A teenager has told his parents that he wants to take hourly jobs while studying. His dad cannot say no, of course, but he is alarmed because his teen is still studying. He does not want to protest for it might hurt him. The best consolation is that he has been honest to his parents. If a teen wants a job, it is best for the parent to say yes. Anyway, his teen will surely pursue his plans with or without their approval.

There are many reasons that prompted a teenager to have a job. The teen wants money that he can spend without asking approval from his parents. Others include his need to test his abilities and learn skills which prepares him to more serious career considerations upon finishing his studies. Another reason is the desire to meet challenges that are only found in the world of the grownups. There is also the need to prove to his friends that he can have a job despite of his young age.

Finding a teen job is not that difficult. There is always the local directory where jobs are listed. Various agencies also have their own listings and these can be accessed online. The local newspapers are a good source for job postings. If your teen wants detailed information, his best sources are his friends who are already moonlighting there.

If finding a job is easy, getting the right job is somewhat difficult. If there are many jobs available, there are more teens are applying for these jobs. Competition is stiff. If the teen applicant wants to have an edge, then he must see to it that he has the required skills and qualifications. Again, free skills training are available. All the teen has to do is contact the right agencies.

The bottom line is whether or not the teen’s studies can be affected by his hourly jobs. The ambition of the teens to continue and finish their studies remains, so with the dreams of the parents to see their teens get the much coveted diploma. Will the pressures of the job threaten this? Stanford and Temple Universities reported that teens working on part time jobs for more than 20 hours per week have less competence in their studies. They are also found out to be more detached from the parents because they cannot come home during their free time. The same report showed evidence that these working teens are more prone to alcohol and drugs because of the pressures of both work and studies. Also, they have money which they can use without restrictions by their parents. Others are forced to shift to simple courses because they cannot anymore handle complicated reports and home works. But others have put up to the challenge because their work environments teach them to come out as strong and determined teens.

The most affected aspect however is the teen-parent relationship. Here, the teens no matter how close they are to their parents always have difficulty to come home even if he wants to. Both their jobs and studies are eating their time.

It is just necessary for the parents to remind their children that education must be given top priority. They have to be motivated to do their best in both aspects, as the job and studies can supplement each other. If possible, the teens must only get a few hours of work per week. If the teens want hourly jobs then let them get these jobs while continuing their studies. Ever heard of killing two birds with one stone?