OT summer break for teens

[eliza61]

What do folks do with their teenage kids that are ~15 or 16 year old. My son just turn 16, he is too old for summer camp but too young to get a job. Most of the department stores around my house require kids to be 17 years old and even if they did hire at 16 it would be tough to get him there during the day since both me and my dh work.

I hate to think of leaving him in the house all day by himself. Any one else have or had this problem.

 

[jodifla]

I started working in a movie theater when I was 16.....it was a great job!

 

[springandmac]

I just signed in to post about that same topic. My DD is 13 and today I found out that the "counselor in training" program that they told her about all last summer (and that I was banking on for this summer) doesn't need any help. So now I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't imagine leaving her at home all day.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Would he consider volunteer work? or maybe babysitting?

My neighbor's daughter used to volunteer at a special needs camp. They can usually use help, and probably provide transportation to their students - so if he volunteered on the bus too, that would free you from having to drive him.

Our library uses volunteers sometimes as well. - Maybe yours is close enough for him to walk or ride a bike to?

Good luck!

 

[swillis]

My DD is 12, and she is too old for the day camps that are offered here. Last year she would stay home with her cousin (who is 2 years older) They alternated between staying at my ouse, and her cousins house. This way they were able to keep each other company, and be a little safer with the two of them.

This year she is doing a combination of 2 weeks at summer camp (sleep away) and 2 weeks at her cousins house in Florida. The rest of the summer will be spent doing 2 days at her cousins house (like last year) and 2 days a week at the dog shelter she volunteers at. I am on the board of directors, so she gets a little "special consideration" because they normally don't take volunteers so young. But she has been doing this for a few years now, so it's a great experience for her.

I would say that your son should be able to find a job somewhere at 16. Maybe something that has the same hours as you do, so you can drop him off and pick him up. Or even something at night, so that he may be too tired from working late to be motivated to "get into trouble" during the day while your working.

It's tough...summer is hard when you have tweens or teens.

 

[Darcy03231]

Check your local grocery stores. DD (15) got a job last fall at one near our house. They start hiring at 14.

 

[Deb & Bill]

My husband and I both work for the Dept of Veterans Affairs. Our son will be 14 this summer and old enough to volunteer at the hospital where we work. He's looking forward to it. Plus he can earn some service credit for High School and continue on in the Fall on Fridays when they get out early.