The youngest child has turned 13. Perhaps it’s time to get a job. After all, they don’t need or want your constant attention. They can be left home alone for hours on end without getting in or causing trouble. It’s definitely time to go back to work. The kids are old enough to fend for themselves.
Not so fast. While teens are old enough to give themselves basic care, they are hardly ready to be on their own. They might look like adults, but the teen years are hardly the years be run a household, care for younger siblings, and have good common sense when making serious decisions. I believe that if elementary kids need constant supervision, teens need more.
Teens who are left to fend for themselves when parents work are more likely to:
- Get pregnant
- Drink alcohol
- Take drugs
- Join gangs
- Commit crimes
Teens with at least one parent at home are more likely to:
- Complete high school
- Go to college
The same statistics that are common in single parent families instantly becomes a possibility in the households where both parents work.
This is not to say that parents should not work while their kids are teens. I can tell you personally, that teens can burn through alot of money very quickly. Someone has to make the extra cash.
Things you can do to ensure that your teen has supervision while you make a decent income are:
- Work opposite shifts from your spouse so the teen is not home alone more than 3 or 4 hours a day.
- Work part time while the teen is in school or otherwise occupied.
- Work from home so that you are at least available to the teen should they need you.
If all else fails and you have no choice but to work and leave your teen to their own devices, it would be wise to get them involved in an activity that would take up their spare time.
If you liked this you should also read my other posts at the home blog, the homeschooling blog, the parents blog, and the frugal blog. You can read my recent posts here.
You should also read:
Who decided what is appropriate for your teen?
Why won’t my teens go to sleep?
Do they have to eat EVERYTHING?