Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Worth Less

Yo Mom!!??If your kid is still parked on the basement couch this late in the summer playing Fortnite and driving you crazy by whining they can’t find a job, it’s time to change the password on the Wi-Fi and kick ‘em to the curb with a tough-love boot.?

As the U.S. economy continues its remarkable rebound from the pandemic recession, high school-age teens are now in high demand by employers needing to fill jobs that older workers can’t — or won’t take.?

That hasn’t been the case for more than a decade.??

Back when I was a teen in the late ’70s, almost half of all teens in America aged 16-19 had full- or part-time jobs (U.S. Bureau of Labor). That percentage declined steadily over the past forty years, falling especially low during the Great Recession.??While teen hiring improved slightly after the great recession, the 2020 coronavirus produced a new low, with only 26.3% of teens finding work last summer.

That means your kid had a pretty good excuse for not working last summer. But them days is gone!

Now?businesses need employees to handle the massive influx of pent-up customers by the shutdown, and employers are scrambling madly to find enough workers.?The landscape is virtually littered with help wanted signs.

The hospitality, entertainment, and service sectors are booming. So teens who are willing to flip burgers, bag groceries, take tickets for the roller coaster, etc., are commanding $15 to $17 or more per hour, plus bonuses, incentives, and perks almost unimaginable just 5 years ago.?

IS IT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY?

The ability to pile up big bucks for college and other necessities is only one reason your teen should be out among the American workforce. And it’s not even the most important reason.?

The primary reason to encourage (e.g., suggest, nudge, force, etc.) your teenager to find a job and remain employed for as long as possible is so they will someday be?worth more?rather than worth less.?

(Back off, mama bear! I didn’t say ‘worthless.’?)

Without the vital lessons and work ethic they will gain in their first entry-level jobs, your son/daughter will never rise to meet their true potential. Their value or 'worth' in the workplace will be stymied.

Education without real work experience is like a Ferrari without a transmission. The engine might roar, but the wheels won’t turn.?

For every successful Ivy League graduate who has gone on to become a renowned surgeon, attorney, astronaut, or CEO, I’ll show you another who rose through the ranks by getting their start busing tables, installing sprinklers, working the late-night drive-thru, or answering phones.

Your teen is currently in high demand.??It is in their own best interest to have a job… even better, a hard, demanding, time-consuming job where they are required to serve others and smile while doing it.

Work is not always fun, and your kid may fight you on this. Be prepared to push them out the door so they can find their best self on the other side.

Work is not always fun, especially when you have to start at the bottom and do the unsexy jobs for a demanding boss. So your kid may fight you on finding a job, or they may want to quit and return to the comfy couch after the first few days.

Be prepared to push them out the door and win this battle so they can win by finding their best self on the other side.