Teens and Financial Responsibility: Should Your Teen have a Summer Job?

As summer is approaching many parents question whether their teen should get a job or go to summer camp.  It is a personal decision and a depends on the teen and the family.

Teaching your teen how to be responsible with money is very important. So many teens enter adult hood unaware of the workings behind their finances, which leads them into a lot of financial hardships down the road.

Here are a five ways to start teaching your teen to be financially responsible:

1)  Get a Job:Your child’s education should be first priority and their job second, so a job that requires a minimal schedule is best. Look at lifeguarding, restaurants, retail or babysitting. Even if the job doesn’t have epic responsibilities it will teach them about paychecks, pay periods, taxes and what to do once you get that pay check. Be sure to check your state’s legal working age; some differ from others anywhere from 13 to 16 years old.

2)  Allowance: Your teen may be too active with school and extra circular activities to find a part time job, so make them earn an allowance. Chores around the home, dog walking or watching their younger sibling is a good way for them to earn their money. Pay them what you would normally pay someone to do that job. Just because they are your child doesn’t mean you should pay them less.

3) Save: Teaching your teen to save is so important and probably the most important habit they carry on into their futures. The money they earn, whether it is allowance or from a job, have them save a portion, Teach them the reasons you save and why it is so imperative for their futures.

4)  Pay for own things: Going to the movies, concerts or buying a new pair of shoes that they ‘must have’ should come out of their own pocket. As parent you are not entitled to buy them new video games or supply cash for pedicures. Teach them that that these things are just extras and they will have to pay for it themselves. Have them pay for their own gas too will help them see how quickly money can disappear.

5)  Give them a Credit Card: This may be a stretch for some parents and could seem an extreme. But sitting down with your child and going over how credit cards work can help them when they run off to college one day. College students are easy targets for credit cards because they do not understand how to use them. Start early and let them use the family credit card and monitor every spending and show them how quickly things can add up.

As in any lesson you are trying to teach your teen, don’t beat a dead horse. Avoid the nagging and pestering and let them make the mistakes. Obviously you need to monitor them from a distance but be there to kindly guide them in the right direction. Follow some of these tips and you will see a little money saver in no time!
Special contributor: Jenny Ellis is a freelance writer, and a regular contributor for aupair care. She welcomes your comments at: ellisjenny728 @ gmail.com.

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Home Alone 101

Is your teen responsible when they are home alone?
Is your tween ready to be home alone?
Is your child ready to be home alone?


As children get older, they need to take on more responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is taking care of themselves. Whether it’s for a few minutes or a few hours, eventually every child needs to be able to stay home alone.
Here are ten tips on deciding when your child is ready.

1. Your child should indicate a desire and willingness to stay alone - Children who are easily frightened or express an unwillingness to stay alone are probably not ready for this responsibility.
2. Your child should be showing signs of accepting the responsibility – Children who are able to get ready for school on time and complete homework and household chores with a minimum of supervision are illustrating their growing sense of responsibility.
3. Your child should be aware of the needs of others – Children who remember to tell you where they are going and when they will be back and are mindful of the promises they make are aware of other’s needs.
4. Your child should be able to consider alternatives and make decisions independently – Children who solve problems on their own and do not depend on their parents for every decision are demonstrating some of the skills they need to care for themselves.
5. Your child should be able to talk easily with you about interests and concerns – Good parent-child communication is needed to ensure that any fears or problems that arise because of staying alone can be quickly discussed and dealt with.
6. Your child should know how to react in situations such as – being locked out, being afraid, being bored, being lonely, and arguments with brothers and sisters.
7. Your child should know house rules about – leaving the house, having friends in, cooking and use of kitchen equipment, appropriate snacks and meals, talking with friends on the phone, and duties to be completed while home alone.
8. Your child should have good telephone skills – Such as a list of emergency numbers, knowledge of what to say in an emergency situation, how to respond if someone calls, and understanding of appropriate and inappropriate reasons for calling parents or other adults for help.
9. Your child should have good personal safety skills – Such as how to answer the door when alone, how to lock and unlock windows, what to do if approached by a stranger on the way home, what to do if they think someone is in the house when they get home, and what to do if someone touches them inappropriately.
10. Your child should have good home safety skills – Like kitchen safety (use of appliances, knives and tools), what to do if they smell smoke or gas- or in the event of a fire, what to do during severe storms, basic first aid techniques and how to know when to get help.

For many children these abilities begin to appear between the ages of 10-12. Some children may take longer than others, but it should be a mutual decision. Both the child and the parent need to be certain they are ready. A trial period of one or two days a week could be tried first, allowing both the parent and the child time to assure themselves that they are ready for this next step in responsibility.

Source:  Nanny Classifieds

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