| The teenage years are a crucial time in a child's life. | | | | You still do |
| They are | | | | your job and have a good attitude about it, treating |
| not children anymore, but they are also not adults. | | | | others as |
| During this | | | | you wish to be treated.* The process of looking for |
| time the choices they make may have an effect on | | | | a job requires teenagers to take a |
| them for the | | | | good look at themselves and their abilities, helping |
| rest of their lives. It is the parents' responsibility to | | | | them to see |
| guide | | | | what kind of people they want to be and what |
| their teenagers in the right direction by helping them | | | | they ultimately want |
| make | | | | to do with their lives.* Job experience is the first |
| responsible choices and building their character to the | | | | step to building a successful |
| point | | | | resume. Any jobs a teen has will look good on |
| that when their teenagers move out of the house | | | | college |
| they are on the | | | | applications and be a stepping stone to future |
| road to being responsible adults and have the tools | | | | employment.Of course, all this sounds great but in |
| they need to | | | | reality can be difficult |
| succeed in life.There are a number of ways that | | | | to put into practice. The first job our daughter had |
| parents can help teenagers build | | | | she got |
| their character. One way is through part-time | | | | laid off from because she and her boss could not |
| employment. | | | | come to |
| Having a job provides many learning opportunities | | | | agreement on the hours she would work. After she |
| for teens.* It teaches them what it takes to make a | | | | started working |
| living, and that it is | | | | there he changed the hours he said she could work |
| hard work to earn money to pay bills.* They have | | | | and it |
| the opportunity to learn to manage their own money | | | | conflicted with other activities she had. It was very |
| and make choices of how they will spend it.* If | | | | hard for |
| parents gives their teens the responsibility of paying | | | | her to feel like she was "fired" from her first job. |
| for | | | | We had to |
| some of their own bills (e.g., car insurance, gas, | | | | talk through a lot of the feelings she had towards |
| clothing, cell | | | | her boss and |
| phone, lunches out, etc.), then teens will realize they | | | | some of the experiences she had at that job. But |
| will only | | | | because she |
| be able to have these things if they pay for them | | | | chose to honor her boss by showing him respect |
| and will have | | | | when he didn't |
| to decide if it is worth it to them or not. Their | | | | necessarily deserve it, he gave her an excellent |
| priorities | | | | reference for |
| suddenly change when it is their money they are | | | | her next job.A couple of months later she did find |
| spending. They | | | | another job that was much |
| don't necessarily have to pay all their own bills, giving | | | | better than the first one, and she had many great |
| them a | | | | learning |
| couple of expenses to take care of will teach them | | | | experiences of working with others and learning to |
| to pay their | | | | serve others |
| own way and make responsible choices with their | | | | even when it was very hard work.Parents can't just |
| money.* Working is one way for teens to learn to | | | | throw their teens out into the workplace and |
| get along with and | | | | expect everything will go great. Issues will arise that |
| work along side other people, a very crucial step in | | | | need to |
| character | | | | be worked through with the parents' help, but this is |
| development. How many adults do you know that | | | | where the |
| can't get along | | | | learning occurs, and character development |
| with other people! Teens learn that you won't | | | | begins!Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom |
| always like | | | | of four. |
| everyone you work with, but that it doesn't matter. | | | | |