Five Places Tweens Can Work Before Getting a Real Job

When tweens are too young for a real job, there's plenty they can do to earn money. Where can they work? Start with the home-front. Then have them branch out to help family and friends. Their church or school might need a hand. Next up is your front lawn. It could use a trim. Once they're done there, put them to work in the garden. These five places provide plenty of opportunity for ambitious tweens who want to work. Here's how:

Surely you have some jobs around the house that need doing. You could pay your tween for the larger tasks. They need to know there are things they should expect to do without compensation. Things like picking up after themselves and keeping their room clean should require no payment. Paying your tween for hard work such as cleaning out the garage or babysitting young siblings helps ready them for getting a real job. It teaches them the value of a dollar.

What about your extended family? They may have a job or two they're willing to pay your tween for. Grandpa may not be up to shoveling the driveway anymore. Your tween could offer to run errands for a sick relative. There are any number of simple tasks extended family might need done. Why not give your tween a nudge in the right direction?

Schools and churches often have work programs for older tweens and teens. If your tween is looking for work, it never hurts to ask. They might be able to land a job cleaning up after events. Volunteer work builds character and job skills just as quickly as paid labor. Schools and churches might need help filling boxes for local shelters or food banks.

Tweens can work on the lawn. Whether they open a lemonade stand or cut the grass, your front yard is a great place for tweens to work. Earning a little income in the summer gives them cash to attend movies or other events with friends. It also gives you a budget break. Now you can put more money into that college fund to guarantee a bright future for your child.

Tweens are a perfect fit for garden work. A garden teaches kids many things. It's hard work, but rewarding in a multitude of ways. Gardens teach patience and fortitude. Tweens get a sense of accomplishment from eating and sharing the fruits of their labor. Tweens should be encouraged to plant an extra row for the less fortunate. Why not set a pattern of generosity from an early age? That way, as your tween ages, giving back to their community will be a natural response.

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