Why Do Kids Not Have Summer Jobs Anymore?

I saw an article asking the question "why do our kids not have summer jobs anymore?"   So I asked around a bit.

I asked Drake Martin, MHS senior who plays football and baseball.  Drake worked all summer at a local landscaping/gardening retailer, putting in long hot days after football workouts every morning, baseball workouts, camps, and on and on.

I ran into Hannah Crook who in addition to pursuing a degree in nursing at Carson-Newman holds down at times as many as three jobs.  Lifeguard, caregiver, swimming instructor.

According to one study, there has been a 40% drop in summer employment over the last 12 years.  

Another study stated that only 25% of 16-19 year olds hold summer employment in America today. 

So obviously these ambitious two are more the exception. 

So what does that mean?  Are kids today lazier, less ambitious? I would suggest that is not the case at all, but more on that later.

One of the problem is year-round sports participation.  There really isn't a down season anymore.  TSSAA has even added a "dead period" for high school athletes during which they can't participate in school-related activities (workouts or practice).

But that just leaves more time for their travel teams or for camps or for "showcases."  Yes, it would appear that if you want your kid to get that all-elusive college scholarship, they've got to spend the entire year focusing on their sport.  No time for jobs there.

Year-round school is another deterrent to the summer job.  I don't know what I think about that.  Those that are in year-round schools seem to love it.  Those that aren't don't want to have anything to do with it.  It does limit employment opportunities though.

A lot of teenagers are participating in really great extended learning programs.  In the ever-increasing pressure to create an impressive resume so you can get into the college of your choice, such programs seem almost necessary.  Not a bad thing but maybe they're missing out on the lessons learned from a real job.

Of course a summer job means that you can't go to summer camps or travel with the family.  Surely that is a loss for the student. 

So what does it all mean?  Do kids today lack the "work ethic" of the baby boomer?

My generation works things to death.  Too hard really.  In high school, I did farm work, bagged groceries at the White Store, and mowed yards.  In college, my jobs varied from summers in my hometown factory to teaching lacrosse to kids at the YMCA (and most everything in between).

Even now I put in too many hours, stay at football practice until late, and then go home and do yard work, farm work, and honey-do's.

I would suggest that young folks today do two things very differently:  They work smarter and they have a different value system from us older folks.  They still work as hard but work more efficiently, targeting projects and activities that help them reach personal goals.

There is no way that people of my generation worked as hard at sports as today's young athletes do.  

We just didn't have the opportunities they do.   The result is bigger, faster, better athletes.  It's really beyond argument.

And young folks today value personal time, the opportunities to do the things that make them happy, and a more well-rounded life.

Maybe they're missing the many things you learned from summer jobs and earning a paycheck but in the long run maybe they're going to be better off because of it.

We can only hope so because the future is in their hands.