Working under 18, is it really that common?
Discussion
Is it really that common? From a lot of posts on here I have read both now and in the past (PH is one of the few forums you can browse without an account) there seem to be a lot of people who have worked from when they were under 18.
When I was a teenager my mum implanted into my head that it was illegal.
For perspective, I have a 15 year old brother and he has never worked a day in his life, nor does my mum want him to because "It would interfere with his studying".
So what is this? A class thing? My mum has always prided herself on being "middle class" and disapproves of teenagers working.
Now I am older I can see that if I was able to work from an early age it would have done wonders for my confidence and self esteem but I am very angry with my mum for being so controlling of me.
I have nothing from my youth at all. If I had a job I might have made some friends and had memories and even found a girlfriend through it but because of my mum I was a nobody during my whole teenage years and I still am now to an extent.
When I was a teenager my mum implanted into my head that it was illegal.
For perspective, I have a 15 year old brother and he has never worked a day in his life, nor does my mum want him to because "It would interfere with his studying".
So what is this? A class thing? My mum has always prided herself on being "middle class" and disapproves of teenagers working.
Now I am older I can see that if I was able to work from an early age it would have done wonders for my confidence and self esteem but I am very angry with my mum for being so controlling of me.
I have nothing from my youth at all. If I had a job I might have made some friends and had memories and even found a girlfriend through it but because of my mum I was a nobody during my whole teenage years and I still am now to an extent.
I worked in a factory at 15 for 1.5 pound a hour, 30 hours a week over the summer holidays.
At 16 worked again for the same money.
17 same again.
18 got a job a Alton Towers.
All whilst at school.
I had a paper round and used to wash cars at 13 - 15.
Paid for a holiday with my mate at 16 on our own to Spain, there are jobs out there you have to try.
At 16 worked again for the same money.
17 same again.
18 got a job a Alton Towers.
All whilst at school.
I had a paper round and used to wash cars at 13 - 15.
Paid for a holiday with my mate at 16 on our own to Spain, there are jobs out there you have to try.
it used to be really common, I worked in the local village shop from 15 to 18 at the weekend and my brother had a paper-round. However there are no little village shops any more, they tend to be Tescos Direct or some such and no-one reads papers, so paper rounds don't exist.
It is a shame because it gave you the appreciation of earning your own money and instilled the value of work ethics.
It is a shame because it gave you the appreciation of earning your own money and instilled the value of work ethics.
Paper round from 13, then worked in supermarkets one evening/Saturdays from the age of 16. My best friend and I also used to go to the local golf club and sell ourselves out as caddies on a Saturday morning from the age of around 13
Sister worked on a market stall for years and my brother worked in Argos from 16, transferred to Manchester store when he went to uni and stayed there as second job until he was about 23
Taught me the importance of earning my own money and making my own way in life. I certainly learnt a fair bit from walking around a golf course with 4 middle aged blokes and from the till girls at the shop
Sister worked on a market stall for years and my brother worked in Argos from 16, transferred to Manchester store when he went to uni and stayed there as second job until he was about 23
Taught me the importance of earning my own money and making my own way in life. I certainly learnt a fair bit from walking around a golf course with 4 middle aged blokes and from the till girls at the shop
I grew up in a seaside town and pretty much everybody aged 15-18 had a summer job and lots had a part time evening/weekend job.
(This was a state grammar school, tertiary A-Level college so everyone was bright enough to be a good quality employee for menial work, but not too rich to live off the Bank of Mum & Dad)
This was before the minimum wage though, I believe since then most 'summer' jobs have now gone to (fewer) older Eastern Europeans.
I had jobs selling sticks of rock in a seafront tat shop, stacking shelves in Tesco and cooking beef burgers in a caravan park.
Definitely character building and shouldn't be too disruptive on studies.
I am still a lamer though, so working at a young age is no cure for that.
(This was a state grammar school, tertiary A-Level college so everyone was bright enough to be a good quality employee for menial work, but not too rich to live off the Bank of Mum & Dad)
This was before the minimum wage though, I believe since then most 'summer' jobs have now gone to (fewer) older Eastern Europeans.
