Ideas for a 10 y/o's first "job"
Tina Tarbutton
My 10 y/o son really, really, really wants a job.
At first the issue was just money. We couldn't figure out how to fit
an allowance into our already tight (so tight sometimes it's choosing
food or electric) budget. Our income fluctuates from week to week (my
partner and I both work in retail) and we pay the bills as we can
scrape together the money. A set allowance wouldn't work, because
some weeks the only $5 left over isn't really left over because we
need to get gas. I'm sure some of you have been there before.
Suddenly it hit me . . . a percentage! He now gets 1% of all of our
income. If/when I start getting child support again (not holding my
breath on that one) then we'll give him a higher percentage of that
particular income. Some weeks he gets $5, this week he got $8, some
weeks it may be even more. This works out well because the more hours
we work, the more we ask for help keeping the house running, so where
I don't feel right paying him for helping exactly, it does feel right
that when he's more inconvenienced (by spending more time alone, less
time with someone to drive him to where he wants to go, etc.) he gets
more money.
However, he wanted more. So I helped him place an ad on craigslist as
a mothers helper. We didn't get a single response, which is somewhat
understandable . . . most people wouldn't think a 10 y/o boy would be
capable of being a mothers helper.
A few days ago I mentioned the idea of volunteering at a store that
sells things he's interested in. That way he could trade his time for
knowledge about the items he's interested in, as well as knowledge
about running a business. At first he was hesitant . . . "I want
MONEY!", but once I reccomended he try the Magic Card/ D&D / Comic
shop he brightened up and started pointing out all of the positive
aspects to volunteering.
We stopped by the card shop and were shot down by a very rude manager
who said point blank "we just fired two people for theft, we're not
allowing anyone to work in this store".
When we were driving home, Draven pointed out the little toy/hobby
shop within walking distance of our house. We stopped in and talked
to the manager there and he was very receptive, but said he had to
check with the companies lawyer and that may take some time.
We don't frequent many shops, so I don't know any store owners
personally. He's not interested in doing yard work (we're in florida,
and he's not fond of the heat). Honestly, I'm out of ideas.
Tina
At first the issue was just money. We couldn't figure out how to fit
an allowance into our already tight (so tight sometimes it's choosing
food or electric) budget. Our income fluctuates from week to week (my
partner and I both work in retail) and we pay the bills as we can
scrape together the money. A set allowance wouldn't work, because
some weeks the only $5 left over isn't really left over because we
need to get gas. I'm sure some of you have been there before.
Suddenly it hit me . . . a percentage! He now gets 1% of all of our
income. If/when I start getting child support again (not holding my
breath on that one) then we'll give him a higher percentage of that
particular income. Some weeks he gets $5, this week he got $8, some
weeks it may be even more. This works out well because the more hours
we work, the more we ask for help keeping the house running, so where
I don't feel right paying him for helping exactly, it does feel right
that when he's more inconvenienced (by spending more time alone, less
time with someone to drive him to where he wants to go, etc.) he gets
more money.
However, he wanted more. So I helped him place an ad on craigslist as
a mothers helper. We didn't get a single response, which is somewhat
understandable . . . most people wouldn't think a 10 y/o boy would be
capable of being a mothers helper.
A few days ago I mentioned the idea of volunteering at a store that
sells things he's interested in. That way he could trade his time for
knowledge about the items he's interested in, as well as knowledge
about running a business. At first he was hesitant . . . "I want
MONEY!", but once I reccomended he try the Magic Card/ D&D / Comic
shop he brightened up and started pointing out all of the positive
aspects to volunteering.
We stopped by the card shop and were shot down by a very rude manager
who said point blank "we just fired two people for theft, we're not
allowing anyone to work in this store".
When we were driving home, Draven pointed out the little toy/hobby
shop within walking distance of our house. We stopped in and talked
to the manager there and he was very receptive, but said he had to
check with the companies lawyer and that may take some time.
We don't frequent many shops, so I don't know any store owners
personally. He's not interested in doing yard work (we're in florida,
and he's not fond of the heat). Honestly, I'm out of ideas.
