Teen weekend job

FBaby

My DD was desperate to work when she was 14. It's not that she was missing on anything, it was the prospect of having her own money and doing whatever she wanted with it. She tried hard and despite being told that she was more mature than the average 16yo, employers just didn't take on under 16, and indeed, that mainly because of lack of flexibility with hours they can work and insurance.

She tried and then did a work placement in 15 when she was told that she would definitely be employed by the company, but she would need to wait until she was 16. Two days after her birthday, she contacted then again, she was invited for an interview, and she was then given the job, so in essence, it was quick afterwards from what she'd done 6 months earlier.

There is no harm with him asking around, he might get lucky. In the meantime, I would encourage him to party in activities that he can then use in his CV.

Beckyy

I wouldn't advise dog walking either, most people would want a dog walker to be insured. If something were to happen with another dog while your son was walking it then it would lead to a really difficult situation.

GwylimT

Can a fourteen year old get public liability insurance to be a dog walker?

At that age my son had a paper round, he also used to go to local elderly residents who were quite housebound and do odd household jobs, a bit of food shopping etc and he would often be given a few quid a week for doing it.

Person_one

Beckyy wrote: »

I wouldn't advise dog walking either, most people would want a dog walker to be insured. If something were to happen with another dog while your son was walking it then it would lead to a really difficult situation.

Not to mention that people need to be able to trust their dog walkers and like them to have a bit of knowledge of dog training and behaviour, as well as the ability to drive them to a vet and get treatment in an emergency. Teenagers can walk friends' and neighbours' dogs for free as a favour, but nobody is likely to want to pay them for it!

I wasn't allowed a paper round and my parents wouldn't let me get a part time job at 16 until I'd finished my GCSEs. I was annoyed at the time because I wanted extra cash for trips to Topshop and CD singles and going to the cinema with boys and so on , but my dad insisted that my 'job' was going to school, and he was right.

System

Person_one wrote: »

I wasn't allowed a paper round and my parents wouldn't let me get a part time job at 16 until I'd finished my GCSEs. I was annoyed at the time because I wanted extra cash for trips to Topshop and CD singles and going to the cinema with boys and so on , but my dad insisted that my 'job' was going to school, and he was right.

I kind of wish my parents had thought along those lines, but they were a bit strapped for cash and it was probably better for them that I earned myself a tenner a week (or whatever it was) than that I pestered them for it.

But it was cool being able to buy my own music and clothes


OP where I used to live there was a market and lots of school age teenagers used to have a Saturday job working on the stalls, cash in hand. This was back in the '80s. I think there is more red tape now, though, and you may find your son has to wait until he is 16.

mrsjanebanbury2009

How about something computer-based? I know he's too young to have his own eBay account but there's no reason why he can't set up listings etc for you. Or write a blog/record a vlog about stuff he's interested in and learn how to monetise it. Or do web development?

missbiggles1

mrsjanebanbury2009 wrote: »

How about something computer-based? I know he's too young to have his own eBay account but there's no reason why he can't set up listings etc for you. Or write a blog/record a vlog about stuff he's interested in and learn how to monetise it. Or do web development?

I think that some of those would be more time consuming and detrimental to his studies than doing 4 or 5 hours a week in employment.

southoftheriver

I was the same at that age. I started volunteering and then was employed when I got older. Is that an option?

BarryBlue

Is this lad interested in sport? He could become qualified as a referee and officiate at junior games at the weekend, which pays around what he is looking for. When I was at school I never fancied a paper round so I qualified as a football referee and did games most Saturdays and Sundays. I was earning far more than my schoolmates got for delivering papers and I was doing something I enjoyed.

MallyGirl

southoftheriver wrote: »

I was the same at that age. I started volunteering and then was employed when I got older. Is that an option?

We have really struggled to find volunteering options for my 14yr old DD - for DofE. Admittedly she wanted to do something animal related. Same old excuses about insurance/health & safety.