Parents stop mollycoddling your children!

I've seen the same on my local FB groups too. My two always had jobs two - from delivering papers while they were still at school to working in local cafes and restaurants. I've even heard a couple of cases where a parent (in both cases, the mum) actually accompanied their child to a job interview!

I advertised on the village FB for a teenager aged 16+ to earn some pocket money - as you say just parents replied on their behalf. It's crazy.

I didn't bother - if they haven't got the impetus or motivation themselves forget it.

Well, my Mum did actually get me my first Saturday job - but in quite the opposite way meant here. She saw that her hairdresser was looking for a Saturday Girl, so she told the boss her daughter would do it, came home and told me I started the next Saturday!

And I can assure you I had no choice in the matter . (As it happened, I loved it).

A few years ago we ran a restaurant and employed quite a few youngsters, mostly girls a few boys, in many cases it was the parent who approached us first.
Most children at 16 were just to shy and lacked the confidence to go alone, it was mostly weekend and holiday work, they were paired up with a more experienced girl and they gained confidence quickly. They were very good most just needed that extra bit of support going for their first job, I’m sure having got used to working and interacting with adults next job they went solo.

Young people do not use Facebook so it makes sense that parents are asking via their accounts.

I don’t think people realise what damage was done to young people under lockdown.
A very formative time was taken away from them.

greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_pandemic_hurt_teens_how_can_we_help_them_recover

Elowen33

Young people do not use Facebook so it makes sense that parents are asking via their accounts.

Agree. And local pages are usually ‘members only’, and young people don’t join. Having said that, I was always surprised at how many parents came along to university open days. I can understand driving children who can’t drive themselves, but not coming along to the talks, asking questions and generally behaving as though they were applying themselves.

YABU.
I often enquired at supermarkets etc for my kids when they were looking for P/T work. I was just helping.

Our GD dropped her cv off at the local burger bar.

They took her on as a pot washer, she progressed to waitressing, and is now a prep chef.

She’s 17, doing her A levels.

When my eldest son decided A levels were not for him he spent several days looking through the Yellow Pages for local building companies. He whittled it down to area as he was too young to drive and wrote to them all. He had a reply from a builder who gave him a job and allowed him 2 days a week at College so he could get his Construction qualifications. Fast forward 28 years and that start has resulted in the career he has today. All his own efforts from the word go.

Yes, I've seen several requests from parents for work for their teenagers on the local FB page, but I've also seen requests from teenagers too.

All of mine found their own jobs when they were at school, college and university, delivering papers, waiting on, working in a local supermarket etc although I did say not to take on too much as well as exams. They propbably ignored that advice and seem to have succeeded well in their careers.

DGS and DGD both have jobs while at school and college.

Doodledog

Elowen33

Young people do not use Facebook so it makes sense that parents are asking via their accounts.

Agree. And local pages are usually ‘members only’, and young people don’t join. Having said that, I was always surprised at how many parents came along to university open days. I can understand driving children who can’t drive themselves, but not coming along to the talks, asking questions and generally behaving as though they were applying themselves.

We were asked to go along to University when youngest DGC went for interview (not the others, though) - I think they wanted to interview us too!

I was discussing this with my grandson recently, he had just finished a short stint carpet cleaning, a job he found himself. He has been looking for something more regular, he is just going into sixth form and has finished school for the summer . Unfortunately there is little traditional holiday work about. Pubs and restaurants are closing in great numbers, shops are also diminishing and reducing staff due to increased staffing costs. He is willing to do anything but what doors does he bang on? Facebook is a good place as often small employers use local pages for advertising but as others have said, he doesn’t use it so Mum is probably going to step in to ask on his behalf.

I think things have changed enormously since my (our) children found their Saturday/holiday jobs. It’s not only the loss of pubs and restaurants, the High Street and some shopping centres have been adversely affected by the loss of some traditional names.
Both my DDs found their jobs themselves, but I had to drive DD1 to work and back at House of Fraser every time, as it would’ve taken her hours by bus. She’d been one of only two applicants out of 30 to be taken on.
DD2 ended up at M&S where she was quite ‘famous’ because of her wheelchair and stunning looks!

I agree, Georgesgran. Not only that, but with zero hours contracts the 'full time' staff cover all the hours between them, so Saturday jobs don't really exist any more.

Tbh, both mine had help with their first "Saturday" jobs.. DS helped term time in the College Canteen, the Principal was a father of one of his old School chums. After he left he did get a job in Asda himself, that was a good little job as they transferred him term time to his local one near his Uni and back when he come home in the holidays.
My DD worked at the local leisure centre as a helper at weekends for Children parties, she was recommended by our next door neighbour.
I clearly remembered my Grandmother instigating my Saturday Job, she went and asked the store Manager of a newly opened Waitrose during a shopping trip, I was so embarrassed but he offered me the job there and then. I worked there until I left school.
A little help isn't a bad thing.

DGS has spent time since Easter applying for jobs in person and by letter. Jobs are few and far between and of the last few jobs, he said they were giving them to older applicants, partly because they had experience. One lady told him she was applying because she didn’t get her pension for another few years.

It probably depends on where you live . It is extremely difficult for youngsters to find employment where I live. My granddaughter’s friend has just got herself a job working in a bar from 8 pm till 3am. A pity she did not have more parental support as to my mind that is unacceptable and dangerous. My granddaughter herself applied for a job in an Art Gallery but was told that they were looking for someone with nine year’s computer experience which to me is an underhand way of wanting to employ someone older(ageism in reverse). Her twin has applied( on his own initiative) for a job as a lifeguard but it is a zero hours contract so not very satisfactory. I suppose that what I am saying is that it is not easy for youngsters to find temporary or permanent employment these days and sometimes they need a bit of parental support in whatever form. Yes my children all found their own employment but times have changed.

I found all my own jobs, from age 15 chambermaiding to waiting on at a restaurant through to proper work. My daughter did the same.

I appreciate that times change but no employer sees initiative and application as bad traits (from the potential employee not the parent on their behalf, I hasten to add!)

My granddaughter has just got herself a job at our local farm shop/ adventure trail . Her mum helped her a bit with the logistics but she found it by herself and when they started sending her stuff online to reply to she did all that herself. It’s a 5 minute trip for one of the grownups to drive her but she often walks home when she is not against the clock. I’m proud of her .

Times have changed I was working full time at her age (16) but things are very different for teenagers now and I too think Covid has had a big impact on children’s perspectives and mental health

In the early 70s, my mum organised my vacation jobs. Though in my defence, I was 50 miles away at college.

Kandinsky

YABU.
I often enquired at supermarkets etc for my kids when they were looking for P/T work. I was just helping.

Did it work? Did your help get them a job?

Supermarket jobs usually require some initiative and the ability to communicate with strangers.

If kids get into the world of work does it matetr who found them the job?

My first job was filling in for my sister when she was on holiday at the local supermarket.

It made me realise I never wanted to work in a supermarket again, but in those days there were pages and pages offering jobs for school leavers in the local papers.

How else are kids going to find work these days?

They can't win!

I am absolutely sure that there have always been many youngsters who didn't have the confidence to put themselves forward in their teens. I should know, as I was one of them!

I really wish that more people could accept that everyone is different and just because some were / are able to do things a certain way, that doesn't mean that everyone else could do the same if only they could be bothered. It genuinely isn't that simple.