Past Principal Points

It is becoming more and more common for teenagers to hold down part-time jobs. This can be a very positive thing, but it can also be quite harmful. When making the decision to accept part-time work, I think it's important to consider both the demands of the job, the nature of the student, and the requirements of the current course load.

Jobs like babysitting are generally no-brainers for most kids. It has always been a good way to generate a bit of spending money. There are some nice elements to it for the teen beyond just the money. First of all, they can accept or reject the work on a case by case basis. If there is a sports competition or a major essay due, then they decline and still be available the next time someone calls. If they do accept, they generally are still free to read books and do some homework once the kids are in bed, so it is minimally disruptive to their progress in school. This is great work for younger teens especially.

But what of the more regular part-time jobs like pumping gas or flipping burgers? Well, these are not available to younger teens, but they are certainly an option for older ones. Flexibility can become a concern here. They may be required to go into work on days when a major assignment is due. That can really hurt their progress in school. If they are taking semestered subjects, then they really cannot afford to get behind. Another issue has to do with the regularity of the hours. Is it every day for a certain time or is it constantly being adjusted? Regular hours make life much simpler, both for the teen and his or her parents.

However, the number one concern with a regular part-time job is simply the amount of hours they are required to work. The research I have reviewed indicates that there is generally no problem with teens working up to ten hours a week, but that when they begin to exceed this number, then their school work suffers. Our experience at AKCS lends support to this research. In addition, our student population has some other characteristics which exacerbates the situation. For the most part, they are very active in church and youth group activities. Many also are involved in a sports or music program. If this is the case, then the teen will be overloaded and begin to experience real stress.

Before allowing a teen to accept part-time work (even just ten hours), the parent and teen should sit down and examine all of the teen's present commitments. Where will youth group fit it? How about sports, music, etc.? Most importantly, how are they doing in school? Are they a borderline achiever or a solid A or B? That's not to say that a "C" student can't take on part-time work, but one should be more cautious about it. What courses are they taking? Are they taking lots of science and math which requires tremendous concentration? How old are they? A student of seventeen or eighteen generally has more ability to juggle a variety of commitments than one who is fifteen or sixteen. How responsible are they? Do they always get their assignments in on time, or are they routinely late?

Finally, once a job has been accepted, it is important to monitor things like sleep, attitudes, and school work. Sometimes it takes a while to surface, but if a teenager is feeling pressure from the overall work load it may show in things like a general tiredness, failure to complete assignments on time, or just increasingly obnoxious attitudes towards parents and siblings. If these surface, then the job should be reviewed.

A part-time job can be an excellent way to prepare for work as an adult. Students learn the importance of punctuality, responsibility, and team work, but it shouldn't be undertaken at the expense of family relations, school work, or church commitments.--BH

Brian Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A.
Principal, Airdrie Koinonia Christian School