I had jobs selling sticks of rock in a seafront tat shop, stacking shelves in Tesco and cooking beef burgers in a caravan park.
Definitely character building and shouldn't be too disruptive on studies.
I am still a lamer though, so working at a young age is no cure for that.
The Spruce goose said:
I worked in a factory at 15 for 1.5 pound a hour, 30 hours a week over the summer holidays.
At 16 worked again for the same money.
17 same again.
18 got a job a Alton Towers.
All whilst at school.
I had a paper round and used to wash cars at 13 - 15.
Paid for a holiday with my mate at 16 on our own to Spain, there are jobs out there you have to try.
Wow, going abroad underage without parental supervision!? WTF!? That really is a foreign concept to me. I wasn't even allowed to stay home during family holidays, I was dragged on them until I was 19. We really are from very different backgrounds. My mum was so controlling. Wasn't your mum worried about you getting up to mischief etc? My mum would have been. I wasn't even allowed to go out on my own at 16 except to the youth club and back. She would often call up the staff at the youth club to check on me as well.At 16 worked again for the same money.
17 same again.
18 got a job a Alton Towers.
All whilst at school.
I had a paper round and used to wash cars at 13 - 15.
Paid for a holiday with my mate at 16 on our own to Spain, there are jobs out there you have to try.
I really hate her for how controlling she was to me, it ruined my life.
Pieman68 said:
Paper round from 13, then worked in supermarkets one evening/Saturdays from the age of 16. My best friend and I also used to go to the local golf club and sell ourselves out as caddies on a Saturday morning from the age of around 13
Sister worked on a market stall for years and my brother worked in Argos from 16, transferred to Manchester store when he went to uni and stayed there as second job until he was about 23
Taught me the importance of earning my own money and making my own way in life. I certainly learnt a fair bit from walking around a golf course with 4 middle aged blokes and from the till girls at the shop
Yeah, I never had any interactions with the female species, that is something I also regret from my strict and oppressive upbringing. So much comes off the back of having a job when you are young.Sister worked on a market stall for years and my brother worked in Argos from 16, transferred to Manchester store when he went to uni and stayed there as second job until he was about 23
Taught me the importance of earning my own money and making my own way in life. I certainly learnt a fair bit from walking around a golf course with 4 middle aged blokes and from the till girls at the shop
But what would any of you do if you were forbidden to work? Like if I mentioned getting a job when I was 14 my mum would be like "A job!? You are but a mere CHILD, focus on your schooling". My aspirations crushed and there were no outside influences to compare to.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
That's fair enough, that is going a different "route" sort of like the path my mum had planned out for me but with ICT instead of medical stuff. But for the everyday person I think working is probably more beneficial unless they need to do something that involves a lot of academic study.Truckosaurus said:
I grew up in a seaside town and pretty much everybody aged 15-18 had a summer job and lots had a part time evening/weekend job.
(This was a state grammar school, tertiary A-Level college so everyone was bright enough to be a good quality employee for menial work, but not too rich to live off the Bank of Mum & Dad)
This was before the minimum wage though, I believe since then most 'summer' jobs have now gone to (fewer) older Eastern Europeans.
I had jobs selling sticks of rock in a seafront tat shop, stacking shelves in Tesco and cooking beef burgers in a caravan park.
Definitely character building and shouldn't be too disruptive on studies.
I am still a lamer though, so working at a young age is no cure for that.
That's a good example, I live in a seaside town as well, part of my employment woes it seems. Things have definitely changed. My 15-18 years were 2005-8 and I could never get a job back then. I had an interview for Waitrose when I was 17, failed it, didn't get an another for another couple of years. My memory is hazy. I wish I could go back to my former self and be like a co driver and point him in the right direction.(This was a state grammar school, tertiary A-Level college so everyone was bright enough to be a good quality employee for menial work, but not too rich to live off the Bank of Mum & Dad)
This was before the minimum wage though, I believe since then most 'summer' jobs have now gone to (fewer) older Eastern Europeans.
