What can they do?
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Sales jobs: Your kids could have an ice lolly or juice stand, organize a yard sale, or make money selling all those old toys they no longer play with.
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Service Jobs – There are many small jobs that your kids can easily get involved in. If they are a little older, they can try tutoring or training other children (teaching computers, math, reading or sports) or helping the elderly, for example, by reading the newspaper or buying food at the local grocery store.
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Babysitting Service – A great idea for teens – it’s pocket-friendly and homework friendly.
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Other jobs: Kids can do anything: wrapping gifts, washing cars, mowing lawns, walking, sitting and caring for pets, babysitting, handing out papers, cleaning windows. They are only really limited by their own initiative!
Starting
It may be a good idea to make up flyers or business cards. Go door to door and give them to neighbors and friends. Have fun and let your child be creative, but make sure your brochures include:
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the type of service offered
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the cost
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any promotions (offering promotional offers and discounts is a good way to start)
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contact details (this should be your home number – you probably want to speak to everyone they work for).
Whatever they do, you will probably need to buy some supplies, be it flapjack oatmeal or a bike for a paper round, for things like the car wash you probably already have the right supplies. Keep in mind that you will have to guide the little ones so that they adapt both to what people want and how much they are willing to pay. If you’re setting up a stand, the ice lollies won’t sell at all in November, but they won’t sell on a hot summer day if you charge too much. Here’s a guide to help you with pricing:
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Lemonade stand: between 50p and £ 1 per drink
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Car wash: £ 5 per car
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Mowing the lawn: between £ 5 and £ 20 (depending on the size of the lawn)
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Pet groom: between £ 5 and £ 7
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Babysitting service: £ 5 per hour, with overtime pay after midnight
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Delivery of papers: £ 5 per day to £ 20 per week.
Baby sister
Childcare is probably the most popular way for teens, especially girls, to earn money. It’s a great way to earn money and learn as long as they are mature enough to take responsibility – the NSPCC recommends that children be 16 or older. To see if it is suitable for your child, try leaving it in the care of younger siblings or relatives. Here are some tips for anyone who cares for young children:
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Always get the parent’s contact number while they are away. Have all emergency numbers handy.
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Set hourly rates before work begins and remember that double pay is expected after midnight.
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People need to trust their children, so always be courteous. Don’t invite your friends, smoke or eat leftover food from the refrigerator, and try to remove toys after children have used them.
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Find out about children’s bedtime routines (bath time, stories, etc.) and keep in mind the house rules about snacking or watching TV.
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Always keep all doors closed while inside and never open the door when you are home alone at night with children.
Be clear about what time you expect parents to be home. If they are very late, remember to charge more for overtime.
Safety
As a parent, it is always difficult to find the balance between letting your child be more independent and protecting him from danger. Here are some tips to make sure your kids stay safe.
You will need to use your own judgment to assess the level of responsibility your children will be able to handle and how capable you will be of dealing with the consequences if something goes wrong. For example, mowing the lawn can be a source of income for children, but sharp blades are very dangerous. Cleaning work is good, but detergents often contain nasty chemicals.
If your children are doing some kind of work, you will need to judge where you will allow them to do it. Generally, especially for younger children, it is a good idea for them to work as close to home as possible. Similarly, if your children want to wash cars or take care of pets, you will need to think about whether you would feel more comfortable with them doing it at home or at your clients’ homes.
Make sure you know and have the contact details of anyone your children work for. It’s often a good idea to take them there and pick them up yourself too, especially if they are babysitting at night.
Lastly, be careful with Internet advertising – it can be very difficult to control who communicates with your child.