Tina
Schuyler
I had a paper route at 10. I babysat at 10 as well. Walking dogs and/or picking up dog poop for others is a good offer to put up on boards at nearby stores or Craigslist. Selling lemonade or something along those lines on a busy block may be a good money making scheme in a hot area. Washing cars, watering plants, pet sitting, working in a retirement community to help the elderly with computer skills, or with household chores like vacuuming, for a momentary income selling things on-line or in a yard sale could make a bit of money. Collect and recycle aluminum cans (http://www.ehow.com/how_2299682_get-paid-recycling.html has a few suggested ways to make money recycling, one of which is collecting golf balls on golf courses), apparently most states will pay 35-70 cents for a pound of aluminum which is about 16 cans.
I found a few of those googling for ways for a 10 year old to make money. He isn't alone in his desire for extra cash, or his frustration with the lack of options.
Schuyler
________________________________
My 10 y/o son really, really, really wants a job.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I found a few of those googling for ways for a 10 year old to make money. He isn't alone in his desire for extra cash, or his frustration with the lack of options.
Schuyler
________________________________
My 10 y/o son really, really, really wants a job.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
BRIAN POLIKOWSKY
My kids just made $75 from aluminum cans.
Alex Polikowsky
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Alex Polikowsky
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
colleenkellyp
Is he comfortable reading out loud? If so, he could offer to read for an elderly person who may have failing vision. I work with a 94-year-old man who has lots of readers (some paid some volunteer) who help him with reading mail, newspapers, books, etc. Your son could post an ad on Craigslist about it, but I'd also recommend making up flyers to post in retirement communities and nursing homes. He could also pull weeds for someone. Or walk a dog. My son has a dog walking job and it's been terrific. He gets exercise and spending money at the same time.
Colleen
Colleen
sharon
When my dtr was 7 she made $108 in 3 hours at her lemonade stand. We positioned it in the village when there was an event going on. She is now 11 and works as a mother's helper for the past 2 years. I posted on our local La Leche League yahoo group. We only got one response, but that's all it took.
Best wishes,
Sharon Emerson
Best wishes,
Sharon Emerson
Lyla Wolfenstein
in our city, a cart (on wheels, like a cooler with dry ice) is the same as a lemonade stand, no business license required....my teen and her friends are about to launch a natural fruit popsicle cart and take it to parks and events this summer. it's very inexpensive - the popsicle place gives you a poster sticker for the cooler, and sells you the dry ice and the popsicles at prices intended for resale - the pospicles are 85cents each, and can be sold, i imagine, for 1.50 or so....
----- Original Message -----
From: sharon
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 10:00 AM
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Re: Ideas for a 10 y/o's first "job"
When my dtr was 7 she made $108 in 3 hours at her lemonade stand. We positioned it in the village when there was an event going on. She is now 11 and works as a mother's helper for the past 2 years. I posted on our local La Leche League yahoo group. We only got one response, but that's all it took.
Best wishes,
Sharon Emerson
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Maisha Khalfani
Tina - I feel you! Lol. My kids want money too. And with 4 of them there
hasn't been a way to carve out a decent (in their eyes) allowance.
I suggested that they sell goodies this summer. In our neighborhood the ice
cream man comes around with all his ice cream goodies, chips, etc. I told
the kids if they wanted to they could sell stuff from our home, and kind of
undercut the ice cream truck guys. Even if they made $5-10 bucks a week
they would feel excited about it. Is that something your son could do in
your neighborhood? You guys might need to give him the initial investment,
but after that he can pay for more product with his profits (or you can buy
more for him).
I'll read the rest of the posts with interest because this is something that
has come up in our home as well.
Maisha Khalfani
<http://earthspirittarot.blogspot.com/> EarthSpirit Tarot Readings
Come and gain clarity and insight
<http://earthspiritbooksandgifts.blogspot.com/> EarthSpirit Books and Gifts
A bookstore for the Open Minded
<http://7freespirits.blogspot.com/> 7 Free Spirits
Follow our adventures through life
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tina Tarbutton
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2010 4:56 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Ideas for a 10 y/o's first "job"
My 10 y/o son really, really, really wants a job.
At first the issue was just money. We couldn't figure out how to fit
an allowance into our already tight (so tight sometimes it's choosing
food or electric) budget. Our income fluctuates from week to week (my
partner and I both work in retail) and we pay the bills as we can
scrape together the money. A set allowance wouldn't work, because
some weeks the only $5 left over isn't really left over because we
need to get gas. I'm sure some of you have been there before.
