Helping Your Young Teens Find Summer Jobs

I don’t usually write about issues relating to young teens but thought a blog post about helping them find summer jobs would be informative. As a teenager, I wanted to work during the summers to earn that extra bit of spending money and I’m sure that like me, your children are eager to do the same. Of course, you should first check the employment laws of your state to find out the age that your children can start working at an official job and if a work permit is required. There are full and part-time jobs that your early teens, especially, may be willing to do.

Babysitting is at the top of the list. I did that a lot during my teenage years – both during the day, when necessary, but mostly in the evenings. As I babysat for one family, soon other families heard about how good I was and then I was in high demand. I eventually limited babysitting to one family who used my services frequently.

If your young teen enjoys being with children and is mature and responsible, consider babysitting. It is not all fun and games, though, as the safety and well-being of children are involved. Your child should be prepared for all that may happen, with you as the parent being available as a backup in the event of an emergency. A great babysitting training course is offered by the Red Cross in many areas, both in person and online. The link to the course is provided below. Being a certified Red Cross babysitter will give your child bonus points for prospective employers.

Being a dog walker and pet sitter are also age-appropriate jobs. Families travel a lot during the summer so they need someone to take care of their pets. Again, your young teen must like pets. Have your child become familiar with the pet and the pet familiar with him before taking the job. Make sure that he understands all the feeding and walking instructions before the family leaves. Also make sure that the route for the walk is safe for the child and the dog. Your child should not walk the dog in unfamiliar areas.

House sitting is another job that is available in the summer, as families travel. The duties usually involve watering plants, picking up the mail and packages, mowing the lawn, and keeping an eye out for anything that is happening around the house.

There are many opportunities for your young teen to get out of the house during the summer and earn some money. Help him network and prepare. He will benefit tremendously.

Please check out this website for more information on the Red Cross babysitting training course: CLICK HERE

Helping Your Children Become Entrepreneurs

We should encourage entrepreneurship spirit in our children beginning at a young age. Children are very creative and having a dream to establish a business and be self-sufficient and successful are very positive goals.

My parents were small business owners. I saw how they struggled to make ends meet when their business was established and then the benefits they reaped as the business grew. After I graduated from law school and returned home to practice law, the seeds they had planted in me for entrepreneurship began to grow and I established my own private law practice. My parents always encouraged me and my sisters to be self-sufficient and follow our dreams.

Later, as a mother with two sons, I hired them to work in my office to do general office tasks after school and on the weekends. By working with me in that business environment, they were able to experience hands on training about what it is like to own your business and the dedication and hard work it takes to be successful.

Many children do not have the opportunities that I and my children had but parents can still open their children’s minds to the possible business opportunities that are available. Children frequently ask for money so why not think about ways to help them earn money rather than just giving it to them. If your children’s school has classes that teach entrepreneurship, encourage your children to take them. If there are after-school activities and clubs centered on business ownership and development, again, encourage your children to participate.

Of course, the typical business idea for children is the ubiquitous lemonade stand. However, there are many websites that have ideas for children’s businesses. At the end of my blog, I will give you a website with some very creative suggestions.

The key component is the parents’ involvement to help start and run the business, as children cannot possibly do it themselves. Please do not start a business and then give up because you allow other tasks or activities to take precedence. Many factors must be considered before starting a business with your children, including the time commitment involved, the availability of financing, and the general logistics of where and how it will be operated. As the old saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail.

Please visit this website for some business ideas for children: click here