When our eldest son David finished grade 7, we had an important dinner table discussion. We encouraged him to enjoy his summer because next summer we expected him to get a job.

I’ve talked with lots of parents about the appropriate time for kids to get a summer or part-time job.  There’s no right answer and it depends on the child and their other involvements, but here are my thoughts – as a parent, and a financial expert.

The goal was for David to gain responsibility and have a purpose. To be accountable to someone other than us, his parents; to have a reason to get up in the morning.

We weren’t choosy about the kind of job. A paid position would be great: then he could cover his data costs. Maybe odd jobs like cutting lawns, babysitting or walking dogs. Or it could be a volunteer position, with some responsibility.

Of course, David had some questions.

“Don’t I have to be older to get a job?”

According to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, there is no minimum age in Ontario to start working though it can depend on the industry. Get your teen to google it, or start here, on the Ontario Ministry of Labour site.

“Nobody hires teenagers.”

Who do you know? Who does your teen know? It’s a great time to learn the power of networking. So over the summer we talked about these plans with everyone we ran into.

Low and behold, my husband ’s cousin Ryan was the head greens keeper at a local golf club – less than 5 km from our home – close enough that David could possibly cycle to work. Ryan was happy to consider this: “Send in his resume, and I’ll see what we can do next year.”

“I don’t have a resume – I’ve never worked before!”

A paying job isn’t the only place you earn experience and skills. We encouraged David to consider…

• Competitive Hockey – what have you learned from playing on a team at a high level?
• Volunteering – what do you know about people, purpose and making a difference?
• Cutting grass for Grandpa – what do you know now about machinery, maintenance and safety from using the whipper snipper and ride on lawn tractor?

Ryan came through, and the next summer, David started at the golf course.

That first year wasn’t glamourous: David filled water stations, emptied garbage, and raked bunkers often as the sun was rising. But he got home early in the afternoon which left him lots of time to socialize. Plus, free golf.

He kept that job for the next two summers, and with each year he earned more responsibility. Eventually, he graduated to cutting greens and choosing hole placement. (If you’re a golfer, you know the importance of that to the game and the status of that role!)

The winter between his second and third summer at the golf course, David turned 16. His financial needs moved beyond ‘spending’ money and now included saving for a car.

It was time to update his resume and knock on doors again. By March, David landed a part-time job at a nearby Sobey’s. He started out bagging groceries then quickly moved into a split role - bagging and check out. He didn’t love working evenings and weekends (ever the social butterfly) but David knew well enough that if he bought a car there would be added expenses. We encouraged him to look for something different BUT hang on to his current job until he found something new.

Effective Spring 2017, completely on his own, David worked through his contacts, updated his resume again and landed a new job at Total Battery, dealing with industrial and consumer battery supplies. His shift times better suit his academic and social schedule plus his hourly rate improved; he enjoys the work, his co-workers, and the customers. He will soon celebrate his one-year anniversary.

Money aside, David has learned the value of trading lazy summer freedom for increasing responsibility, the value of networking and the rewards of work well done. The lessons have been invaluable.

Every teen is different – when was your teen ready to get a job? I’d love to know – send your comments through our Contact Us page.