It’s undeniable: Tweens want jobs. Child labor laws don’t allow kids under 14 to take on most jobs–so what’s a tween who wants spending money to do? Tweens have many skills that they can trade for cash, and summer jobs that they design for themselves can be powerful learning experiences as they connect hard work with monetary gain. Here the 5 top summer jobs for tweens.
1. Pet Cleanup Services
While this is the job option mostly likely to cause a tween to wrinkle his or her nose, it’s a very viable option for making a lot of money quickly, particularly for a tween who owns a dog and knows the ropes. Nobody likes cleaning up after pets, and since pets don’t clean up after themselves, there’s opportunity for getting a lot of repeat business! With a modest investment for pooper-scooper equipment, some gloves, and hand sanitizer, a tween could charge by the half-hour or even by the yard. An enterprising tween who’s used to dealing with animals could expand into cat litter box changing services, small animal cage cleaning, and more–and find many clients who don’t like to or can’t do these chores themselves. Tweens considering starting a pet cleanup service should know how to keep themselves safe and clean to prevent getting sick, though.
2. Newspaper Delivery Route
Even as some newspapers shut down, there are openings for paper delivery workers, and the minimum age to have a route can be as low as 10 or 11 years old. The job is tough. There are no vacation days, because newspaper subscribers expect their news delivered on time, which can mean delivering papers well before the sun comes up. On the flip side, paper routes can pay well for tweens and customers often tip their paper carriers. This job is best for a very responsible tween who has an open schedule, and it can help if an adult is available for assistance, whether that’s helping pick up a day’s allotment of newspapers from a central location or driving the delivery boy or girl from house to house on a rainy night.
3. Mother’s (or Father’s) Helper
For families that can’t afford a nanny, an older child can be a huge–and affordable–help. For a tween, it’s excellent practice for babysitting jobs that will be available in a couple of years. Stay-at-home moms and dads can easily justify a few hours a week or a day to hire a second set of eyes and ears, and a mother’s helper might watch smaller children while they play in the backyard, or they might read stories to young ones. They might help with light chores around the house, such as vacuuming, dusting, or washing dishes. Best of all, there’s an adult supervisor right there to ask for advice if necessary.
One of the very best job options for tweens is working for a parent. If parents own a business, they can probably find something that needs to be done, and a tween’s wage can come as an allowance. Maybe a tween can sweep the floor of her parents’ restaurant, or help with filing, shredding, and organization of a home office. If a tween will be expected to work at the family business as a teenager, the work experience can mean less training is needed later on.
5. Make Money From Hobbies
With a little imagination, tweens can turn their hobbies and interests into a savings account. Good at computers? Offer a service helping senior citizens set up new purchases. Have cooking skills? Try a bake sale. Can you knit or crochet? Take commissions for mittens and sweaters, and then deliver the items as summer turns to autumn. Play an instrument? Offer lessons to beginners to help them get started too.
Any one of these five ideas could make a tween substantial money over the course of a summer. Even better, tweens with job experience will have a track record to show employers when they’re ready to make the transition from tween job to teen job. For now, though, tweens just need to find a niche–and get to work!
Reference:
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/1106890/child_labor_laws_in_a_nutshell.html?cat=17
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/771149/summer_jobs_for_12_year_old_kids.html?cat=31
