jgomez65

OK, here is my dilemma

My 16yrs old son, is a great kid. Straight A student, sociable, respecful, and pretty much let me know what he is doing and where he is going. There is only one area he is lacking something: the desire to work.
He has not shown interest in getting a summer job, or saving money to get his driving license and pay for car insurance. I even offered him an old car I have to see if that would motivate him, but no results.
This is what I am thinking doing for the summer.
He either gets a part time job, or he MUST volunteer 3 days a week with a local non profit organization.
What do you think? Should I continue pushing him to get a job, or should I back off because he is being responsible in every other area of his life?

HappyMomma

I think learning work ethic and responsibility is very important. Instead of just telling him to get a job, you are giving him a choice... I like the idea.

FooserX

I like the choice of volunteering and working. :-)

Claire64

I think there is too big a push for teenagers to start working. My 16 year old will not be working this summer. He will be playing and coaching soccer, playing basketball and taking a couple of trips. He will probably work next summer, after he graduates from High School, but it will still be his choice.

If your son isn't interested in making money, I don't really think he needs to work. Volunteering is great, but he'll only enjoy it if he picks it himself. If he's interested in sports, they're always looking for coaches to help out with the younger kids teams, or he could volunteer with a local theater or music group.

PennQuaker09

He doesn't need a job. Working is for adults. And volunteering serves no purpose unless it is something that he wants to do.

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meow_173

By 16 i had a job. ANd it wasn't full time. Part time all the way! ANd it gave me some extra cash. HAve you thought about not giving him an allowance or money? And telling him that he needs to get a part time job so that he can make his own money?

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Kaytee

I don't think you should force a 16 year old to get a job. Unless they are totally mooching off of you, then just stop buying him everything he wats. If he wants the 120 dollar pair of shoes, he can get the 30 dollar ones or work for hte money kinda thing.
You say he is a good kid, so volunteering would be good for him if he chooses it for himself. Habitat for humanity, youth group at church, whatever would interest him

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Teresa

I never had a job during high school, and neither did my two oldest children. My youngest does occasional babysitting, but she won't have a "real" job while she's still in high school, either. In our family, school is their job, and the summer is time off from work, to do what they want, and to spend more time with the family.

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jgomez65

I have cut on buying stuff he doesn't need, mostly video games, and giving him money to go to the movies with friends.

The job is about him what the real world is like, because I feel many teens nowadays have no real concept of where money come from, or how much their parents need to work in order to provide for the things they want.

I started working on weekends when I was his age and it was a great learning experience for me.

HappyMomma

I had a job that was part of a requirement for my high school marketing education class.