The Workforce and My Son

Well I just have to add that my son wants to work too..but I think that is only because he doesn't want us spending money on him..because we are like every family and sometimes money is tight...To answer your questions: This is my boyfriends step-son. He feels he should have his own money...However..my son rarely asks for money..and feels bad when we give him money. He sees how hard my boyfriend works and I think that bothers him. I am sure it is not because he doesn't want him around..he loves my son like he is his own. We live in Canada..so it is different here... Thank you for your comments...and your opinion and I still agree that he should wait and enjoy being a kid...for a while longer...

Can he do odd jobs around the neighborhood? Running errands for the elderly? Shoveling snow? Tutoring maybe? Those will all give him a sense of responsibility and some spending money without taking up too much time.

yes

You have several things to consider 1. Does your boyfriend have the right to provide input or not? We can't figure this out for you. If he doesn't then tell him so plainly and deal with the repurcussions openly. If he does, then you have to work through the situation with everyone. 2. I'm from the US and have been working since I was 10. Did it detract from school? Not until I turned 16 and had a car which made it easier to earn more and spend more. That said, I was also very good in school and grew up in a family business where the whole family worked all the time (even though after I turned 16 my jobs were outside the family business). I went from high school into the military (accepted to many colleges but no money for it) and later went to college after the military. I went on to get a double major in accounting and finance and later a Master's in Laws. I'm 34 and have been working for 24 years now. That experience even in my teens was very important for creating my work ethic today. It doesn't work for everyone however. You must consider your son and talk to him about his strengths and weaknesses and determine if he is capable of going to college -some kids are not. Starting work now might be the best thing he ever did. If he wants to go to college, I'd suggest taking at least 50% of his earnings and putting it into a college fund that can not be spent until he completes his Sophomore year of college. many kids drink their way out of college in the first semester so don't send him off to school with a bankroll eating a hole in his pocket. On a separate note, there are some great ways to earn money online. Tell him to skip the part time job and tell him to learn how to start his own business on the net. He can then make just as much money as he would with a part time job and learn some technology skills that will take him a long way in life. He need not have any web skills now. They can be learned rapidly and he is young enough that he can reinforce the skills with free classes and clubs at schools. I have a much younger cousin that did this and by 16 was designing his high school's web page. By 18 he was working part time earning $40k per year and his company paid his tuition to go to college. Your son my learn something flipping burgers at McDonalds, but he might learn much more if he learns how to run his own business successfully!

He is your son not your boyfriends. You have to make the decision. If your boyfriend doens't respect that well that might just be a sign of things to come. If the father is around then he must be involved in the decision not the boyfriend

If the boyfriend is helping to raise ths son then he does have a say in my opinion. 15 years old is fine for a kid to get a part time job. I was working before that age. I think it gets a kid of to a good start.

I don't know...I have a son turning 14 this year and he would love to work somewhere for a few hours a week for some spending or saving funds. The summers are brutal with kids that are too young to work, but don't have enough to do at home at his age. I wouldn't want him to work more than a few hours a week or maybe a weekend but he spends time playing hockey too so a job seems like a good idea for him, since he has balanced school and sports for several years now. It's really one of those questions about whether each teen is ready and what the job is

This is true, some teens are more mature than others at that age and can handle the balance of different things going on in their lives. There are little odds and ends jobs a 14 year old could do to make a little money for himself. If you live where there is snow..snow shoveling for elderly people is good. Running errands for others is another good way to earn a little money, and it doesn't have to be a daily workforce type of job. That is how my kids earned their money when they were that age, and it gave them a little freedom and a little money to do with what they wanted.

I think granddaddy is being a little harsh here. Assuming that you are in a permanent relationship and co-habiting with your boyfriend, you may have agreed that you and he share responsibility for your son's upbringing. What does your son's dad think? Or is he not a factor in the equation.

yup, what's a good idea...

I agree with you, the boyfriend has no rights and 14 is too young in most states to go into the work force.