As I navigate my first pregnancy, I’ve made a firm decision about my future children: they will have summer jobs as teenagers. Right now, my kids are just 7 and 4, blissfully engaged in cartwheeling, swimming, and possibly dreaming about their very own lemonade stand as they watch the snow melt away.
When my little ones reach 14—the age they can start working in Massachusetts—I plan to have a heart-to-heart with them, much like my father did with me, about how to secure a summer job. I grew up in a comfortable family, and my parents didn’t rely on my summer earnings to make ends meet. However, they came from modest backgrounds and recognized that their strong work ethic paved the way for the better life my siblings and I enjoyed. They wanted us to inherit that same drive, and that’s where summer jobs come into play.
My own first job was at a local ice cream shop, where the owner bluntly pointed out my less-than-stellar mopping skills. As an excellent student, I had never faced such criticism before. That summer at 14, I learned a crucial lesson: I wasn’t as exceptional as I had thought. I also figured out how to mop floors like a pro.
Before landing my first teaching position at 22, I juggled various roles: bank teller, waitress, preschool assistant, shoe store clerk, nanny, and caregiver to a couple living with multiple sclerosis. Each job imparted invaluable lessons: how to handle irritable customers (let’s be honest, very few people walk into a bank feeling cheerful), how to tackle diaper changes, how to handle criticism (I once triggered an alarm at a shoe store and got an earful from the police), and the importance of punctuality (my morning shifts were essential for the couple’s routine). I want my children to experience these lessons, too.
Comedian Ben Thompson, who inadvertently champions the value of tough jobs, shares a similar sentiment. He once quipped about wanting his daughters to have “crappy minimum wage jobs” when they grow up. In his comedy, he emphasizes that young people need to understand the importance of working hard, especially after receiving so much in life without giving back. He echoes the sentiment found in Marge Piercy’s poem, which captures the essence of finding value in real work.
I aim to gift my children the experience of genuine labor. You might say, “But what about community service? My daughter plans to help build a school in Peru this summer!” I used to edit community service essays for a teen magazine, and while some young people genuinely contribute, many submissions reeked of self-righteousness, focused more on resume building than real impact.
Take my own experience—rather than enjoying a beach vacation during spring break, I chose a Habitat for Humanity trip. I was on the electrical team, but my contribution was limited to stapling wires under the guidance of a real electrician. This is why Ben Thompson’s remarks resonated with me; sometimes, young volunteers are more about the experience than meaningful work.
While there are undoubtedly young people who engage in authentic community service, many find themselves in a “savior” role. But it’s equally crucial for them to experience the grind of being the “low man on the totem pole.” They need to learn the value of making copies, brewing coffee, pulling weeds, and yes, mopping floors. Understanding the effort that goes into earning money and navigating complex personalities is essential. Ultimately, hard work and responsibility are valuable lessons that transcend any job title.
In summary, I aspire for my children to learn the importance of work through summer jobs, balancing the lessons of both community service and the more mundane tasks that build character. These experiences will prepare them for the real world, allowing them to appreciate the effort behind every dollar earned.
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Keyphrase: summer jobs for teenagers
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