Teaching teens healthy working habits?

Mikela78

I don't know if this is the right place for this question but I wondered if anyone had any advice for preparing young adults for the workplace, about working environment issues, work/life balance etc.

I sent my 13 year old out to get a job a few months ago, and he came back with one in a restaurant. Lovely family-owned place.

I have taught him to record his hours, keep his payslips, check they tally.
Also to allocate himself part of his wages for long term savings, part to save up for things he wants, and a small percentage for wasting on afternoons in the arcade etc.

His dad and I work shifts and long ones at that so I want to try and not pass on our unhealthy working habits.

What would you teach your child based on your experiences in the workplace?

Neil_Jones

I suspect that part of this is what Work Experience is for in Year 10 at school, though how relevant any of that is these days considering it seems to be more about "going to work, respect authority/direction/uniform and ensure you get lunch/clock off at the right time. Oh and fill out this x page document for school purposes".

On the other hand, its nice to hear that there are some 13 year olds who go out to work outside of a stereotypical paper round. Apparently newspaper shops find it harder to find kids who want to be up at 5am.

Les79

Mikela78 wrote: »

His dad and I work shifts and long ones at that so I want to try and not pass on our unhealthy working habits.

There is no guarantee that anything you try and pass on to your child will be picked up by them.

That being said, you are both hardly setting an example here! Sort of suggesting that parents have to work long hours to support their family. Sort of the polar opposite to the concept of raising a child up on just the dole.

nicechap

A strange first post.

13 year old working in a family restaurant, payslips, arcade, - are you in USA in the 1980s?

Spendless

I'm amazed a 13yo did manage to get a job. More and more places want kids old enough to have sat their GCSEs due to work restrictions on kids younger than this. Article explaining them in link below

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/01/23/10-pocket-money-boosting-jobs-for-today-s-teenagers_n_7317386.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer_us=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvLnVrLw&guce_referrer_cs=ptdodsp0CQsSrxMt7Ftb3g

Couple this with retailer being open both Sat and Sunday and most of their regular older staff having to do one of those days each week, the 'Saturday job' (like I had as a teen) has become more rare. Often the paper round is the only thing that can be found, and parents may not be keen due to the lack of people around when young teen may be out and coupled with how dark it is in a morning in winter.

My 15yo has recently completed her work experience, but her school is one of the very few in our town out of 17 Secondary schools to still do it. Funding was cut, but the school still funds it themselves. When my sister's kids were the same age (school 10 mins away from my DDs). Parents had to find the kids work experience places themselves and then sis would have had to pay either £25 or £35 (forgotten exact amount) for school to agree it was ok for work experience to be done there. She has twins so would have cost £50/£70. No wonder so many people don't bother.

My 15yo's 'holiday job' is to feed a neighbours cats for a fortnight. Cheaper than him having to put them in kennels, but beyond this, it will be this time next year when the local job market opens doors to her.

Mikela78

There are lots of family owned restaurants, oubs and hotels in the area. Not sure how that is unusual?
Payslips... as in the bit of paper you get with your wage stating hours and pay.
I'm on salary by bacs, but I still have "payslips" I can download if I want.
Arcade... as in the place with computer games, grab a toy machines, candyfloss and all that tat
Yeah our nearest seaside town is still as it was when I was a kid!

nicechap

Mikela78 wrote: »

I don't know if this is the right place for this question but I wondered if anyone had any advice for preparing young adults for the workplace, about working environment issues, work/life balance etc.

I sent my 13 year old out to get a job a few months ago, and he came back with one in a restaurant. Lovely family-owned place.

I have taught him to record his hours, keep his payslips, check they tally.
Also to allocate himself part of his wages for long term savings, part to save up for things he wants, and a small percentage for wasting on afternoons in the arcade etc.

His dad and I work shifts and long ones at that so I want to try and not pass on our unhealthy working habits.

What would you teach your child based on your experiences in the workplace?

Mikela78 wrote: »

There are lots of family owned restaurants, oubs and hotels in the area. Not sure how that is unusual?
Payslips... as in the bit of paper you get with your wage stating hours and pay.
I'm on salary by bacs, but I still have "payslips" I can download if I want.
Arcade... as in the place with computer games, grab a toy machines, candyfloss and all that tat
Yeah our nearest seaside town is still as it was when I was a kid!

Did the "family restaurant" get a permit from the local authority to employ your 13 year old? And they're happy he can only work a max of 5 hours on a Sat?

Mikela78

Les79 wrote: »

There is no guarantee that anything you try and pass on to your child will be picked up by them.

That being said, you are both hardly setting an example here! Sort of suggesting that parents have to work long hours to support their family. Sort of the polar opposite to the concept of raising a child up on just the dole.

Unfortunately we do both need to work to support our family, one wage wouldn't cover the mortgage and utilities.

Though we work long hours, all our time off is spent with the children.

Mikela78

nicechap wrote: »

Did the "family restaurant" get a permit from the local authority to employ your 13 year old? And they're happy he can only work a max of 5 hours on a Sat?

Yes and Yes.
And he gets a proper break and gets food during that shift too.

I was 14 when I started work many moons ago in a pub! But I got a break and was fed even though the regs were not in place at that time.
Not all employers need regulations to force them to treat their staff well.

Mikela78

I was more thinking about knowing their rights (without being an !!!! about it), workplace bullying, learning how to work with people you don't necessarily like etc

shortcrust

Isn't this all a bit intense for a 13 year old?