[Resolute Conservative]

The only teens I know who are not working are the ones whose parents have spoiled them and do not make them work or the ones whose parents do not make them get out of bed. Overall almost every teen I know is working.

[wastedyears]

You pasted it twice.

[Kimmers]

My eldest son started a lawn mowing business that was passed on down to his two brothers. When they weren't mowing lawns they worked for a friend of mine at horse shoes.....hot dirty work with late nights but the pay was good and it kept them out of trouble.

[hiredhand]

Well now...let's see... :-)

The 13 yr old (son) does welding repair work, yard maintenance with a friend of mine and sells scrap precious, and non-precious metals which he scrounges for.

The 15 yr old (daughter) makes/sells homemade goats milk soap. Yes, she also manages the small-ish herd of 18 or so now and has a waiting line of people to buy her milk goats.

The 18 yr old (son) is a VERY talented writer, but also helps the above two in their endevours.

Of course, all of this is motivated by the proven past history here in my house that laziness often results in a right proper ass whoopin. :-) Although I'll have to admit that I have had to do that in more than a few years now. These kids WORK!

[eclecticEel]

12 million cheap, illegal laborers also plays a role.

[edcoil]

teens cannot work in California due to the illegals taking their jobs.

[AntiKev]

My 17 year old sister is working 2 jobs this summer.

I, at 22, am taking 6 courses at Uni...fair trade I think, since it’s about 35 credit hours + homework.

[skeeter]

Last fall I took my 17 year old son down to a burger joint that was advertising 9 dollar an hour jobs, but did an about face when I saw who was already working behind the counter - a couple of thugs in tank top t-shirts, hair nets & sporting spider tatoos.

He lucked out this summer though, & found a job a Stanford U as a paid intern.

Gotta work on my daughter, now.

[melissa_in_ga]

My two daughters (14 and 15) are working as mother’s helpers to a mom up the street with an 8 month old, 22 month old and a 3 1/2 year old. They play with and watch the kids and help mom do light housework around the house. Mom pays them $15.00/hour, which they split. THAT mom is just about in seventh heaven to have some help, and THIS mom is happy my kids are growing their own money tree - and not picking off mine.

[rabscuttle385]

Researchers at Northeaster University estimate that summer 2008 will be "the worst in post-World War II history" for teen summer employment.

I take it that they only counted on-the-books employment.

[mysterio]

I’m going to go against the grain on this one. If the kids want to work, that’s cool, but honestly, they’re going to be wage slaves with no summer break the rest of their lives. I don’t see the problem with letting them relax and have fun in the summer. My best summer memories certainly aren’t bagging groceries.

[angcat]

WHAT’S YOUR TEENAGER UP TO THIS SUMMER?

Eating me out of house and home!

[henkster]

Two teens in the Henkster household. The 15 year old is umpiring baseball games for the local youth league; he gets $25 per game, $50 if he stays for a doubleheader. All cash. Not a bad gig for a 15 year old.

The 19 year old, home from Purdue, is working summer maintenance for the Parks Department during the day (7-3) and has an evening/Saturday job at a pizza place.

The work is there if you want it.

[Darnright]

Right now, she’s at the beach, after graduating with an advanced diploma this past weekend. She’ll come back to waitress at a little place down the road (that job doesn’t get hit by the minimum wage hike). She’ll enter Liberty University (no liberal swamp for this kid!) in the fall to major in business.

[Redleg Duke]

My 15-year old son is going to summer school, Scout Camp as Senior Patrol Leader, woring on his Eagle Service Project and holding down a part-time job as a stock boy at the local grocery store.

Yeah, a real under-acheiver.

[Wolverine83]

5 kids (4 teens and a 20-year old) only my 13 year old isn’t working, although even she will pick up a fair amount of babysitting.

My oldest is in an actuarial internship, the others are working as camp counsellors or at the local pool, from 20 to 35 hours a week. Granted the hourly rate isn’t high at $7 - $8 per hour, but the work is there if you want it.

None of my kids are real go getters either, but they don’t get an allowance and all like to spend money.

[wac3rd]

“In the end, I just want to be so wealthy via my booze, oil, real estate and political endeavors that my children do not have to work. They can hang at our Cape Cod summer home, drink, do drugs and maybe come into Cambridge for a summer class at Harvard that they failed or cheated on during the school year”

—Joe Kennedy, Sr.

[dawn53]

My 20 year old is in grad school, and taking some summer classes, proctoring some classes as a GA (which is a paying job) and working about 25 hours a week as an intern at a company (that’s an unpaid job...but necessary for his resume, etc.) He’s having a very busy summer, although not a lucrative one.

[whd23]

Lazy and jobless 16.5 year-old step-daughter is going to Daddy’s for the summer. C’ya!

[doodad]

Mine is working full time doing banquet, grill and cart girl at a country club. Making good money. Not her first job. Getting geared up for college. She put new tires on her car yesterday and shopped starter dish and cook sets.