I had jobs selling sticks of rock in a seafront tat shop, stacking shelves in Tesco and cooking beef burgers in a caravan park.
Definitely character building and shouldn't be too disruptive on studies.
I am still a lamer though, so working at a young age is no cure for that.
My mum would always find an excuse to keep me down though. She simply wouldn't permit me to leave the house even if I had somehow found a job.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Gotta say I really think 12 is too young, that's child exploitation! I really don't see the need for a child to work under the age of 16, that is pocket money territory right there! 16+, fine, get a small part time job to give you an idea of what it is about, but nothing major.I really can't see why a 12 year old would need their own money though :headscratch: Also a lot of parents wouldn't be happy about that nowadays either.
Edit: So what would you guys have done if your mum was controlled and was like "no job until you are 18". And didn't let you go out and about on your own, how would you get around that?
I must admit these posts are making me feel jealous.
Edited by Bipedaldriver on Friday 19th February 12:09
Paperounds from 12 and worked in boat yards during the summer holidays until the age of 16.
Saturday I had a car washing round and Sunday I worked on a market stall up until I finished two years at college at 17. (late school year birthday so one of the youngest in my year in school).
I was then in full time employment at 17 when due to the job you had to legally be 18 but a blind eye was turned for a couple of months.
Learnt a lot in those jobs.
Saturday I had a car washing round and Sunday I worked on a market stall up until I finished two years at college at 17. (late school year birthday so one of the youngest in my year in school).
I was then in full time employment at 17 when due to the job you had to legally be 18 but a blind eye was turned for a couple of months.
Learnt a lot in those jobs.
My life was slightly different and some respects both good and bad. I spent summer holidays from 8 in Scotland, swimming in the river, hunting deer, fishing etc so did an awful lot before 18. By the age of 20 had been abroad about 6 times on my own with friends, whilst working the summer in jobs to pay for them.
The factory job was sweeping up and cleaning but it taught me to enjoy life as much as you can, and was good having an 'illegal beer' at the end of the week. Alton towers was great fun chasing robbers stealing toys form the teddy bear shed, flirting with much more attractive girls than my level, and eating as much McDonalds as I could fit in my mouth. Paid for a Citroen AX as well to trash around.
Work really makes you more confident.
my mum was the opposite, I had to work to earn a living. At the end of the day your mum can be as controlling as you let her, you shape your own destiny.
The factory job was sweeping up and cleaning but it taught me to enjoy life as much as you can, and was good having an 'illegal beer' at the end of the week. Alton towers was great fun chasing robbers stealing toys form the teddy bear shed, flirting with much more attractive girls than my level, and eating as much McDonalds as I could fit in my mouth. Paid for a Citroen AX as well to trash around.
Work really makes you more confident.
my mum was the opposite, I had to work to earn a living. At the end of the day your mum can be as controlling as you let her, you shape your own destiny.
All this paper round stuff is a bit tame. Come on guys someone must have been down a mine since the age of 10? They have the Internet in Yorkshire now.
I delivered papers then promoted to making up the rounds for the others and serving in the shop. I will be encouraging little BS2 to do the same if they still have papers in the future it's either that or chimney sweep.
I delivered papers then promoted to making up the rounds for the others and serving in the shop. I will be encouraging little BS2 to do the same if they still have papers in the future it's either that or chimney sweep.
I did a paper round for an hour after school each day from about 14 I guess. Then summer work on building maintenance (painting and glazing). Picked that job up from the "work experience" you do in year 10, and took it though to the end of Uni.
None of which got in the way of studying. But then we didn't get homework, because nobody did it if it was issued, so they stopped handing it out.
None of which got in the way of studying. But then we didn't get homework, because nobody did it if it was issued, so they stopped handing it out.
Bipedaldriver said:
The Spruce goose said:
I worked in a factory at 15 for 1.5 pound a hour, 30 hours a week over the summer holidays.
At 16 worked again for the same money.
17 same again.
18 got a job a Alton Towers.
