ended up being like babysitting. I would basically make sure that the 12-16 year olds didn’t destroy the place while they were on my shift!! I soon got tired of the mismanagement at that place, and I started working at a grocery store as a cashier. I liked the job, but it got boring. So, I went to work at another McDonalds, which is very well run. I recieved a lot of training there, and my manager want to promote me to 2nd assistant as soon as I turn 18. I’m 17 now and ever since I was fifteen or so, I’ve spent my summer working 40-60 hours a week.
“Hypothetical Situation”-I could continue at my current job. I could also work at a grocery store, babysit, maybe get a few $ from writing.
August 14th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
My parents ordered “Do Hard Things” the other day and I’m about a third of the way through with it. I just started reading your website and blog and will definitely add the links to my favorites! To answer your questions, I’m 15 1/2 and started babysitting when I was twelve or so. I continue to do that once or twice a week — sometimes more in summer. This week and next I’ll be working as a sterilization technician at my orthodontist’s office. That fancy name means I get to clean up the chairs after each patient and put the various instruments through the sterilizers. I was a little skeptical at first because it meant getting to the office at 6:50am and being on my feet until 5pm. It’s been a great experience so far. Exhausting, but the people I work with are very friendly — and my heels are REALLY sore.
Now I have a question for you.
I saw your more recent post and was wondering what your plans are long-term.
Are you going into other careers after college? What are you majoring in? (Sorry about the preposition!) Do you see the “Rebelution” as lasting for a long time? Am I asking too many questions??
August 21st, 2008 at 6:49 pm
>>Did you have a job this summer? Why or why not?
Well, I started baby sitting at around 10 years old and have been watching kids for quite a while since then (but the parents keep on moving to different areas! >.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Um… I don’t quite know what happened to the rest of that sentence buuuuuuut…
This summer I watched a 10mo. baby boy named Ben on thursday to tuesday from 9:00am to 2:30pm for a friend of ours (the baby’s grandma) because she was needing some extra help with watching him because she is going through some hard times right now and she is also working tuesday through thursday (which is when I watch Ben of course) so my sister and I watched him- for absoloutely FREE! No charge. I guess that you could say that it was our ministry.
Unfortunately, we will have to quit soon. You see, my mom is now pregnant with her 12th kid (AMAZING!) and so now she needs more help with cleaning and such. Also, it is very hard to do all of my schoolwork (I am homeschooled BTW) and watch a baby at the same time. I love the little guy though! ^_^
But that is okay, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven–” (Ec. 3:1). Thank you for all you are doing here. And God Bless you greatly!!!
-Naomi
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 am
I realize it isn’t the summer any more…but I have a general question about this post, sooo hopefully it’s still okay..
this post definitely made me think (and, i admit, perhaps made me a little worried as well). as an mk who has lived overseas ever since she was 11, I have never had a “real” job. There are simply no opportunities here besides babysitting and tutoring…both of which I have done, though neither has taught me much in the way of life-skills.
It is true that I feel like I have missed out on some basic learning experiences, such as learning how to drive, or hold a job, or handle finances, which i will have to catch up on when i return for college. On the other hand, I feel like I have developed good communication skills and work ethic by other means (including service trips, school, interaction with adults), and that in fact I have experience in other areas, such as relating to people of a completely different culture, that my job-holding peers may not have.
I realize that my situation is somewhat unique, but I do hope that there are others out there who have also been able to grow and mature without having a job (lol)…
and I would really like to hear what others think about this.
October 4th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Dear TCK.for.Christ,
I can sympathize. I do live in the States but I’m a PK and my dad calls the little town where we live a “mission field where you don’t have to learn the language”. It’s a very dark place with A LOT of problems. Our church only has about 25 members on an average Sunday and my siblings and I are the only people under 35! You may not think that babysitting and tutoring are life skills but let me encourage that they really are, because they are the skills that God has provided you with! As an MK you are probably gaining much more experience and knowledge in areas many of us aren’t! And also, if that is where God has placed you just remain open to what He is training you in. Those communication skills and work ethic will serve you well wherever God takes you next!
God bless and persevere!
October 12th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
All my life my dad has instilled a very hard work ethic in my brothers and I. This past summer I worked for a horse rancher in my area. There was about 70 horses on the ranch and some of my jobs where caring for the horses, farm work, (we farm five hundred acers) training horses and all sorts of other stuff. I am 14 so getting too work is sometimes a problem, but the ranch was just five miles from my house so I rode my bike a lot. Other then working on the ranch this summer I worked for a framer, fenced in some fields for a friend and worked for my dad who owns a fiberglass shop for boats.
The worst job I ever had would have to be working on the ranch, but it was probably one of the best to. The worst because I had some problems with my boss. At times he was just vary hard to please, but thru it I learned same vary important character traits. But I loved the work.
In a situation where my dad could not work I think I could find a job. Some of the things I can do are construction, farming, ranching, wood working and I’ve been offered a job with a landscaping company and a horse ferrier.
My dad always said if your willing to work hard and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, God will take care of the rest.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Wow, that’s awful; I had no idea that was happening. I did have a job this summer, and am at the moment doing two babysitting jobs a week. This has helped me learn to be responsible with the money I earn, and save as well. If I did have to go out and work, I probably could find work at a daycare or fastfood chain, like Zaxby’s.
Hannah P., you are so right about the babysitting being life skills! The weekly jobs I have help me prepare for my future as a ( hopefully) future homemaker.
Keep up the good work, guys!