Pros
•
Inspiration and skills for the future:
Exposure to
industries, skills and people could set your child on a career
path. Helping out at a ballet studio or as a tutor could inspire
your teen to teach. Or, a few hours on the weekend as a
kitchen hand could be just the environment to inspire the
next Jamie Oliver.
•
Responsibility:
A job teaches responsibility in a way no
parent truly can. Answering to a third party and facing the
ramifications of letting a business down can have much
more impact than your most earnest pep talk.
•
The value of money:
Our city can be very brand-oriented
and financially focused. A job teaches our young people the
value of money – when a new pair of shoes equals three
weeks of work, they might begin to think twice about the way
they treat their belongings. Well, we can only hope.
•
Balance and organisation:
Having a job teaches you
early on in life how to balance the different elements of your
week – homework, family, friends, sporting commitments
and your shift at work all need to be covered. This is the
beginning of important life skills like diarising and forward
planning.
•
Independent problem solving:
For a generation of kids
with ‘helicopter parents’, the independent problem solving
required at a job is a critical skill to be developed. When
mum and dad aren’t around, we learn how to solve problems
independently, or ask for help and express our needs.
Cons
•
Independence:
Knowing your teen has funds to freely
spend on whatever they like can be a worry.
•
Vulnerability:
Teens can be careless and reckless, so
they’re potentially at risk of workplace injury. They also may
be vulnerable to unsavoury bosses who like to push the
boundaries of labour laws. Make sure your teen knows what
is safe and legal, and feels like they can talk to you about
what’s happening at work.
•
Bad influences:
There are good and bad people
everywhere, and in the workplace your child will be working
with older teens or other adults, none of whom you can
screen as good or bad role models.
•
Getting tired:
According to the sleep foundation, teens
need about 8-10 hours of sleep a night to function best.
Keep an eye on how tired you teen is once they start their
job. Work can be physically demanding; they must maintain
their sleep levels to ensure they’re still doing well at school.
•
Stress:
Hong Kong isn’t the most peaceful of cities and
our school system is demanding. If your teen takes on a job,
make sure you’re monitoring their stress levels and help
them manage their load so they don’t feel overwhelmed.
•
Distraction:
Studies have found working too many hours
a week is aligned to low grades. Watch the rostering system
and make sure your teen isn’t being assigned too many
hours. Once your teen starts working close to 15 hours, it’s
time to hit the breaks and pull them back. Studies in the
past have shown students who work more than 15 hours a
week drop out of school at a higher rate, so it’s important to
get the balance for your child.
Is it worth it?
There are many pros and cons of having your teen work. Here are some points to consider.
