A lot of the kids I grew up with still live here in Michigan and we all keep in touch. Those with teens have told me the difficulties their kids are facing finding employment--the jobs that were once there for teens are simply gone. None of the orchards we worked as teens will hire kids any longer--those jobs are taken by migrants. The maid jobs (I wasn't the only one who went that route)--illegals. Hardly any restaurants will hire teens around here--not even fast food joints. Most of those jobs are now taken by adults who have been cut loose by the local GM closures. I'm not personally acquainted with the "precious progeny" to which you refer--I'm not denying they exist, but I live in a working class neighborhood and there aren't kids like that around here. The kids around here want to work because their parents don't hand them all that they desire on a silver platter. As for bashing people who do dirty jobs--like I said, friend, I tried finding work here as a maid or a "laundress" and that is filthy work. I am unemployable as a maid, even with my experience. English is my first language. That counts against me.
Do you think I was born yesterday? There are plenty of jobs for teenagers out there, especially in fast food.