Should Children Be Allowed to Get Jobs?

@cuttyrish (2667)
United States
April 17, 2012 1:22pm CST
It's a given fact that there are some parents that send their children to work during their vacations, and send their children to work on their family business. There are some children that want to get a job in order to increase their allowance for school. In my opinion, this could be right, but children should not have a job until they are 15 or 16 years old. The parents should not allow children to work under this age, and no one should hire a child under that age, and the work that these children under ages should be not to strenuous, it should be light, and they should not be abused. They could only be employed on strengths work activities when they are 18. What do you think about children working? or being allowed to work?
2 people like this
14 responses
@youless (112091)
• Guangzhou, China
18 Apr 12
In fact I agree that children shall be allowed to get part-time jobs in their spare time. As it will give them another kind of education experience. They will understand that actually the money will not come easy. I regard it as a practice for the children. I love China
1 person likes this
@cuttyrish (2667)
• United States
8 Aug 16
@youless They can be allowed, so long as the work is not too strenous, and will not cause injury to them
1 person likes this
@SarahAlyx (181)
• United States
17 Apr 12
In the US there are child labor laws. Used to an employer could hire a child as young as 14, now if you do get hired when you are 15 you ave to get a work permit and are only allowed to work so many hours and so many days throughout the school year. When you are 16 they work you like a dog. Haha atleast they did me. :P But yes I think that if a child wants to work and the work isn't straineous and they are getting paid then by all means let the child work. If a child does not want to work then there should be no question as to whether the child should be allowed to work. If he doesn't want to then he won't.
@cuttyrish (2667)
• United States
18 Apr 12
same here, a work permit is needed in some cases. i agree, if a child does not want to work, he can't be forced to work, that will violate the labor laws, if someone force them to work, and will amount to slavery. thanks for your response,
@trinale (1479)
• United States
18 Apr 12
Wooooo! I bet you get a lot of various opinions on this post because child labor is different in so many countries. My personal opinion is that a child has only one childhood and should have happy and fond memories of growing up. I think around their junior and senior year they should get a job so that the parent can teach them good work ethics and financial responsibility. This will give them at least a foundation to start with when they are grown and on their own. When I was in the Air Force, I used to see a lot of new airmen (17, 18, 19 years old) with no prior financial experience opening their first bank account. You wouldn't believe how many believed that as long as they had checks in their checkbooks, they had money in the bank to spend. Just my 2 cents worth! Cheers, Stan
1 person likes this
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
17 Apr 12
You seem to live in a different world as I am. By law kids over here are allowed to work on a way younger age. I think it's fine. The more experiences you have to bigger the change is you will find a job after you are graduated. It's already a fact over here that if your first job will be at the age of 16 nobody will hire you since you have way too less experiences. Also I think it's good for the education to teach children (16 year old is not a child anymore btw) before they go to highschool that you can't just buy what you see or order what you like. How much you have to work to earn a bit, what the value of money is. Except for 1 all my kids worked, started working at the age of 12-13 which is normal over here.
1 person likes this
@cuttyrish (2667)
• United States
18 Apr 12
Where are you from? ages,12 to 13 is is way too young. I am from the United Staes but now i am studying in the Philippines. And the Philippibnes has adopted US labor laws regarding children. Ages 12 - 13 working will be considered against this laws. But i think there are exceptions regarding this to be allowed to work,like those applied when the child is working in a family bussiness, and in the arts, like an actress or something. As long as there will be a work permit for these ages.
@char2011 (69)
17 Apr 12
where im from you cant even work under 16 unless you know someone that will give you work or do the paper round. I think 16 to start working is the perfect age because any younger you shouldn't even be worrying about money because you are still a child. Even though 16 is still young I think its appropriate age to consider starting to work because at this age your thinking about college and starting to grow up.
1 person likes this
• Australia
8 May 12
I really wanted a job when I was their age, especially when you don't get pocket money and need extra money or has a lot of extra time. I think it's okay to give a child work if it's newspaper delivery, wash the dishes, etc. but it would be wrong to make them do back-breaking labour or house clean; but if they want to, they should be allowed the opportunity to be open to these choices. Plus, it gives them a good start in life and does not make them lazy.
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
17 Apr 12
well, it depends on what you call work. if it's the kind of nine to five grind like type job,than i don't think children should have a job. growing up, my parents owned stores and a tatoo and piercing shop. i use to help out after school (2 days out of the week) and one weekend day. i enjoyed it alot. it thought me things that most kids my age didn't get a chance to learn. it made me better in math because i was dealing with it hands on at an early age. i learned discipline and responsibility cause that little schedule was the same every week. moreover, it didn't interfere with my academics. my kids help out with our family business, as well as living there lives as children. more importantly, is doesn't interfere with there school. as long as they are still allowed to be children (no pressure), and there schooling isn't interfered with, then i think it's okay.
@Porcospino (31367)
• Denmark
18 Apr 12
In my country children are allowed to work, but there are many rules about their work. Children under 13 generally aren't allowed to work. Children between 13 and 15 are allowed to work two hours a day, and there rules about the kind of work that they are allowed to take. Hard work is not allowed and the children are not allowed to work after 8 p.m. Children between 15 and 18 are also allowed to work two hours a day. There are less restrictions about the type of work, but there are still some types of jobs that they aren't allowed to take like some factory jobs and jobs where you have to lift more than 25 kg. Every child under 18 need their parents' permission if they want to work. Those rules were made in order to project the children, and I think that those rules are a good thing. In the past there were no rules and small children worked many, many hours. I think that children should be allowed to work and earn their own pocket money, but it is very important that they have energy for their studies as well, and I think that some restrictions are neccesary.
• India
17 Apr 12
its illegeal if they are underage but its well worst if they are in age..to get over knowlegde too within job to compete in this busy....world
1 person likes this
• India
18 Apr 12
Hello friend, I think it is wrong. They should complete their study first. It is most important. Then they are allowed to working. Have a nice day.
@jureathome (5361)
• Philippines
18 Apr 12
I think as long as the child is willing to do the job, and not forced to it, that should be fine. Here in our place, there are summer jobs for kids, just light ones, like in fastfoods. They take orders and attend to customer's questions or needs. It provides exposure for the kids and as they earn, they get to see the value of money. Generally, it depends on what type of job is given to them.
• Philippines
17 Apr 12
i don't think minors should be allowed to work. children these ages are still exploring and still learning. they are still growing up. and part of their growing is the right to play. by playing they learn many things. it is also as if we are depriving them their childhood years.
@Randy712 (19)
17 Apr 12
As long as it doesn't impede on the child's education and social life it shouldn't be a problem. I think its a good idea to get someone used to the idea of working hard for money
@riempie9 (1021)
• South Africa
8 May 12
I believe it is a good thing if it is done for the right reasons, the child is ambitious, and also wants to help the family. My son had a newspaper route on Saturday and Sunday mornings and he earned some money which we allowed him to keep and save up. He learned responsibility because he had to get up at five to get the newspapers, and deliver them with his bike. He did favors for people in the neighborhood mowing lawns and cleaning yards, and felt good about himself because he did not have to ask his parents for an allowance. Most of all, by the time he was sixteen he and a friend drew up a plan on how to make money during the school holidays detailing cars. This is not an ordinary clean, but the removal of seats and vacuuming and polishing until the car sparkled. Today he is a great businessman always trusting his instincts and ability.