In addition to driving and getting a job, there are other ways that teenagers can experience some “rights of passage” to help them move into being an adult, or at least, an older teenager. There are still plenty of opportunities for teens to serve as camp counselors, youth sports coaches and teach classes (art, activities, Sunday school) that will help them develop maturity and learn all sorts of responsibility and other skills.
Since the part-time job seems to be getting harder and harder for teenagers to find, parents might be wondering what their kids CAN do to move toward independence and maturity. There may be plenty of opportunities to take a leadership, coaching or mentoring role right in your existing “sphere of influence.” Older teenagers can become coaches for younger children in a variety of recreational sports. If you have a teenager who has been active in sports while they have been growing up, they might like to take on coaching a young soccer or baseball team, or even get training to work as an umpire or referee. Teenagers are usually in high demand as life guards and recreational activity leaders during the summer months in most communities. Teenagers can also help out or even teach Sunday school classes for younger kids, including Vacation Bible School, day camps, etc.
There are still plenty of summer camps and day camps that are happy to include teenagers as part of their staff–either paid or volunteer. Teenagers seem to connect well with younger children and younger children usually really respond to teenagers. They just seem “cooler” than adults. Working with younger children can give teens a chance to take responsibility and start to see themselves as “older.” Meanwhile, they can develop leadership skills and learn the pleasures of sharing knowledge and experience with a “younger generation.”
See Also: Job Fairs: Appropriate Attire for Teens
Should Your Teens Receive an Allowance if They are Working?