Information for Parents 

Part-Time Work – Does it Pay or Cost?

Part-time work is increasingly becoming an important part of many student’s lives. This article is aimed at increasing your awareness of both the advantages and dangers of part time work for your child.
A Tamworth school’s survey conducted recently found that about 70% of students in Years 10 to 12 had some form of part-time work. Of those students with jobs, around 30% worked 15 to 20 hours a week This is a highly alarming figure as school students already put in 35 hours at school – and this does not include the expected out of school time required for study, homework and assignments.

Part-time work provides students with valuable lessons in work ethics, professionalism, managing money and developing independence. Many jobs also inadvertently provide students with greater social connections and experiences. Part-time work can also be a good way to develop potential work skills, connections and references. For parents it can provide some relief to the ever-increasing financial demands that teenagers place on the family budget.

The dangers of part-time work start to be noticed as the hours of work increase. School hours and holiday periods have been set generally because they are considered optimum for the learning, rest and play requirements of developing children and adolescents. Puberty is the second biggest time of physiological growth in a human’s lifespan. Fluctuating energy levels, mood swings, changing sleep requirements, as well as cognitive, emotional, social and physical development are all major elements that should be considered by parents, teachers and possibly employers, when caring for our youth.

Please ask yourself the following questions:

• Is my child tired for school on a regular basis because of work commitments?
• Have my child’s exercise patterns (including participation in organised sport) been reduced because of part time work commitments?
• Have my child’s at home study patterns been significantly modified and/or limited because of work commitments?
• Has my child’s ‘down time’ or ‘rest time’ been limited because of work commitments?
• Has my child’s quality family time been affected by part-time work commitments?
• Does my child increase his/her work hours to half or full-time load over the holiday breaks?
• Have my child’s academic aspirations been reduced since starting part-time work?

If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions you will probably become aware of the gradual cumulative cost that part-time work may have on your child’s general wellbeing and on potential educational and career outcomes.

What are your hopes and expectations for your child in regards to their education – both school and general life learning? Is their present lifestyle allowing this to come to fruition or hindering it?