The Benefits of a Summer Job – ETB #171

Do your children have summer jobs? Do they have a part-time job or work as an intern or volunteer somewhere? Fox 35 Orlando asked me to speak on this topic of teens and summer jobs and I always have so much more to say on these topics than I can fit into a short morning show segment. A lot of learning happens with summer jobs, so let’s talk about the benefits of a summer job for your teen!

This episode is sponsored by BJU Press Homeschool. Visit bjupresshomeschool.com for trusted educational resources from a biblical worldview.

I was speaking at a conference and walked into the lobby of the hotel to find a sign that said, “Workers are scarce. The whole country is facing a worker shortage. Be nice to those who show up.” I’m a strong advocate of rest, play, and learning to use boredom, but I also see that learning happens on the construction site, in an office filling papers, or volunteering at a non-profit organization. There’s value gained in these experiences for your teens working at a summer job.

Benefits of a Summer Job for Teens

Summer jobs can teach children and teens a lot of valuable life lessons and skills. Some of these include learning:

1. The value of work from a financial perspective – Your teen’s job can show them the value of work and how to separate income from their personal worth. They can also earn cash that can go towards savings, college, or personal interests. This is also an opportunity for parents to talk with and teach children about pay, negotiating raises, and other financial skills.
2. Useful hard and soft skills – Summer jobs can give your child the opportunity to hone a particular skill in an area of interest or show them that they don’t like working in a particular field. Beyond that, there are soft skills like problem-solving that are gained along the way.
3. How to work with a variety of people – These summer and part-time opportunities put your child into situations where they have to interact with people of all different ages, life stages, personalities, and more. They can gain valuable experience in learning to serve and get along with all kinds of people, some of whom they might not normally come into contact with or from whom they might have differing beliefs.

Summer Job Ideas

What kinds of jobs can your children and teens get this summer? Here’s a list to help you get started thinking about the possibilities:

• Construction, pool cleaning, lawn maintenance, lifeguard, parks and recreation
• Online: video editing, virtual assistant, learning software tools, graphic design, social media ads creator
• Creative: production crew, tradeshow designs
• In-Office: receptionist, office assistant, intern
• Volunteer: city events, sporting events, music and theater events, hospitals

Consider all of these benefits of and options for summer jobs for your children. Working during the summer months can help your teens develop important skills, cultivate a strong work ethic, and gain valuable experiences for their future.