Driver’s Ed, Teen Jobs, and Entrepreneurs
November 15, 2017
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Hey Mama,
Remember the day your baby became a teenager? For some of you, it hasn’t happened yet (and you’re dreading it). For others, it’s been years since you’ve thought about it. And then there are some of you who are in the midst of those “terrible teen” years now!
Whatever your case, we’ve all had or will have that day—the day your kid gets his learner’s permit or gets his first job or wants to start his own business. This is an exciting time for your kids (and terrifying for you) as they realize their independence and take their first initiative toward what interests them. Find encouragement and advice on driver's ed, teen jobs, and entrepreneurs in these articles from The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine:
And remember, Mama . . .
Even on the worst day, was it all worth it? Would you change a thing? Put those kids back where they came from and never look back? In the moments of frustration and even grief (and those moments do come) with our children, when they are being so foolish and illogical . . . when you cannot get through those thick skulls . . . would you wish you’d never had them?
Or when things cool down and the moment is past, do we recognize the gift of God’s hand and know that He is growing us right alongside our own children? It is a testing ground for us all.
They are not perfect. They will mess up. We mess up, yet God is always right there with His mercies new and fresh every morning. Never will He leave us. And deep down inside, we know we could never, ever turn our backs on those precious ones God has tasked us to raise up for His glory.
Take heart. Enjoy the good days and bask in the joy. And when your heart is low, look up. Find your perspective, for this trial, too, shall pass. God is on the throne. He sees it all. Nothing escapes Him, and He makes all things GOOD for those who love Him.
His hand, Mama, is on your head tonight. No matter what you’re going through. You are sheltered by your Father, the perfect Parent. No fear.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” - Romans 8:28
-gena
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Add a timeline to your Canadian history studies with this specially designed printable which can be used on a wall or in a binder. Featuring major Canadian events from pre-European times through to Confederation, this timeline will help make learning interactive and fun. (Part two is also available.)
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Even before I had kids, I was an entrepreneur – working a business of my own and trying to provide an income to my life other than that of a “job.” That continued once we had kids, and I remember fondly having my boys help me pack orders and sort goodie bags for events. They even helped me go to vendor shows, set up my displays, and put stickers on flyers. These days, I work in a digital format, but whenever possible, I still include them in my work, training them with skills they can use to help me out. They see me busy at work, and I know that I'm displaying a great role model example of how entrepreneurship is a viable future option.
When my oldest son asked me to buy him a tablet, I told him, “No.” I wasn't prepared to put out that amount of money so I told him he could have one when he could afford it himself. That put a bee in his bonnet and before I realized it, he was working hard on his own little business, earning money with a clear goal in mind. I've always encouraged my kids to think outside the box and so, with that in mind, I spent many evenings ironing melty beads into shapes and characters he created. Between orders and vendor shows, that boy earned enough money to buy himself a tablet by Black Friday. That was 3 years ago. His tablet has rarely left his side.
Here's why entrepreneurship is important to encourage in our kids:
1.
Giving our kids the opportunity to earn money for the stuff they want helps them learn value and appreciation.
Things become prized possessions, instead of just “things.” They are more willing to take care of something that they worked hard for. When we just give them everything, they take it for granted. This is a really important piece of the life skills puzzle. They need to learn that money isn't easy to earn, that it takes hard work and focus, and that prioritizing things helps them get what they want or need to buy. It gives them a sense of pride and self-worth to know that they were successful, even if it is for something small.
2.
Running a business offers so many learning experiences.
Whether it's something crafty, a service, or any other creative enterprise, learning the skills needed to run your own business is incredibly educational: math, social skills – especially with customer service, handling money, keeping track of ideas and inventory, accurate record keeping... it's all part of the deal. Sure, depending on their age, you might need to help them develop and master those skills, but learning while in the trenches is one of the most effective and powerful ways to discover what areas you can excel and also fail in.
3.
Running a business sets them up to think outside the box.
Most of the time, kids can’t earn money the traditional way (like going to a job and getting a pay check) because laws have age rules for employees. By introducing the idea of creating a job for themselves through a unique and creative activity provides them with the knowledge that they aren't trapped by the typical “police officer, lawyer, doctor” mentality. They can be different. They can do different. They can succeed differently. The world needs more people who can think of unique ways to help, build, create, and solve. Let's give our kids the skills to be those people.
Entrepreneurship offers so much more than the money they want. It's rife with successes and failures. It's about others and meeting the needs they have, combined with the skills you possess. We, as parents, need to encourage our kids to try it – even just once. That way, they will have not only knowledge of business but also a new appreciation for those who run a business, plus... they might even discover a passion they didn't even know they had.
--
Lisa Marie Fletcher is a busy homeschooling mom of 5 who somehow manages to find some time to blog at
The Canadian Homeschooler
where her mission is to help connect homeschoolers across Canada with each other and with resources to help them on their journey.
