My preteen wants to work this summer, a good idea?

Does your child aged 11, 12, 13 or 14 want to work during the summer? You ask yourself many questions. Is he too young? What kind of job might suit him? Expert advice to guide parents.

Olivia Levy
The Press

We see more and more. The labor shortage is forcing companies to hire increasingly younger employees. But is it a good idea to let your child work from the age of 11 or 12?

“It depends,” replies psychologist Nadia Gagnier. She stresses that it is important for the child to rest and have fun first during his summer vacation. “It can be rewarding to have a small job, it develops a sense of responsibility, but it must be well supervised, the number of hours be limited and the children discuss it well with their parents, specifies the psychologist . It also depends on the family organization and the family’s plans for the summer. It shouldn’t cause scheduling conflicts. »

For the specialized educator Geneviève Harvey-Miville, the expectations must be different according to the age of the young person. ” You have to be very careful. An 11-12 year old child can do small tasks, babysit, mow the lawn, but in my eyes, working in a restaurant, at this age, seems too young to me, ”she says. “You can have a little job to develop your autonomy, but the children must also take advantage of their summer to have fun, move around, swim,” says the one who also collaborates with Vie de Parents, an information platform for parents. .

Psychologist Nathalie Parent believes that there are several benefits to having a first job at a young age, in particular that of developing one’s desire for independence.

“If your child shows the desire to work, it is important to support him. It will be good for his self-esteem and his confidence. She adds that very often, from 11 to 14 years old, pre-teens are at an age where they are a little figuring out what to do. “Having a small job takes them out of their screens and there can be great pleasure in meeting young people at work. »

accompany well

The specialists we interviewed advocate the autonomy of children, but warn about the type of employment, the number of hours and the working conditions. “You have to support them well, because there can be advantages, but also disadvantages, because children do not always realize the other side of the coin of the world of work and the responsibilities that this entails”, explains Nadia Winner. She gives the example of jobs in supermarkets where customers are increasingly on edge when the shelves are empty… “A 14-year-old is not prepared for that. »

Does our culture value work and individual autonomy too much? What if, at 12, we just wanted to enjoy the summer? “Yes, we talk a lot about productivity, efficiency, performance and the money earned,” thinks Geneviève Harvey-Miville. She also talks about work-related pressure, depending on the job and the responsibilities that may be too great for young employees. “In summer, we have to take advantage of it, because it will come quickly, work, in the lives of our children,” she recalls.

For her part, Nathalie Parent thinks on the contrary that we tend to overprotect our children, who live in a society where pleasure triumphs. “Among our young people, the law of least effort prevails. We are more in the easy pleasure than in the sustained effort. »

Be careful, with the labor shortage, the summer job can turn into a part-time job (among older teens) during the school year. The child may develop a taste for earning money, but if he wants to continue, there must be strict conditions. “We absolutely must not exceed 15-20 hours per week and that must not disturb school results. It is necessary to keep free time to play sports and see friends, ”says Nadia Gagnier.