Shit, I did.

But mostly to pay for all the cocaine.

I worked through high school along with leading the marching band, which was a tough lot to juggle. I wish my parents would have let me just focus on school and music. It would have helped me tremendously.

I think it’s a blessing to be able to provide for your children so much that their education can be their focus. That’s what I want for my kids.

i never worked in high school. but i worked when i first started college. i paid my first semester tuition and books working at ruby tuesday haha. 

I think kids should have some sort of job in high school. So when they graduate they have some experience in the working world. A summer job or something that’s weekends only. Even if it’s just a mom and pop place, it will benefit in the long run instead of going into any job with no experience.

They should. Even if only as a casual employee.

Well, my parents are like you and didn’t let me work until the summer after graduation and that is just doing filing and such part time at my dad’s firm. They have the same rule for college, summer work only. It works fine, in high school I got an allowance and now they pay for everything. That’s what they want so it’s ok with me.

Well if they have the luxury of having moneyed parents to prop them up through college without needing a part-time job, they’d better pass with perfect marks… lol. I don’t think a part-time job really matters, if my kids ever want them during high school/uni then they can, so long as their marks stay good.

i worked during high school as soon as i was of age because my parents were going through an atomic bomb of a divorce and i needed the independence.  during the first quarter of college, i worked full time while being a full time student.  to this day i find it a miracle that i made the dean’s list that quarter, it was one of the most physically difficult and tiresome attempts of my life.  i then worked part time the quarter after that, and although it wasn’t extremely difficult, it  still took up quite a lot of time.  since then, i work during the summer and save up so that i can be a full time student during the school year without having to work.

I am a student and  my parents just tell me to concentrate on my school activities. But I don’t really know how to get friendly with people. I think I would find some experiences by working a job.

I’m a senior in high school this year, and my mom still won’t let me get a job. She says if I really, really want one, it can only be a weekend job. For the same reasons, too. I need to ‘focus on homework and sports.’ I really don’t care though

…some people can’t afford college without a job. I’d say “No” to working in high school, but “yes” to working through college.

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Every child and situation is different.  I had a part-time job in high school.  For me it was a great experience.  It was a chance to learn responsibility and how to manage money.  My parents let me keep all my income, and though I did blow it all on some stereo equipment, it required discipline to save up they money for that and careful thought to choose that specific expenditure.

When in college I had a part-time job too – less than 10 hours a week, on campus.  In this case it was more an opportunity for social interaction, a break from my studies, and some extra spending money for me.  My parents didn’t want me to have to work full-time and were committed to financing my education, but they didn’t mind my part time work.

I had a summer job, but my parents urged me to do what you’re saying.

Some part-time jobs are good–mine was late-night, flexible hours, interesting customers.
Working at Yogurtland, I mean.

I worked my way through both. I’ve had a job since I was 16 save for now since I was recently laid off.

I think that it is good for them to work–as long as it doesn’t take away from their academic priorities. I was able to to juggle an on campus job and a full time class schedule PLUS extra circular activities  (being president of my sorority, the music club, treasurer for the greek council, etc.), but I realize that some may not feel comfortable doing all that.

Sounds like you’re intentionally raising a lazy kid.  Sports are fun, not work.  Even varsity sports are serious, but not as monotonous and demanding as a job is. If you raise your kid to put off the realities of life until some point in the misty future when he’ll have a 5-star job, you’ll be paying for him ’til you die.

I worked on my own decision.  I like having money too much not to.

Why not just let him realize for himself that work sucks?

idk if you’re aware, but experience in the workplace is extremely valuable, and that pertains to any field that an individual chooses to go into. He’ll have to get a job eventually, the real Q is when. he might have his whole life ahead of him to work, but if he had some work experience before graduating from college, he’ll have a higher chance of getting hired after he gets his degree (he’ll also have a higher chance of getting picked to enter a specific grad school), especially if his work experience has to do with the field he is entering. not only that, but work is a great place for networking and it provides wonderful hands-on experience, which can ultimately help him to determine whether or not if his career choice is right for him. he might be young, but when he is older, he’ll have to learn how to juggle a full time job, a family, and other interests/hobbies. so why hold him back? too afraid he’ll burn out? but i always thought that the most important lessons in life is learning about yourself that way you can learn how to work with what you have to create the best outcome – how can an individual figure that out if they don’t expose themselves to situations where they figure these things out?

personally, my parents did not allow me to work, even when i insisted during HS. they felt that i should just focus on school. they didn’t let me get my license, and they didn’t let me join afterschool sports. all i did was study and play video games, and i feel like i’ve missed out on so much in life, which did a real number on my self esteem and sense of self-worth, especially when I started college. i think that a child should at least volunteer (if not work) at some point in his life before he enters college, because i personally find such experience to be invaluable.

