Illustration by Rachel Maves
In middle school, I read all “The Baby-Sitters Club” series books. My best friend and I were so inspired, we started our own babysitting service, posting flyers around the neighborhood, a decade before social media. Our child care business brought in enough money for trips to the ice cream parlor, and we stashed the rest away in savings.
Babysitting was the first of many jobs I held as a teen. I later worked as a runner at a law firm. I spent a long, boring summer sorting equipment at a computer repair store and a Christmas break folding endless stacks of sweaters at J. Crew. While the work wasn’t glamorous, receiving a paycheck filled me with pride.
My two sons are middle schoolers, and I hope their first jobs help them discover an entrepreneurial spirit or at least make enough money to buy their own treats at 7-Eleven.
Finding and holding a starter job is a rite of passage for teens and tweens, and summer is when kids have time to join the workforce. In Virginia, kids must be age 14 or older to work outside a private residence at an official job, such as a restaurant, entertainment venue or swimming pool. Those under the legal employment age, like my sons, can still find plenty of moneymaking opportunities, from mowing lawns to walking a neighbor’s dog (boys make great babysitters, too.)
Chip Carter, a retired 12th grade teacher at Mills E. Godwin High School in Henrico County, spends summers overseeing the teenage workers at Kanawha Recreation Association in the West End. Many kids there are working their first jobs, whether tidying the grounds before the pool opens, selling concessions in the snack bar or serving as lifeguards.
“Lifeguarding may not be the hardest job in the world, but it is one of the most important,” Carter says. “Your responsibility is incredible.”
Carter adds that kids benefit from working and having responsibilities early on, if they’re not overwhelmed. Research from the National Institutes of Health backs this up: Working more than 20 hours a week in high school and college can negatively impact academics.
When Carter taught full time and when he returns as a substitute, he reminds his students of this delicate balance and teaches them basic principles to be effective, whether in the classroom or on the job. “I tell them, ‘Be reliable. Show up on time. Don’t complain. Do the simple things. Just try.’ That little word is so big.”
Understanding the value of a dollar means appreciating the hard work and effort that goes into earning it. And that’s a skill to help them succeed in life.
High schoolers tend to hear first about open positions from friends, family and peers. Websites such as Snagajob can also be helpful for finding summer employment, along with local Facebook pages including Mama Needs a Sitter RVA and neighborhood groups. And even in this digital age, stopping into a potential place of employment in person can go a long way.
In January 2023, Virginia raised the minimum wage to $12 an hour, and some gig workers including babysitters, lawn mowers and waiters saw increases in hourly earnings, giving more young adults the chance to save. But new savers need a safe place to put their money, whether it’s from a first paycheck or a weekly allowance.
National financial institutions including Bank of America and Capital One offer checking and saving accounts for students with no fees, penalties or minimum balance requirements. Custodial accounts such as Acorns Early and Greenlight can be a good way to introduce younger students to savings and investments, with a subscription fee of $5 per month.
“It’s important to teach children the value of savings and give them this mindset from the beginning,” says Carla Saab, Bank of America customer service manager at the Patterson Avenue branch in Richmond.
Saab encourages teens to open an online account and manage their spending in an accessible way, such as through mobile apps. She also recommends continued education for teens’ spending and saving habits. Local Bank of America branches host a free, monthly Better Money Habits seminar series; topics cover everything from avoiding scams to improving your credit score and can benefit the whole family.
This summer, while my sons complete their reading assignments and refresh their math facts to be successful in school, I hope they’ll learn a lesson in personal finance, too. Understanding the value of a dollar means appreciating the hard work and effort that goes into earning it. And that’s a skill to help them succeed in life.
Laura Anders Lee is a freelance writer and mother of two sons.
