Your teen already has enough going on with school, sports, relationships and trying to fit in. Now she wants to add a part-time job into the mix. Here are some helpful tips to keep a working teen’s stress down and grades up.
- Suggest he try doing odd jobs, like mowing lawns or babysitting, that he would be able to do on his own schedule.
- Have her ask for regular hours on weekend shifts so her schedule is predictable. Start with a few hours; she can always ask for more as she becomes better at balancing work and school.
- Encourage him to start school assignments early so he doesn’t get stuck in a time crunch.
- Make sure your teen eats healthily, stays hydrated and gets plenty of rest. Eight hours of sleep will help her have energy to work to her full potential at both school and her job.
- Help your teen stay organized. A clean room and backpack make it less likely that he’ll lose assignments or feel overwhelmed by the clutter.
- Spend time with your teen doing fun activities, or let her use her free time to see friends. After all, she’s just a kid!
Benefits of Working
Time management. Your teen will learn to organize his time, a skill that will come in handy as he enters the adult world.
Money management. Teach your teen to save a portion of her income so she doesn’t develop poor spending habits.
Career exploration. Early jobs can help your teen realize he wants to choose or avoid a specific line of work as a career.
What are the child-labor laws in your state?
Teens get their work permits from the school district where they live, even if they do not attend school there. State law restricts a child's work hours, based on age.
Pennsylvania
- 11+: Newspaper delivery from 5am-8pm (9pm when school is out)
- 14-15: Maximum of 18 hrs. during the school week and 40 hrs./week during school vacations
- 16-17: Maximum of 28 hrs. Mon.-Fri. and 8 hours each on Sat. & Sun. during school, up to 48 hrs./week when school's out
New Jersey
- 11+: Newspaper delivery from 6am-7pm; maximum of 8 hrs. combined work and school per day
- 12+: Can work on farms 10 hrs./day, 6 days/week during school vacations
- 14-15: Maximum of 18 hrs. during the school week and 40 hrs./week during school vacations; newspaper delivery hours change to 5:30am-8pm
- 16-17: Maximum of 40 hrs. and 6 days/week; on weekends and school vacations, teens who work in restaurants can work until 3am if their shift begins before 11 pm
Delaware
- 11+: Newspaper delivery from 5am-8pm (9pm when school is out)
- 14-15: Maximum of 18 hrs. during the school week and 40 hrs./week during school vacations
- 16-17: Maximum of 12 hrs. of combined work and school per day with a mandatory 8 consecutive hrs. of time off from both pursuits each 24-hr. period
Meredith Strom is an English major at Drexel University and a co-op intern at MetroKids.
