Each summer brings a wave of articles highlighting the significance of summer employment for teenagers. These pieces often recount the authors’ gritty experiences at various demanding jobs—lifting heavy materials in a factory, serving as an untrained caregiver, or even dealing with unpleasant tasks at the local dump. While we’ve all heard tales of walking miles to school, my oldest child’s journey into the workforce imparted lessons that my husband and I struggled to convey through traditional methods of guidance.
At 16, my son Alex held a learner’s permit, grappled with poor grades, and yearned for his driver’s license. Our only leverage was to withhold that coveted license. Despite being a loving and helpful teenager, he had faced consequences for his poor performance in school and had been sent to a summer boarding school in New Hampshire. While this intervention provided temporary improvement, by the second half of his junior year, he was back to his old habits, earning grades that left much to be desired.
Determined to motivate him, we laid out two clear options: improve his grades to all Bs or find a job. As junior year concluded, Alex chose neither. On the third day of summer vacation, he donned a collared shirt and set out in search of work. After a week of fruitless applications, he felt disheartened. To support him, I drove him around our town, offering encouragement as he approached various businesses. Sometimes, I would accompany him inside out of curiosity. “Would you really work at that secondhand shop? It looks awful,” I once remarked.
“Yes, Mom, I’ll work anywhere that pays,” he replied, exhibiting a sense of desperation.
Eventually, he started to embrace his father’s advice, diligently following up with phone calls and thank-you notes. He reached out to friends for introductions and even received business cards to include with his applications. After visiting numerous establishments, he emerged from a local restaurant feeling downcast. “Mr. Johnson, the owner, wasn’t there, so I left my application,” he explained, his disappointment palpable.
I tried to reassure him, explaining that “you only need one offer,” much like selling a house or finding a partner. On our way home, he casually mentioned that a waitress had hinted at potential morning shifts. Encouraged, I suggested he call first thing the next day. Despite his reluctance, he made the call and ended up speaking with the owner. To my astonishment, Mr. Johnson called back shortly after to invite him for an interview.
Alex returned with an air of newfound confidence. “I have an interview this morning,” he announced, and after dropping him off, I waited anxiously. Moments later, my phone buzzed with a message: “I got it!” He hopped in the car, and we celebrated with breakfast. That day, he transformed from a hopeful teenager to a proud young employee, which paved the way for him to obtain his driver’s license.
Throughout the summer and into the following year, Alex worked hard. Though his grades didn’t improve significantly, he learned valuable lessons about responsibility and time management. After experiencing disappointment with college acceptances, he committed to his studies during his final semester, ultimately deciding to take a gap year to explore new opportunities.
During his year abroad, Alex juggled two jobs, realizing that previous work experience made securing new positions easier. He returned to college after the gap year, surprising us by gaining admission to a school that had initially declined him. His freshman year was marked by strong academic performance and a paid internship in California.
Ultimately, Alex’s journey into the workforce was transformative. It provided him with essential life skills and a deeper understanding of perseverance, planning, and adaptability. When his younger brother sought employment advice, Alex chuckled and replied, “Sure, hit the pavement. Walk into 40 places, and you’ll find something.”
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In summary, my son’s experience with his first job was a pivotal moment in his development, teaching him lessons that I, as a parent, could not impart myself. Through determination and a bit of luck, he learned that achieving one’s goals is possible, and that resilience pays off.