Should 16 year olds have a job?

[sweets]

My friends son has had everythinh handed to him on a silver plate since he was born, he has never had to work for something or save for anything, when he has needed or wanted something he has just got it. He does nothing to help around the house even though parents work full time and he has finished school , just done GCSE's and is due to start college in sept. I was chatting to his parents the other day and asked them if he had a job, they were horrified and said he was far too young!
I'm sorry but i think at 16 they should get minimum pocket money, and anything else they should have to earn it!
am i being a bit hard?

[marion123]

when my daughter turned 16 she went out and got a job in waterfields she wanted money so got a job she has been there for 3 yrs working on saturdays
she leaves next month as of to uni they dont want her to goas she is a good worker and she has meet lots of good friends there

[PixiePetal]

No, I agree. Depends what jobs are about though. I can't afford to hand out cash all the time, my kids are 12 and 15 so still at school. They get minimum pocket money and hopefully will earn more as they get older and a job.

I lived in a seaside town and lots of my friends were summer season waitress' or worked the candyfloss/icecream machines. I did babysitting and looked after kids where my mum did the cleaning. OMG only 15/16 and trusted with 3 kids under 6 for 4/5 hours at a time Came naturally to me though

[Alibali]

My dd is 16 and still at school, she hasn't had her pocket money increased and is looking for a job, there's not much out there though!

[Trouble]

my dd helps me she is only 12 so she earns her pocket money by picking up toys at the end of the day

my son helps his dad and fixes our cars he 15 but he is at college through school so he has some understanding and earns spending money

[sweets]

just re read my post, it makes him sound like a spoilt brat! he's not really, he's a lovely lad. i understand theres not much work out there but what bugs me is that he hasn't even tried to get a job. His parents are quite well off, but i just think he needs a lesson on the value of money. He was talking the other day about when he has passed his driving test he is going to get bmw like his mums! He is in for a big shock when he finally does start earning! lol

[LOOPYLISA]

Yes i think at 16 they should at least be looking, my dd(11) has pocket money weekly and sort of earns it , but if shes played up etc then no.

[FizzysFriends]

I don't think I will be asking my DD to get a job at 16, I think she has enough working years ahead of her without starting at 16. I didn't get a job at 16 either, didn't get a job until I could drive and had a car.

[sweets]

I don't think I will be asking my DD to get a job at 16, I think she has enough working years ahead of her without starting at 16. I didn't get a job at 16 either, didn't get a job until I could drive and had a car.

yes but would you expect her to help out around the house tho?

[nannymcflea]

My kids are 6 and 9 and have to work for things...they are both money aware and realise that they have to save for things they want. They have to strip their beds, take plates into the kitchen, help prepare meals, keep bedrooms tidy... ...and work hard at school.

If they want anything I will sometimes buy it first and it gives them the incentive to do things and save for it.

My kids have more than I ever did so I don't feel mean about them having to do stuff around the house.

I hope at 16 mine will have the opportunity to work. There doesn't seem to be much out there for anyone at the moment.

[ajs]

sam didn't have a paid job at 16 but did volunteer at the local activity centre all summer then last year he got a job at morrisons and has been working there ever since ( as well as full time college) and this year the activity centre are paying him as he is 18 and he still works at morrisons too.
he pays me £50 a month and the rest is his to do what he wants but he also saves £50

alex my 16 yr old is my registered assistant and i pay her £50 a week but she works very hard for that money and i certainly wouldn't give her hand outs

the local dry cleaners is looking for staff so she is applying to work there too as that will fit around college as well. she can start paying me rent in september too

al of my kids have baby sat from a very early age

[FizzysFriends]

yes but would you expect her to help out around the house tho?

Yes shes expected to help around the house now because she lives here not to earn money, I don't pay her pocket money for doing things around the house that are expected anyway. I do however give her 'wages' for doing things above and beyond, like things to do with childminding.

But, I didn't get a job, until my parents bought me a car, paid insurance, tax and petrol, gave money and I didn't really do much around the house and I turned out ok.

[aly]

I had a job at 15. Finished school in may and found a shop to work in.

Saying that you did say he was going to college so I dont see how he can work too? If he wasn't doing anything at all ie no college etc then I would have said yes.

[cabby]

Ds gets £10 a week pocket money (hes 15), but for that he has to do a lot of jobs around the house, he does the washing,( he works the washing machine better than me...lol) hangs it out , sorts it when it dry, he and his sister have to load and unload the dishwasher every night and make sure the kitchen's tidy, as well as general housework!, Ds got herself a weekend job at macdonalds when she turned 16, she works 7-4 sat and sun, as well as doing her A levels, we told her all through the year that she didnt have to work so many hours and study but she wanted to, she's now doing a training course with triangle training so will be leaving mc's soon

[ajs]

Yes shes expected to help around the house now because she lives here not to earn money, I don't pay her pocket money for doing things around the house that are expected anyway. I do however give her 'wages' for doing things above and beyond, like things to do with childminding.

But, I didn't get a job, until my parents bought me a car, paid insurance, tax and petrol, gave money and I didn't really do much around the house and I turned out ok.

that's the point i cannot afford to buy 3 children a car, tax it and insure it and pay for their petrol too.

fil gave me a car for sam and we serviced it and taxed it this year but that's it if he wants to keep a car he has to learn to budget to keep it on the road.

i will help his sisters with their first car too but that's as far as the support can go

[Playmate]

In theory I agree, in reality at the moment the out look is bleak. My son will be 17 in 3 wks. He has had 2 jobs in the past, both have come to an end because his employers couldn't afford to keep him on. He finished his college year at the begining of June and doesn't go back until mid Sep. He has been everywhere he can think of with CV and it is just greeted with rejection. One of our mindee's father is a duty manager at the local supermarket, I asked him if they had any part time vacancies, he replied "we don't like takeing on young lads, they are lazy and then they leave" My son is outgoing, great with kids, he is registered as our assistant and does work with us when we need him. Unfortunately we can't afford to pay him a proper wage.
The worst thing for us during term time he receives EMA from the government, so he is used to having money, but during holiday periods it stops, which for 3.5 mths is a long time!
My sons only hope now is that as some of the older ones go off to uni in September, maybe he will able to get some work in the run up to Christmas.

[sweets]

As both his parents work full time and long hours,i think they should at least make him help around the house! when i say he does nothing is an understatement! his bedroom is full of crockery, towels on the bathroom floor, never makes a cup of tea or cooks a meal or walks the dogs during the day. mum and dad have to do it when they get home

[cabby]

we have just brought DD a car, but its a £300 H reg fiesta, she had to tax and insure it herself with money she had saved!!! she also has to pay for her own driving lessons!! even though its an old car its her pride and joy, she really loves it, her friend had a 05 plate car brought for her and she has no respect for it at all

[sweets]

we have just brought DD a car, but its a £300 H reg fiesta, she had to tax and insure it herself with money she had saved!!! she also has to pay for her own driving lessons!! even though its an old car its her pride and joy, she really loves it, her friend had a 05 plate car brought for her and she has no respect for it at all

first cars have to be crappy its the law! lol. I paid my dad for his old one when i started driving, it was very old but i loved it.

[estrelas]

I haven't read all the replies but i think they should even if its just a paper round, it gives them responsibilty etc
I worked in a market from age 15 ever saturday, it was fab