All whilst at school.
I had a paper round and used to wash cars at 13 - 15.
Paid for a holiday with my mate at 16 on our own to Spain, there are jobs out there you have to try.
Wow, going abroad underage without parental supervision!? WTF!? That really is a foreign concept to me. I wasn't even allowed to stay home during family holidays, I was dragged on them until I was 19. We really are from very different backgrounds. My mum was so controlling. Wasn't your mum worried about you getting up to mischief etc? My mum would have been. I wasn't even allowed to go out on my own at 16 except to the youth club and back. She would often call up the staff at the youth club to check on me as well.At 16 worked again for the same money.
17 same again.
18 got a job a Alton Towers.
All whilst at school.
I had a paper round and used to wash cars at 13 - 15.
Paid for a holiday with my mate at 16 on our own to Spain, there are jobs out there you have to try.
I really hate her for how controlling she was to me, it ruined my life.
Pieman68 said:
Paper round from 13, then worked in supermarkets one evening/Saturdays from the age of 16. My best friend and I also used to go to the local golf club and sell ourselves out as caddies on a Saturday morning from the age of around 13
Sister worked on a market stall for years and my brother worked in Argos from 16, transferred to Manchester store when he went to uni and stayed there as second job until he was about 23
Taught me the importance of earning my own money and making my own way in life. I certainly learnt a fair bit from walking around a golf course with 4 middle aged blokes and from the till girls at the shop
Yeah, I never had any interactions with the female species, that is something I also regret from my strict and oppressive upbringing. So much comes off the back of having a job when you are young.Sister worked on a market stall for years and my brother worked in Argos from 16, transferred to Manchester store when he went to uni and stayed there as second job until he was about 23
Taught me the importance of earning my own money and making my own way in life. I certainly learnt a fair bit from walking around a golf course with 4 middle aged blokes and from the till girls at the shop
But what would any of you do if you were forbidden to work? Like if I mentioned getting a job when I was 14 my mum would be like "A job!? You are but a mere CHILD, focus on your schooling". My aspirations crushed and there were no outside influences to compare to.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
That's fair enough, that is going a different "route" sort of like the path my mum had planned out for me but with ICT instead of medical stuff. But for the everyday person I think working is probably more beneficial unless they need to do something that involves a lot of academic study.Truckosaurus said:
I grew up in a seaside town and pretty much everybody aged 15-18 had a summer job and lots had a part time evening/weekend job.
(This was a state grammar school, tertiary A-Level college so everyone was bright enough to be a good quality employee for menial work, but not too rich to live off the Bank of Mum & Dad)
This was before the minimum wage though, I believe since then most 'summer' jobs have now gone to (fewer) older Eastern Europeans.
I had jobs selling sticks of rock in a seafront tat shop, stacking shelves in Tesco and cooking beef burgers in a caravan park.
Definitely character building and shouldn't be too disruptive on studies.
I am still a lamer though, so working at a young age is no cure for that.
That's a good example, I live in a seaside town as well, part of my employment woes it seems. Things have definitely changed. My 15-18 years were 2005-8 and I could never get a job back then. I had an interview for Waitrose when I was 17, failed it, didn't get an another for another couple of years. My memory is hazy. I wish I could go back to my former self and be like a co driver and point him in the right direction.(This was a state grammar school, tertiary A-Level college so everyone was bright enough to be a good quality employee for menial work, but not too rich to live off the Bank of Mum & Dad)
This was before the minimum wage though, I believe since then most 'summer' jobs have now gone to (fewer) older Eastern Europeans.
I had jobs selling sticks of rock in a seafront tat shop, stacking shelves in Tesco and cooking beef burgers in a caravan park.
Definitely character building and shouldn't be too disruptive on studies.
I am still a lamer though, so working at a young age is no cure for that.