I’ve had the same job since I was 16.  I’ve worked part time for a little over three years, and I made excellent grades in high school and continue to make awesome marks in college.

Some can do it, others can’t.

I could do it because I wasn’t very active in extracurricular activities.  I showed up once in a while to club meetings, but that was it.

Definitely not. When I was in highschool I really wanted a job too, but my parents told me to concentrate on other things. Oh, how right they were. I got a full scholarship to college based on grades and exxtracurricular activities, and kept it for 4 full years. The leftover scholarship amount after tuition and all that totalled to just over $40,000. Would I have made that much working? Definitely not. Would I be a better person had I worked? Probably not.

I strongly recommend allowing him a weekend job.  That way, he gets to build work experience, which is extremely important for when he gets out of college, but since he’d only be working two days a week (and possibly a little more during the summer) it wouldn’t interfere all that much with school and sports.  I went to high school with plenty of kids to who took that route, inlcuding my class valedictorian.  And you could use the opportunity to use his extra cash to teach him money management skills.  Since it’s money he earned he’ll respect it better than “mommy and daddy’s” money. 

This is coming from someone who’s worked nearly full time since they were 14, on top of maintaining good grades in school, varsity tennis, and a full commitment to band.  It was tough, and sometimes I do wish I’d had a less stressed  childhood, but I don’t know what I would be doing now if I hadn’t learned the skills that having that kind of a schedual and exposure to the work environmnet tought me. 

(PS: just a side note, its probably not a good thing to make sports his “job” and nearly his entire banking on college.  For one, there is always the possibility of doing so, and then still getting beat out in scholarships, and especially high paying and full ride ones.  Sports are entirely competitive and there’s always someone a little better.  He’s definitely probably right about how he will still need a job in college regardless.  Plus, that kind of mentality produces a high burnout rate in students.  The encouragement of “football is my job” or “I HAVE to make basketball my number one priority” thinking in highschool wears out the enjoyment so that by the time students get to senior year or college, it is just as weary and crappy as a real job.  I’m not saying this will happen to your son, but it’s a consideration.)

I’ve been working since I was 13(21 now) and I can say that it gave me experience for later on, I could still take or leave most of it. I guess some kids need work to build up their maturity and responsability but I didn’t need that, I just wanted money to get the thinsg I liked. So if I have a kid and they get great grades and try hard, then let them have fun. Like you said, he has the rest of his life to work. Which unless he gets to retire early somehow, that is a loooong time of working. So while you’re a kid or teenager, I seriously encourage them to enjoy it. It flies by and once you’re adult, all of that is pretty much gone. It’s the truth.

I worked for my last two years of high school, but not during my university years when I should have. It really depends on the individual. Some need to learn a good work ethic. I think for all students a summer job is important, though.

I worked through high school, and I’m currently in college and have worked multiple jobs every year.

I am glad to have money, and very glad that I learned the value of a dollar at a young age, but am jealous of my peers who never have to choose between getting homework done or getting to work on time. I think I’ll give my children a choice to work if they want to work or not, but I’ll make sure they make effective use of their time in productive interests.

I think things are much better if you don’t have to. I’m working my way through college (I’m a commuter, so I have to pay for gas too) and it’s certainly not the easy way to do things. I often find myself totally worn out at the end of the day and definitely not in the mood to do homework. I think I would do better if school was the only thing I had to focus on. I don’t have much time for socializing or fun activities. 

no. school should be his top priority.

I am currently working two jobs and am going to school full time at WVU double majoring in Biology and Spanish. Pulling a 3.8 GPA. I have one more year to go and then I am applying to medical school. I am not going to lie…but this is hard. My parents couldn’t afford to pay for my schooling so I must pay for it myself. Although it is tough you have to be incredibly responsible, have great time management skills and motivation just to get through. Personally, I think that working hard like that for something that you have always wanted to become (in my case a doctor) builds a person’s character. I want to be able to tell my kids that I worked really hard and never stopped working hard until I fulfilled my goals in life. Anything is possible! All that you need is optimism and TONS of caffeine lol.