Calling All Workers…
Helping Your Below Working Age Students Find “Work”
With a business name like Career Kids, it’s not surprising that we get emails from kids as young as 11 looking for jobs. We also get the occasional phone call from parents asking if we offer jobs to children. While the name Career Kids is easy to remember, people often don’t realize that we offer products for all ages, from kindergarten through adults.
So, what do we do when we get the email from a motivated young person asking if we have work for them?
Our response is generally a few ideas, such as those listed below, as well as suggestions to talk with their teacher, counselor and parents.
So, how do you handle your own children or students who are interested in earning money, but are too young to get “a real job?”
The most common solution? Paying them extra money for “special” chores or projects around the house. Without debating the issue of paying children for family chores, this solution often does not satisfy the child’s need to feel more independent and grown-up. It also doesn’t provide some of the life experiences that one only gets from being accountable to a person outside the family.
Here are some more common ways of handling this situation:
- Babysitting – Perhaps one of the oldest forms of young people earning money. Check with your local Red Cross to find out if they offer their excellent babysitting course in your area.
- Mowing lawns, shoveling snow and other groundskeeping chores – Another common money-making activity for young people. Make sure your child is properly trained on any equipment used.
- Volunteer work – For the young person who’s need is more how it feels to be independent rather than making money. Contact your local SPCA branch to see how young they will allow volunteers. Do you have a local historical society that needs help scanning old photos? Take your young person’s interest and use your fingers to make some phone calls.
- Tutoring – Does your young person have a knack for math? Or how about excellent organizational skills. Parents of children a couple of grade levels lower than your student may welcome the opportunity for extra tutoring or help on a weekly basis keeping their child organized. It’s good for the younger child as well as the older.
- Pet and House Sitters – Ambitious young people can put out a flyer in the neighborhood offering services for people going on vacation. Parents should be very aware of whom their child will be working for and what will be expected. Make sure the requirements are appropriate for the age of the student.
- Bicycle Repair – Is your student mechanically inclined? Simple cleaning and repairs of bicycles could be right up some kids’ alleys.
Do you have a computer whiz? A good artist on your hands? With a little (or sometimes a large) amount of creativity, we can usually find some type of job that a young person can either do for payment or on a volunteer-basis. Either way, they will learn important life skills.
Do you have ideas for how underage children can earn money or learn life skills that will help them in their future? Pass them on to us at info@careerkids.com. We will post them on our website so that teachers, counselors and parents can get new ideas to help our motivated children learn and stay excited about the working world.