Advertisement A: Saying that winter has been long is an understatement this year. Spring fever gets to the best of us, and yet we still have to do what we have to do. It is important for kids to get fresh air and sunshine, but you don’t want them to mess up their grades this late into the semester either. It sounds like your family has dinner and then the kids do their homework, so an easy compromise would be for them to have their outdoor time after school. If they are in activities then you have a different decision to make.
Your wife is correct in thinking that routine is the best way to go. Teens need routine to keep on track and build new skills. If you change the routine, it is easy to slip into bad habits. If the kids are in activities after school, there are few daylight hours to enjoy, and you will have to make weekends their outdoor time. As we get closer to summer, there may be some daylight hours for them to enjoy after dinner and homework. I would not schedule this but rather offer it on occasion when you see the homework completed. If it is scheduled, they might do a slipshod job on the homework. Suggest to your teens that they get outside during their lunchtime at school, and if they are playing spring sports, the coaches have them practicing outdoors as much as possible anyway.
Q: I want my teens to get jobs for the summer, and they keep talking about needing a work permit. What is this? What suggestions do you have about summer work and applying for jobs? My son is only 15, and my daughter is 13. They are interested, but we all lack the direction to take.
A: Having a job is a valuable learning experience for teens because they develop a part of themselves that is different from home and school. It is also a great way to teach money management and saving. An added bonus is that teens begin to explore the world of work and how their talents match up with their interests. This can help them begin to look at what kind of study and employment they may want to pursue after high school. It can be difficult for such young teens to find employment, so they may have to consider family and neighbors. Some suggestions for this age group would be babysitting, dog and cat sitting, and yard work. 15-year-olds may be able to get a busing job at a restaurant or work at a golf course.
In the state of Wisconsin, work permits are required to ensure that teens do not work too many hours for their age and that a school official has verified their attendance in school and passing grades. Therefore the work permits are obtained from the school, and there is a small fee, which the employer pays back. Work permits are only required if teens work for a business.
The challenge for parents is to help teens be committed to the work schedule and to save some of the money. Deferring gratification is a great skill to have for post-high school plans and in their adult lives. I commend you for wanting to have your teens learn these skills, and I caution you to also balance work with play. Young people need to have free time to regenerate from the long school year and be ready for the fall.
Colleen O’Reilly Wiemerslage is a teacher, counselor, writer and parent of two adult children. E-mail her with questions wiemerslage@aol.com.
