Should my teen get a job?

My inbox is typically filled with questions from teen job seeker, but this morning I received an email from a concerned parent. The email was quite lengthy but the basic question was, should I allow my teenager to get an after school jobs?

Here is my answer to all parents of teenagers in America.

Yes. The research shows that teens that hold part time jobs benefit from the experience.

The lessons learned help foster strong work skills and build a strong foundation for later in life. Time management, confidence, financial management are just several of the skills that are developed.

I will say that it is important to emphasize that school comes first and if the grades start slipping, the job has got to go.

For additional resources on teen jobs, check out http://teenjobscene.com/