Can Walmart make my son work Christmas Eve?

[mhsjax]

You have to be kidding right? A 17 yr old isn't responsible and shouldn't be responsible for finding his own ride!!!!!

I don't know a single 17 yr old who has his parents arrange a ride anywhere for them. They would be the laughingstock of the high school if word got out that their Mom arranged their rides.

I"m sorry but if a 17 yr old young adult doesn't have the skills necessary to arrange how they are getting to and from somewhere are they mature enough to have a job? and I worry for them in a few months when they go of to school.

Where in the world did you see that I thought the parent should arrange a ride to work. I said that as an example for my DD who is only 11 that yes the parents would work out ways to carpool because I was asked If I ever carpooled. YOu people need to learn to read.

I am stating that it isn't anyones responsibility to get him home, the parents are at church, they can either leave early, let him wait at work, or only one of them go and the other one can go get him. I don't know why you people think that anyone has the responsibility to get someone else child home on Christmas eve.

 

[mhsjax]

Are you SERIOUS?

Parents have a life, too. Christmas Eve service is obviously an important event to his parents. They are allowed that. It doesn't make them a bad parent.

But, making him feel bad for working and guilting him into calling in DOES.

If he doesn't have a car, or one that works, and his parents don't have another car, or another car they are willing to let him drive, I see ABSOLUTELY NO issue with him waiting there for them to finish, or asking someone who passes his street/neighborhood/house for a ride home... especially at the holidays. I'd NEVER have an issue dropping off a co-worker if I passed his or her house on my way home. It has nothing to do with responsibility, it has to do with being kind.

Yes but people here are assuming that people don't mind, that is rude. Others have a life, why should they give up theirs to drop off someones elses son on Christmas eve.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Well, I wouldn't leave my kid high and dry. He has a week and a half to ask around if someone could give him a ride. At least try to see if arrangements could be made. If someone lives in the same area then why not?

Just not something I would do for myself and I wouldn't make my teen do it unless they were certain they weren't messing up someone else's holiday to pick up my slack. I just don't rely on people on holidays (or holiday time frames) or awkward hours. That doesn't strike me as independent. Which is what is being declared here--that the child isn't being taught independence.

YMMV.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

. It doesn't make them bad parents, and he won't DIE waiting.

Very true and no one is stating otherwise.

ETA: I have done that on numerous occasions in my early working days.

 

[phorsenuf]

Well I for one would have no issues bringing someone else's kid home. I've done it many many times and it doesn't bother me in the least. Heck, I've driven to the other side of town to do it. Believe it or not, there are some charitable people out there.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Well I for one would have no issues bringing someone else's kid home. I've done it many many times and it doesn't bother me in the least. Heck, I've driven to the other side of town to do it. Believe it or not, there are some charitable people out there.

I'm sure there are and that is great that you would do that.

 

[surfergirl602]

When I was a teen and working at a supermarket, I had to find my own ways to work. My mom worked a full time job and she couldn't bring me most of the time. I didn't get a car until I went to college. I would take the school bus to a stop that was near my place of work. I would find out who was working the same shift as me, and I would wait around until they left, sometimes a half an our so, and catch a ride with them. Sometimes I would call a cab, because it was too far to walk home or I got out too late. Sometimes I would call my neighbor, and she was nice enough to come and get me. I found ways to get home.

 

[mhsjax]

Well I for one would have no issues bringing someone else's kid home. I've done it many many times and it doesn't bother me in the least. Heck, I've driven to the other side of town to do it. Believe it or not, there are some charitable people out there.

I would have no issues either, but I would never expect my kid to impose himself on someone else for a ride.

 

[Hannathy]

If he he has a close friend or someone that lives in his area maybe, but to assume that this is a responsibility of a child is wrong. Yes he is 17, but still. He doesn't have a car apparently, he is working, legally he is still a minor. And as such, it is his parent responsibility, and they seem to know this.

"Where in the world did you see that I thought the parent should arrange a ride to work. I said that as an example for my DD who is only 11 that yes the parents would work out ways to carpool because I was asked If I ever carpooled. YOu people need to learn to read."


I quoted your first response and as I read it you are saying it is the Parents responsibility. so I think I can read just fine. How do you interpret "it is the parent's responsibility" to mean anything but it is up to the parents?

 

[phorsenuf]

I would have no issues either, but I would never expect my kid to impose himself on someone else for a ride.

So you've never asked for help or for a favor? It's really no different. I just don't see what the big deal is. One day, he will need to impose on someone. It's inevitable.

I would be willing to bet to that if he asked a co-worker for a lift home so his parents could attend mass they would have no issues with that.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

So you've never asked for help or for a favor? It's really no different. I just don't see what the big deal is. One day, he will need to impose on someone. It's inevitable.

I would be willing to bet to that if he asked a co-worker for a lift home so his parents could attend mass they would have no issues with that.

I have when in a bind--I don't see the justification for creating binds though.

