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Remembering the Summer Job

Welcome to summer. The heat, the sun and all the summer fun everyone tries to cram into a short period of time. Summer can also be nostalgic with memories of childhood at camp, the beach, and the summer job. For many adults, the summer job was their first paid work experience. Before the days of scheduling every minute of your child’s life, many teens had their first job over the summer when they did not have to go to school.

Thinking back on my own life, my first paid work experience was babysitting. I remember being trusted to care for a couple of children and being paid for the experience. No background check needed. I lived in the same neighborhood as the family I worked for. They trusted me. I had other summer jobs too. I scooped ice cream at a luncheonette and worked at a local clothing store. I have to say that none of those jobs made me rich. I had experience earning my own money and felt proud I had done so.

Other people I knew had other summer jobs. Some were lifeguards, agricultural workers, delivered pizza, and worked for the car wash. There were also those people that worked at amusement parks. When I listen to people speak about their own summer job experiences, all saw value in the experience. Interestingly, those same people are looking to delay their own children’s entry into the working world.

Summer abroad, sport training camps, immersive language experiences, and advanced academic programs are all taking away from the experience of working a summer job. Those first experiences going into the working world are being delayed. The value of the summer job is to experience the adult world outside high school while still being secure. Another value is understanding what it takes to earn money. Many parents will say their children do not understand the value of money. When you calculate how many hours you need to work to earn the money you have, you think more about how you spend it.
 
You can probably come up with a larger list of benefits to the summer job experience. Have a great summer everyone and if you happen to run into a teenager working their first summer job, give them some encouragement.

~Karen J. Cirincione
Email:kcirincione@gmail.com
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/karenjcirincione
Twitter: @kcirincione

 

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