Parents and Their Teenage Children (Essay Sample)

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Should parents encourage their teenage children to work even if the family does not need the money?
Yes, all parents should encourage their teen children to work regardless of whether they need the money or not. This is due to the fact that working confers more benefits to their children than just the obvious financial independence. Based on previous research, adults who took on part-time employment during their teen years have a higher percentage of succeeding in their careers than their counterparts who did not (Olivia 2003). This clearly illustrates that teen employment offers much more diverse benefits to these young adults than just the wages.
The working place exposes these teenagers to people who act as their mentors, from whom they can learn from and look up to as their role models. This is because most teens often don’t look at their parents with the same high regard that they do to on other personalities who have achieved success regardless of their parents own success stories. Therefore the work atmosphere gives them an opportunity to meet other people who they can relate to and this is turn encourages positive growth in terms of their behaviour and character (Klor, Ellin, and Lapin 2011).
In addition to the mentorship, teenagers who work develop a higher sense of pride and self-esteem because they feel important due to the role they play in their various workplace (Clydesdale 2007). A higher level of self-confidence is undoubtedly beneficial to anyone. The workplace also encourages hard-work and other work ethics that are valuable when they finish their studies and find full time employment. It therefore acts a mock for the real employment life. Financial discipline is also instilled in them since they learn the true value of money by working for it as opposed to the allowances they receive "freely" from their parents.
Based on the above arguments, it is clear that by parents encouraging their teenage children to work it will not only relieve them some of their financial obligation but also enhance their children’s...