[banjo joe]

It's not just the money teens earn doing those p/t jobs. This is where a healthy work ethic is born. I've seen college grads hired into my firm, and it's their first job. Do they understand how a business works? Do they have a work ethic? Do they understand merit increases? Responsibility? I'm amazed that some of 'em have the attitude of "give me the raise first, then I'll learn the additional requirements".

[BeerSwillr]

I agree 100%.

[widowithfoursons]

My three eldest sons all began woking at the same Micky D's when they turned 14. The reason the second two were hired was because of the work ethic of my oldest. My 20 & 18 yr old are in college, and work elsewhere now, but my 15 yr old will stay at McDonald's til he is 16 and can get a job somewhere else. They have all complained to me about the ESL of the majority of new hires (Turks and Latinos). Customers get upset because the help can't understand their order, and my boys have had to work harder to pick up the slack. We don't have any ESL people living around here, and so the only reason these folks are hired must be because of corp. demands, or lower wages paid.

[Marysecretary]

That was one thing I tried to do with my kids and that was to raise them with a work ethic. They all have jobs, they all work, they can do dishes, clean house, make beds, take care of their kids, cook, do everything necessary to help care for the family. When my middle son went into the Air Force, he sent me a lovely Mother's Day card thanking me for helping him to learn how to make beds. He was the only one in his barracks that could make a bed you could bounce a quarter off of. I still have that note. We don't do kids favors when we don't make them earn their keep.

[Just another Joe]

I'm amazed that some of 'em have the attitude of "give me the raise first, then I'll learn the additional requirements".

This has amazed me for years.
I've always been told that you have to do the job first before you get the raise.