There was recently a discussion on facebook about teenagers working
part-time before or after school as a way for kids to learn how to deal
with the ‘real world’, how to handle money and responsibilities but
mainly to stay out of trouble. I don’t know if a job would do all those
things plus I believe kids have more homework than their parents or
grandparents had plus though I worked I still had time to get in
trouble!

My first job was at 12 or 13 when I worked at a summer refreshment
stand in Lake Hiawatha where my family had a summer home. I started work
at 14 as an usher at the Lyric theatre on 42nd street--saved money
(YES! I SAVED MONEY! LOL) and at 16 left home--got a room, paid rent and
bills, continued and graduated from high school, went to 1 year of
college and then to the Marines.

When I got out of the Marines I worked as a waiter--a job I worked at
most of my life and really enjoyed doing. For 10 years I worked for and
with Weight Watchers after losing 100+ pounds--another job I loved--and
then opened my own business Our Weigh. After that back to being a
waiter.

I worked until I was 62 and then retired. The whole time from the age
of 14 until 2008 I wrote and sold books, magazine articles, newspaper
columns, etc. and though I made some money I needed a second job.

It was interesting what jobs some of the people had as
teenagers--what about you? Did you work as a kid? And like me did you
still have time to get in trouble?

Do you believe teenagers should work or should they enjoy their brief time as youth?