My mum would always find an excuse to keep me down though. She simply wouldn't permit me to leave the house even if I had somehow found a job.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Gotta say I really think 12 is too young, that's child exploitation! I really don't see the need for a child to work under the age of 16, that is pocket money territory right there! 16+, fine, get a small part time job to give you an idea of what it is about, but nothing major.I really can't see why a 12 year old would need their own money though :headscratch: Also a lot of parents wouldn't be happy about that nowadays either.
Edit: So what would you guys have done if your mum was controlled and was like "no job until you are 18". And didn't let you go out and about on your own, how would you get around that?
I must admit these posts are making me feel jealous.
Edited by Bipedaldriver on Friday 19th February 12:09
For what it's worth -for me it was a job at 16 and lads holiday the same year.
Is this a wind up?
Is this for real or trolling?
15 onwards I worked as a trolley collector for a supermarket.
Also did shelf stacking too but hated it.
Sorry but if my mother had told me I couldn't work I would have told her where to get off tbh.
Heheh, just remembered my worst job. Collecting the money for a guy who delivered vegetables.
I was 17 and had an 2.0 Opel Manta, so by the time I had finished the round I think I ended up out of pocket for petrol
15 onwards I worked as a trolley collector for a supermarket.
Also did shelf stacking too but hated it.
Sorry but if my mother had told me I couldn't work I would have told her where to get off tbh.
Heheh, just remembered my worst job. Collecting the money for a guy who delivered vegetables.
I was 17 and had an 2.0 Opel Manta, so by the time I had finished the round I think I ended up out of pocket for petrol
Edited by DragsterRR on Friday 19th February 12:20
Paper round from the age of 11 to 16 (7 days a week and the same round)!
Then started college and couldn't do the round as the bus was 7.45am. So got a weekend job at Morrison's. Saturday 8am- 8pm and Sunday 2.15pm-6pm on the princely sum of £2.14 per hour and time and a fifth for the Sunday! Luckily the minimum wage came in not long after I started and Sunday was time and half then and the hourly rate went up. It was very very rare that I didn't actually do 35-40 hours every week though, as they were always short staffed and it fitted in with college easily and didn't affect my grades. That job bought me my first wheels, a brand new (V-Reg at the time) 125cc Aprilia Scooter in Rossi Rep colour scheme, my first car (a not so nice E-Reg Nova) and paid for my driving lessons/licence and full motorbike lessons/licence.
Then started college and couldn't do the round as the bus was 7.45am. So got a weekend job at Morrison's. Saturday 8am- 8pm and Sunday 2.15pm-6pm on the princely sum of £2.14 per hour and time and a fifth for the Sunday! Luckily the minimum wage came in not long after I started and Sunday was time and half then and the hourly rate went up. It was very very rare that I didn't actually do 35-40 hours every week though, as they were always short staffed and it fitted in with college easily and didn't affect my grades. That job bought me my first wheels, a brand new (V-Reg at the time) 125cc Aprilia Scooter in Rossi Rep colour scheme, my first car (a not so nice E-Reg Nova) and paid for my driving lessons/licence and full motorbike lessons/licence.
14-16 i worked at the rifle range at the weekend target marking - £20 a day! Quite strenuous work levering the targets up and down, and bitterly cold in the winter.
16-21 (so through school/college & university) worked at a Woolworths store weekends, evenings and holidays.
I didnt get pocket money, but always had enough to buy myself whatever i wanted at the various ages, and also meant i left uni without having to take out a student loan.
(Age 39 now, for perspective)
I know of 18 year olds now that have never done any paid work - not even a paper round - and just get pocket money from parents.
16-21 (so through school/college & university) worked at a Woolworths store weekends, evenings and holidays.
I didnt get pocket money, but always had enough to buy myself whatever i wanted at the various ages, and also meant i left uni without having to take out a student loan.
(Age 39 now, for perspective)
I know of 18 year olds now that have never done any paid work - not even a paper round - and just get pocket money from parents.
I did summer jobs and evening and/or weekend part time jobs from about 15 until my A level exams then didn't really work again until I graduated. I picked herbs in a field, screwed together wallpaper steamers, washed dishes, some office junior work, worked in a commercial laundry and probably a few other summer temp jobs too.
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