Having a job can be a great benefit to a teen. Not only can it be a source of extra spending money, but it can be a great first step in helping your teen gain skills that will help him or her in many aspects of life, such as preparing for the demands of college life and ultimately entering the workforce. It can give your child an opportunity to learn what type of career path he or she may want to follow and help to build confidence and self-esteem.

As a parent it is important that you are actively involved with your child in helping to fulfill the responsibilities of a part-time job. While a job has many great benefits, it can be a source of difficulty as well. If your child is unable to maintain balance other aspects of his or her life, such as school work or social life could suffer. You are the greatest source of help that your child has in preparing for and maintaining a job.

Below are some tips and information that will help you and your teen prepare for meeting the challenges of the workplace.
  1. Understand the law.
  2. Get your teen a work permit
    • Any teen under the age of 18 that has not graduated from high school is required to have a work permit, including summer jobs. Your child can usually obtain a work permit at his or her school or district office.
  3. Keep your teen safe
  4. Talk and listen to your child
    • Find out what they are doing at work
    • What tasks are they performing?
    • Have they been trained to perform these tasks?
    • Is a supervisor present?
    • How does your teen feel about the job?
  5. Help them to resolve any problems
With your support, a part-time job can be a rewarding and successful experience for your teen that can help him or her to learn responsibility and to prepare for the future. Just remember, your teen needs you to be a coach, a mentor and a cheerleader to assist in this time of transition in life.