A Worthy Summer Investment

Ahh! Summertime is almost here, dressed in Banana Boat sunscreen and bearing jars of homemade aloe vera to tuck into the back of the fridge. We look forward to late-night firepits, mysterious lightning bugs glowing in vintage canning jars, and midnight cruises with the windows down to get cherry limeade slushies and cookie dough ice cream. Cleaning out school lockers and homeschool closets brings a sigh of relief and accomplishment. The time is coming to set textbooks and iPads aside for a few months, buy fresh boxes of crayons, chase dusky baseball games and camp under the stars.

Though summertime is known for sleeping in until noon and spending endless days at the pool, integrating a summer job into your teen’s agenda can be essential to long-term success. I often think of a summer job as an extension of teens’ schooling through the summer months—without their realizing it! It has been proven over time that the busier we are, the better stewards we are of our time. An alarm isn’t only for the 6:00 a.m. wake-up call to catch a bus to school; using an alarm to show up for others because they depend on us is a valuable practice to cultivate. Plus, maintaining a routine in the summertime keeps teens from becoming lazy and unproductive. Balancing schoolwork and a job can be more challenging during the school year, so encouraging teens to find jobs in the summer months might be a better option and a great way to teach them how to be profitable with their time.

Grab a vanilla latte and homemade muffin and let’s discuss why your teen should get a summer job!

Self-worth. Contributing to their own expenses is gratifying, and knowing others count on them is motivating. I actually just started a little part-time retail job after being a stay-at-home homeschooling mom for 22 years, and I can’t tell you how “important” I feel knowing my contribution at work is very much appreciated and valued. And I receive a paycheck! I sense the importance of being relied on and contributing to a greater purpose—and those are esteem-builders.

Time management. Planners, alarm clocks, digital reminders, planner apps and templates—the list goes on! A multibillion-dollar industry has grown up around all the technology and supplies that help keep us on track and in sync with being highly productive, completing responsibilities and meeting deadlines. Mastering the skill of time management promotes effective decision-making, teaching us to make informed decisions in a timely manner, even under pressure, and creates self-discipline. Balancing a summer job, personal responsibilities and free time through effective time management can improve teens’ self-discipline and drive a good work ethic.

Financial independence and budgeting. In a society that wants to drive the normalcy of loans, credit cards and debt into our children’s worldview, be the parent that drives the adoption of financial independence, stewardship and budget. It’s exciting to buy your own pair of Birkenstocks or a shiny, new Stanley insulated cup and not rely on Mom and Dad to provide for these splurges. Learning the difference between wants and needs isn’t taught in the classroom anymore, so it should start at home. Remember how your mom and dad told you growing up, “Money doesn’t grow on trees!”? Well, reminding your teens that some things are appreciated much more when worked and saved for creates adults who are more content in their lives, navigate the challenges of adulthood more emotionally grounded, and who hone better decision-making skills. My teens started their first jobs at 14, opened their first bank accounts and created a monthly budget that gave them freedom and a broader understanding of how much things cost in their tiny, self-oriented world. One of the best parenting decisions I’ve ever made is encouraging them to learn to balance a job within the bookends of their day.

Life skills and possible career paths. Many teens exposed to different career opportunities while working in the summertime bring valuable experience to their college years. They often develop a better sense of time management, a good work ethic and good verbal communication skills. The exposure to different lines of work they might never have experienced or considered can focus their interests for career choices later in life. Teens employed outside the home also benefit from learning to respect and develop relationships with people they’ve never met before.

Character development from productivity and contribution to the community. We would all be better humans if we knew how much we impacted others and could contribute to the growth of our communities. By encouraging our teens to value work ethic, especially in the summer months, we encourage them to interact with others, which can help build a cohesive community.

Education within the classroom certainly fosters attaining foundational skills like mastering math facts, speaking a foreign language and writing research papers. But summer jobs can be the intrinsic drivers of long-term success in a teen’s future, building self-confidence and teaching financial independence. Finding a job that your teen enjoys, whether it is outside mowing lawns, lifeguarding at the local community center or pool, building double scoops on sugar cones at a nearby ice cream dive, or teaching watercolor classes in a home setting, contributes to the community around them and is well worth their summer investment—and they get paid for it! Score!

Elizabeth Hammond is a sourdough-baking homeschooling mom of six and a “want-to-be” homesteader living in a tiny cottage in northern Overland Park.