The Value of Summer Jobs - Beyond the Paycheck Many of us remember our first summer job and the sense of pride in getting our first real paycheck.  But summer jobs do more than give teens some extra pocket change; they teach valuable lessons about life and responsibility.   Even if you give your teen an allowance, the life lessons that come from having to show up on time and do a job that might not always be “fun” prepares teens for the real world. Teens begin to understand that you often have to take a tough, seemingly “menial” job to build your resume for future success.  But I Hate This Job How many of us worked on the fry grill, cleared tables, or restocked shelves while dreaming about getting to hang out with friends?  Needing to finish a job to earn time to have fun teaches teens the value of delayed gratification:  you don’t always get to do what you want to do, when you want to do it.  By requiring your teenager to contribute his or her fair share of work to the community at large, you set in motion a strong work ethic. Teaching Life Skills Does your teen know how to fill out a job application?  Some teen show up without the phone numbers of references or don’t know their social security number.  Take a few moments to prepare your teen for a typical summer job search.  Read more about Summer Jobs >> Talisail is an exciting sailing adventure for teens with ADHD, learning differences, or Asperger's. Learn more about his wonderful summer sailing camp >> Using Fewer Words Might Have a Bigger Impact Do you use too many words with your teenager? If your child seems to be tuning out more and more, it might be because you’re talking too much. Yes, we need to communicate with our teens. But the majority of our talking needs to be about their interests, their friends, school, and more. If most of your talking is about what they need to change, what they’re doing wrong, or what they’ve forgotten to do, you just might be using too many words at the wrong time. Most teens know what’s right, what’s wrong, and what’s expected of them. Find ways to remind and redirect using fewer words. And, if you need to implement a consequence, do it in a matter-of-fact way with just a few words; they know what they did wrong. Save your words for the important stuff and you just might find your teen tuning in more to hear what you have to say.