My sons all got jobs at 14. My 16 yo works over 40 hours a week at a golf course for 10 weeks the last two summers. He has 2 more summers to work before leaving for college or mission. He works hard, makes good money, and they want him back each year. Same for his older brothers just different employers.

I was talking to a friend last night. They have a brilliant son that doesn’t work summers. The kid wants to go to Stanford and is expecting to get scholarships. No way mom & dad can afford. He’s missing out by not doing the summer work gig and the scholarship is a roll of the dice. Not to mention learning how to work.