Summer Working Lessons and Fun

Summer is pratically here. There is so much to look forward to – dinner on the grill, bike rides with the family, afternoons at the pool and long summer nights hanging out with friends. The relaxed schedule and longer days bring so much joy. I still vividly remember my own summers as a kid – swim team practice and meets, our trips to the beach and neighborhood games of flashlight tag. A big part of my summer was also working summer jobs. Babysitting, refereeing kids’ soccer games, coaching at a soccer camp, lifeguarding, serving at a restaurant, working at a bagel bakery and a summer internship gave me a wide range of experiences to learn about what it took to earn money and be part of different organizations.

Some jobs I loved, and others were just a means to earn extra spending money. The amount I was paid per hour widely varied for each job. The work that went into earning that wage also varied. These were great lessons. These summer jobs taught me about responsibility outside of my family, how to create and bring value and how to work within a company’s hierarchy. I learned that I loved working with people, building networks and creating solutions. Each one of the opportunities helped me begin to understand my strengths and what I really did not enjoy doing. My confidence was built and my horizons expanded.

This summer, even with family vacation, summer camps and team commitments, consider giving your child an opportunity to learn more about themselves and about earning money outside of what they currently already do with their family chores. Whether it is something more structured like a job with an employer or more entrepreneurial like creating a business, there is value to be received and fun to be had.

Here are a few jobs to consider:

High School

• Acting
• Babysitting
• Bakery/Food Support
• Camp Counselor
• Dance Studio Support
• Golf Caddy
• Lawn Care
• Lifeguard
• Pool Care
• Restaurant Server
• Retail Support
• Service Industry Support
• Set Design Support (and other art support)
• Summer Internship
• Tutor

Middle School

• Acting
• Babysitting – Parents’ helper
• Cleaning Sports Equipment
• Family Projects – separate from family chores
• Gardening
• Lawn care
• Pet sitting
• Plant/Flower sitting
• Sweeping out garages

Elementary School

• Acting
• Childcare – Parents’ helper
• Family Projects – separate from family chores
• Light Lawn Care – picking up twigs, weeding
• Lemonade Stand
• Pet sitting Plant/Flower sitting

Good luck, have fun and center yourself and child on the growth ahead!

Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Advisor.  Fixed insurance products and services offered by Concentric Private Wealth®.

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Advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Registered Investment Advisor.