It is very important to teach your child a good work ethic. Once a child turns 16, they should get a part time job. My parents made me get a part time job when I turned 16, and I appreciate the fact that they did it. Not only do I look back now and know it was the right thing to do, I also appreciated having the money at the time.

At the age of 16, your teenager will be in high school. I had friends in high school whose parents told them NOT to get a job because they wanted their child to focus on school. But its high school, not college. High school isn't difficult, but its important to teach kids that LIFE is difficult. Why give them a free ride throughout it all instead of teaching them about life and training them to be better at it?

As a result of working part time through high school, I got used to that. I ended up working full time (45-50 hours per week) throughout college and graduated with a whole lot of money in my bank account. I was able to buy a house within 6 months of graduating college. I give a lot of credit to my parents for teaching me early what it takes to get ahead in life.

It's important to start your child in the part-time working world as soon as they can drive so they can drive themselves to and from work while experiencing what it takes to balance work and school, just as they will have to balance work and life when they are older.

Learn more about this author, Barry Tadmore.
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