Suddenly it hit me . . . a percentage! He now gets 1% of all of our
income. If/when I start getting child support again (not holding my
breath on that one) then we'll give him a higher percentage of that
particular income. Some weeks he gets $5, this week he got $8, some
weeks it may be even more. This works out well because the more hours
we work, the more we ask for help keeping the house running, so where
I don't feel right paying him for helping exactly, it does feel right
that when he's more inconvenienced (by spending more time alone, less
time with someone to drive him to where he wants to go, etc.) he gets
more money.
However, he wanted more. So I helped him place an ad on craigslist as
a mothers helper. We didn't get a single response, which is somewhat
understandable . . . most people wouldn't think a 10 y/o boy would be
capable of being a mothers helper.
A few days ago I mentioned the idea of volunteering at a store that
sells things he's interested in. That way he could trade his time for
knowledge about the items he's interested in, as well as knowledge
about running a business. At first he was hesitant . . . "I want
MONEY!", but once I reccomended he try the Magic Card/ D&D / Comic
shop he brightened up and started pointing out all of the positive
aspects to volunteering.
We stopped by the card shop and were shot down by a very rude manager
who said point blank "we just fired two people for theft, we're not
allowing anyone to work in this store".
When we were driving home, Draven pointed out the little toy/hobby
shop within walking distance of our house. We stopped in and talked
to the manager there and he was very receptive, but said he had to
check with the companies lawyer and that may take some time.
We don't frequent many shops, so I don't know any store owners
personally. He's not interested in doing yard work (we're in florida,
and he's not fond of the heat). Honestly, I'm out of ideas.
Tina
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
hasn't been a way to carve out a decent (in their eyes) allowance.
I suggested that they sell goodies this summer. In our neighborhood the ice
cream man comes around with all his ice cream goodies, chips, etc. I told
the kids if they wanted to they could sell stuff from our home, and kind of
undercut the ice cream truck guys. Even if they made $5-10 bucks a week
they would feel excited about it. Is that something your son could do in
your neighborhood? You guys might need to give him the initial investment,
but after that he can pay for more product with his profits (or you can buy
more for him).
I'll read the rest of the posts with interest because this is something that
has come up in our home as well.
Maisha Khalfani
<http://earthspirittarot.blogspot.com/> EarthSpirit Tarot Readings
Come and gain clarity and insight
<http://earthspiritbooksandgifts.blogspot.com/> EarthSpirit Books and Gifts
A bookstore for the Open Minded
<http://7freespirits.blogspot.com/> 7 Free Spirits
Follow our adventures through life
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tina Tarbutton
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2010 4:56 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Ideas for a 10 y/o's first "job"
My 10 y/o son really, really, really wants a job.
At first the issue was just money. We couldn't figure out how to fit
an allowance into our already tight (so tight sometimes it's choosing
food or electric) budget. Our income fluctuates from week to week (my
partner and I both work in retail) and we pay the bills as we can
scrape together the money. A set allowance wouldn't work, because
some weeks the only $5 left over isn't really left over because we
need to get gas. I'm sure some of you have been there before.
Suddenly it hit me . . . a percentage! He now gets 1% of all of our
income. If/when I start getting child support again (not holding my
breath on that one) then we'll give him a higher percentage of that
particular income. Some weeks he gets $5, this week he got $8, some
weeks it may be even more. This works out well because the more hours
we work, the more we ask for help keeping the house running, so where
I don't feel right paying him for helping exactly, it does feel right
that when he's more inconvenienced (by spending more time alone, less
time with someone to drive him to where he wants to go, etc.) he gets
more money.
However, he wanted more. So I helped him place an ad on craigslist as
a mothers helper. We didn't get a single response, which is somewhat
understandable . . . most people wouldn't think a 10 y/o boy would be
capable of being a mothers helper.
A few days ago I mentioned the idea of volunteering at a store that
sells things he's interested in. That way he could trade his time for
knowledge about the items he's interested in, as well as knowledge
about running a business. At first he was hesitant . . . "I want
MONEY!", but once I reccomended he try the Magic Card/ D&D / Comic
shop he brightened up and started pointing out all of the positive
aspects to volunteering.
We stopped by the card shop and were shot down by a very rude manager
who said point blank "we just fired two people for theft, we're not
allowing anyone to work in this store".
When we were driving home, Draven pointed out the little toy/hobby
shop within walking distance of our house. We stopped in and talked
to the manager there and he was very receptive, but said he had to
check with the companies lawyer and that may take some time.
We don't frequent many shops, so I don't know any store owners
personally. He's not interested in doing yard work (we're in florida,
and he's not fond of the heat). Honestly, I'm out of ideas.
Tina
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]