Potential jobs for 14 y.o. teenagers in west valley (home, employment)

[The_Cadillac_Lawyer]

I have soon to be fourteen year old twin boys that could use a more productive use of ample idle time. That said, I understand AZ doesn't require work permits for teens, just work hour restrictions. Any suggestions on potential places of employment for teens that aren't competing with 40 year olds?

[HX_Guy]

I thought they had to be 15 years old...or 15 years and 7 months, something like that, to be able to work.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

I thought they had to be 15 years old...or 15 years and 7 months, something like that, to be able to work.

Not true. There are restrictions on hours of work, and total number of hours in a week, and on the type of work they can do. Did some google searching on "child labor Arizona"... all sorts of info.

As far as ideas on what they could do, that's something else again. They'd be more likely to find some volunteer work than regular paid work, but I'd have to do some thinking about where they might start looking for that.

[liz451]

It was 15 when I was younger (I worked at a cold stone on weekends). That was 10+ years ago or so though. I'd look at places similar to an ice cream shop like I did, aSauce/Pei Wei type place, bussers at a restaurant. Also I worked at a summer day camp one summer.

[CheyDee]

Originally Posted by observer53

As far as ideas on what they could do, that's something else again. They'd be more likely to find some volunteer work than regular paid work, but I'd have to do some thinking about where they might start looking for that.

Volunteer at a library? A dog kennel? A nursing home? (Can they read the newspaper to residents, or read a book to someone with failing vision? Can they help someone write a letter? Can they play an instrument, such as piano, and perhaps entertain residents in the Day Room?)

For paid work, could they do pooper-scooper patrol and clean up people's back yards? Dog walking? Are there frail/infirm residents around who may want someone to walk to the mailboxes daily for them and get their mail and perhaps put out/take in their trash cans weekly?

[SpaceMonkyPunks]

I think that movie theaters, especially Harkins, hire a lot of younger kids. A lot of my classmates worked there when I was in high school. But FYI they will be expected to work holidays, especially Christmas.

[Bungle]

How about asking the boys what interests they have and then help them find some sort of job along those lines?

For example:
"Well Dad, I kind of like cars."
"Okay son, I'll take you around to some car washes, auto mechanic shops, and dealerships to see if they possible have any work for you."

Trust me...this will work out better than soliciting suggestions from random internet people then trying to force those jobs down your kids throats.

[Rick Lee]

When I was 15 there was only one place in town that would hire anyone under 16, so I went to bus tables there. $3.35 an hour and I thought I was rich, living at home with no bills. Better yet, my then girlfriend worked there too, so I got to see her a lot and also carpool with her. Before that I was a contractor's helper under the table and mowed lawns in the neghborhood. I would hold off on volunteer work. It was a good lesson for me to see adults and even prisoners on work-release working min. wage jobs alongside me in restaurants. Those folks don't do volunteer work and they were a good reminder for me to study hard, stay in school and not knock up my GF (not that I didn't almost do it).

[observer53]

Originally Posted by CheyDee

Volunteer at a library? A dog kennel? A nursing home? (Can they read the newspaper to residents, or read a book to someone with failing vision? Can they help someone write a letter? Can they play an instrument, such as piano, and perhaps entertain residents in the Day Room?)

For paid work, could they do pooper-scooper patrol and clean up people's back yards? Dog walking? Are there frail/infirm residents around who may want someone to walk to the mailboxes daily for them and get their mail and perhaps put out/take in their trash cans weekly?

That's a very good start!

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Bungle

How about asking the boys what interests they have and then help them find some sort of job along those lines?

For example:
"Well Dad, I kind of like cars."
"Okay son, I'll take you around to some car washes, auto mechanic shops, and dealerships to see if they possible have any work for you."

Trust me...this will work out better than soliciting suggestions from random internet people then trying to force those jobs down your kids throats.

The basic approach here is a good one, to tap into things that relate to their interests, and getting some buy-in from them rather than pressuring them to get out the door and do something. (do check out the kind of places that by law they can't work in) That said, I've never seen anyone that young at a car wash, and auto mechanic shops are not likely to have something for anyone that young either...