Summer Jobs for Your Kids
July 06, 2011It’s July! Cookouts and the dog days of summer right around the corner. For the first three weeks of summer vacation, my kids have been busy with baseball, golf clinics, summer camp and VBS. But now that all of that’s behind us, my kids are faced with another two months of nothing to do *sigh*.
Well, after a visit from my brother Andy who is telling me how his 15 years old son is blowing his weekly allowance on Pokémon cards (curse the inventor of that worthless pastime), I’ve decided that now is a good time to teach my kids some good ol’ fashion lessons from the school of hard knocks. This summer I’m pressing the kids to tap into their entrepreneurial spirit and get out there and make some money. Now, my children are not old enough to earn a W-2 wage, but here are a few ideas we have come up with:
The Lemonade Stand
A staple in the world of youth, but why mess with a classic. When the thermometer hits 95 here in the Carolina’s, who can resist a tall, cold glass of this sweet and sour concoction? By the way, my children are fortunate enough to live near a golf course—talk about a high traffic area. They can wheel their fare to the fairway (don’t you love it when a pun works?) and hit up the golfers for 50₵ a cup. Easy money.
Babysitting
My daughter LOVES small children. I don’t know if it’s because she has some motherly instinct, or she likes being a giant among dwarves, but she lights up when there is one around. Time to harness the energy. The local Y offers babysitting classes, so she can learn the benefit of “certification” when it comes time to hang out her shingle.
Pet sitting/house sitting
Why limit the “sitting” skills to just babies? While the neighbors head off to the beach, the kids can head over to their house to keep Fido the dog, Princess the cat, and Goldie the fish company.
Pet walking
Even if the neighbors are home all summer, it’s too hot to take the pets for a walk. Not if you’re between the ages of 8 and 12. Summer pet walks are a delight (or punishment for saying you’re bored), plus it keeps the kids busy. Just remind them they may want to consider instituting a 2:1 pet to walker ratio.
Yard work
If it’s too hot to walk the dog, it’s probably too hot to mow the lawn, pull the weeds, or mulch the flower beds. Another punishment for saying you’re bored, but it gives them good practice for when they get paid for working on the neighbor’s lawn.
Internet marketing
This one comes courtesy of my brother. Remember his son? Well, he has a friend that is selling items for neighbors around the block on eBay. He’ll sell everything from used video games to BMX helmets to Garth Brooks CDs, all for a nominal commission and processing fee.
Getting started
Have the kids put their computer skills to work by creating flyers, posters, and other forms of print advertising. My daughter’s school has a safe online social club she belongs to so she can tap into her social network to do a little viral marketing as well.
Whatever your children decide to do, make it fun. If it feels like work to them, it’ll end up being more work for you. Once the kids do start earning some money, take a tip from my friend Michael about how to use the opportunity to teach them how the “real” world treats earned income.
If you’ve got any other creative ideas on how younger kids (between the ages of 8 and 12) can earn a buck, please share 🙂