Summer Job Opportunities for Your Middle Schooler
Summer time is the perfect time for your middle schooler to unwind, relax, and catch up with some sleep! While it is developmentally appropriate for your young teen to take a mental break from academic studies, the summer also opens the doors for gaining new skills, exploring new interests, and giving back to the community. In this third part of the “Summer Opportunities for Your Middle Schooler” series, we’ll explore the benefits of getting a summer job.
Work for a Small Fee
Some might think that middle schoolers are not old enough to get a job. While it may be true, that they won’t be working at the local retailer or grocery store, there may be other opportunities. You may want 
your middle schooler to start with a volunteer position or if your child is highly motivated, see if they might work for family, friends, or neighbors for a small fee.
Here are some jobs that youth may be able to do over the summer:
- Perform extra household chores
- Be a pet caretaker while its owner is on vacation
- Help maintain a garden or do yardwork
- Babysit and entertain kids by reading books, doing crafts, playing games, etc.
- Teach or tutor someone in a skill (like a playing a musical instrument)
Advertise Your Services
In order for your middle schooler to get a job like these, they will need to take the initiative and put together a flyer advertising their services. They may also want to be prepared and put together a short resume and a cover letter introducing themselves per our previous blogs on resume writing. Your child should also have a simple business plan and describe what their services will entail. For the safety and security of your child, their business plan should always state that services would be performed under supervision of an adult or parent.
Learn How to Manage Money and Get Referrals
One of the biggest benefits of your child getting a simple summer job is that they will soon learn economic concepts like supply and demand. Your middle schooler should set a fee for their services and not be shy about asking for money. They will soon find out if they are setting their fee too high (no interested parties) or if they are not being responsible and supplying a good service (no repeat customers). Conversely, if your child is doing a great job, they will get referrals for more jobs and get more customers.
Create a Savings Plan
Another benefit of a summer job is that your child will learn about budgets and finances. You and your child should discuss how much income they make after factoring any costs that might be spent on supplies for their job. You should also discuss a savings plan for a portion of their income and develop a habit of saving money. Of course, any middle schooler would be happy to spend their hard-earned money on an item of their choice as a token of their accomplishments with their summer job. And you should celebrate a job well done with them!
Happy job hunting!
Jaime
Copyright © 2019 by GenParenting
Discovering the joy of teaching while in high school, Jaime pursued her B.A. in English at Santa Clara University. She also received a teaching credential and a M.A. in Education Administration from Santa Clara University. Jaime taught English Language Arts at Rancho Middle School, motivating and inspiring young people to become effective communicators and contributors in their community. From being a Middle School English Language Arts/English Language Development teacher to becoming a stay-at home mom, Jaime is an education consultant who presents literacy workshops. Her workshops focus on a combination of her ten years of teaching expertise with tried-and-true experiences that she uses with her own children. Jaime is also a Teacher Consultant with the San Jose Area Writing Project. Jaime’s mission is to share effective reading and writing strategies with families to encourage literacy.