And having worked retail, I seldom had someone getting off around the same time that I knew and call me crazy--I don't accept rides from complete strangers. That would leave me with folks in my department and being at the mercy of their schedule. At least in on campus college jobs, I could call campus security to either drive me to my dorm when I lived on campus or drive or walk me to my car after dark so that I didn't feel unsafe. (It was a program available on campus and they would for any reason escort anyone on campus male or female to wear they needed to safely go, even if you could see your distant car parked from where you were exiting the building.)

Also for some of my jobs--I wasn't "on the way home" for others. But for those jobs, I had a car.

 

[Green Tea]

Sure, they can make him work whenever they want, within the child labor laws for your state.

 

[LuLuO]

Christmas Eve is not a religous holiday. Christmas is. There is no law that says an employer has to give any religous holiday off, nor any day you normally go to services.

Yes, this is the world of retail (and healthcare) If he is scheduled to work, he has to work it. Calling off on a day like that is sure to get you fired.

No one believes anyone who calls in sick on Christmas Eve. If you can't get a friend of family member to give him a ride then couldn't he just sit in the snack area until you are able to come pick him up?

 

[NHdisneylover]

At least 1 person is laughing.

Yes indeed--one 13 year old teen was laughing at the mother who thinks a 17 year old cannot arrange to handle finding a ride or figuring out where to wait for an hour or so in this situation. She is laughing because she knows that she, and pretty much all of her friends and classmates would have had it figured out before mom even knew what the schedule was. They are a pretty independent lot (note: she is the youngest in her class-everyone else is 15-16 and even three 17 year olds).
Her ideas include:
1.waiting at Wal Mart
2.Waiting at a nearby friend's house or coffee shop
3.getting a taxi home or to the church (whichever is closer) or walking if it is not that far
4. asking someone else for a ride home (she liked the pp's idea of offering to pay).
5. checking the local bus schedules to see if one will get you to church or home.

She figures any kid old enough to have a job can mange this on their own and a mom who doesn't see that is someone that her 13 year old self is laughing at--probably better than the eye roll

If you are truly offended that a 13 year old laughs at someone who thinks older teens are incapable of handling some very basic life skills on their own then I really do not know what to say. I guess I am sorry my kid offended you.

 

[manning]

They can't make him work. Of course he won't have a job.

 

[Imzadi]

I would have no issues either, but I would never expect my kid to impose himself on someone else for a ride.

I have when in a bind--I don't see the justification for creating binds though.

It's not an imposition or bind if he asks and someone at work says, "I'm going that way, YES, I can drop you off."

You both are assuming it's a hardship and no one would be willing to do it. He'd be asking adults. They are capable of making choices. No one is forcing one of them to say yes.

Someone may say yes. If he asks around at work and no done does say yes, then he can assume it is an imposition or bind. By asking, he's he is creating a possibility for himself. Again, people have the right to say no. He doesn't even have to directly his question to any one person specifically. He can just say in general, "If anyone is headed in this direction and doesn't mind dropping me off, I'd really appreciate it."

Some people actually like helping other people.

 

[golfgal]

Ok, maybe this was covered in the last 5 pages but I skipped those-who DOESN'T work on Christmas Eve? Most companies are still open on Christmas Eve and most people work at least part of that day. Heck, even banks are open on Christmas Eve day.

 

[MissMet]

Every retail job I ever had (supermarket, sears, yankee candle) never made me work when I was to attend church. Saying that, every job interview I went to, I explained that I would not be allowed to ever work Sunday mornings, Friday nights, Thanksgiving Eve & Christmas Eve. Never had a problem & to this day I have never worked on a Sunday. Once I did work Christmas Eve morning/day, would have been home in time, but they still ended up letting me leave even earlier.

I don't think you'll have any luck though if this is the first they're hearing about church "obligations". I would try & get him to trade with a coworker.

Hope he can get around it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I wasn't offended.

She figures any kid old enough to have a job can mange this on their own and a mom who doesn't see that is someone that her 13 year old self is laughing at--probably better than the eye roll

If you are truly offended that a 13 year old laughs at someone who thinks older teens are incapable of handling some very basic life skills on their own then I really do not know what to say. I guess I am sorry my kid offended you.

 

[Anne34]

Every retail job I ever had (supermarket, sears, yankee candle) never made me work when I was to attend church. Saying that, every job interview I went to, I explained that I would not be allowed to ever work Sunday mornings, Friday nights, Thanksgiving Eve & Christmas Eve. Never had a problem & to this day I have never worked on a Sunday. Once I did work Christmas Eve morning/day, would have been home in time, but they still ended up letting me leave even earlier.

I don't think you'll have any luck though if this is the first they're hearing about church "obligations". I would try & get him to trade with a coworker.

Hope he can get around it.

Why would you need to be off on Thanksgiving Eve or Friday nights for church? I can see Christmas or sunday morning, but really?? what would you need all those other times off for?