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"I Want To Help You Excel!"
The chemistry video classroom provides methods of problem solving with examples geared to inspire, educate, engage, and encourage.
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Lee Binz, The HomeScholar
Teen Jobs and Entrepreneurship on the High School Transcript
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Teen jobs and entrepreneurial endeavors can be a great inclusion in your children’s homeschool record. You can provide real-world education and meaningful skills and include it on your children’s high school transcripts. Simply create a class called “Occupational Education.”
Occupational Education includes anything your students do that will help them get jobs later in life. It can include job-shadowing, babysitting, dog walking, yard work, teaching seniors to use computers, learning about careers in a career class, and almost anything that gives your students work skills.
It can include any jobs your children do for pay or by volunteering. In fact, Occupational Education is by far the easiest class you will ever teach.
You can include this great elective class in five easy steps:
1. Wait until your child becomes motivated by money.
2. Your child will seek (or be forced to seek) a job or income.
3. Count or estimate hours on the job.
4. When your child accumulates 150 hours, call it a credit on the transcript.
5. Retroactively write a course description, and describe how you evaluated the class.
Grading occupational education can be as simple as recognizing that your children are meeting your expectations, doing what is required, and completing their work. When they do, you can feel comfortable giving them an
A
for their work. In public school, these types of classes may be graded based on effort and participation, and we can do that, too. While you can’t be sure a college will use non-academic grades you provide, it is the parent's job to provide grades for the classes listed on the transcript. As homeschoolers, our evaluations have as much credibility as any other school’s evaluations. I put everything on the transcript, and let the colleges acknowledge each course and grade at their discretion.
A course description for occupational education will look as unique as each homeschool family. In general, indicate that it is a self-directed course. You can mention that the students will work to pursue their area of interest, seeking work and volunteer opportunities in this area. Within their area of interest, the students will demonstrate initiative, responsibility, reliability, and enthusiasm in the workplace. Your course description can mention skills such as basic computer and word processing skills, carpentry, childcare, or masonry. You can mention job experiences as well, as they may earn experience interviewing, making résumés, creating cover letters, obtaining letters of recommendation, and handling finances and paychecks.
What a great class to include on your transcript to show the depth and breadth of your children’s education, as well as demonstrate their maturity! I'm convinced it's one of the easiest classes to cover in your homeschool.
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EGR materials are interdisciplinary, challenging, relevant, and fun. Available: INDIVIDUAL UNITS and all-inclusive BUNDLES. Products include Activities, PowerPoints, Case Studies, Handouts, Forms, Rubrics & more.
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The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine
is your trade publication. Every quarter it is released, but every OTHER quarter it comes out in print as well as digital (apps). How do you claim your free print magazine? Hit up your dashboard and claim it. Next issue is the Winter one... we're laying it in now and it is BEAUTIFUL. Over 160 pages, glossy, thick. And you don't need to pay a dime to get it. Get over to your dashboard and get your free stuff. Check your dashboard often at the top of the home page. We love to give gifts! - gena
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Teaching children to work, especially in today’s society, is not a bad thing! There are many ways to instill good work habits into children that can carry on into their teen and adult years. My boys all learned early how to make themselves simple meals, how to sweep the floors, make their beds, put their clothes away, and even do laundry. I was still their “mom,” but I was not their “maid.”
Household jobs were always accompanied by instruction and principles—principles of the Bible.
- “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” Colossians 3:23
- “Do all things without murmurings and disputings” Philippians 2:14
- “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” Proverbs 3:27
When children have God’s Word in their hearts and think as He thinks, it is much easier for them to enter the “working world.”
My boys also held jobs in their teen years, and all have had good experiences with employers. They have been commended for their integrity, friendliness, and willingness to work—a trait many employers admit is lacking in today’s workforce. Some families are fortunate to own their own businesses or farms, and the children are able to be incorporated into the workforce in settings and with people familiar to them. That can be a real blessing to a family and a great experience as well.
But let’s face it, the Bible instructs “that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10b) Laziness is becoming a problem in our society, and as homeschooling parents, we should not just be teaching our children to be the best academically but to strive to be the best in work habits as well.
Some teenagers have aspirations of becoming entrepreneurs and starting their own businesses. This also requires tremendous effort and dedication. There is no better position for young entrepreneurs to be in than to be homeschoolers and have the ability to create, focus, and devote their abilities to something they love to do.
Allowing your children to have jobs really shouldn’t be about them “needing money” for foolish things of this world but rather another training option to establish a good testimony, develop life-long skills, and teach principles and wise stewardship of the money and resources God has allowed them to receive.
Jodi has been with TOS since April 2016. She serves as a Human Resource and Operations Assistant and is also the
Homeschooling with Heart
blog manager. Jodi is a pastor’s wife and has three boys. She has homeschooled for seventeen years and also taught in the private and public-school settings. Jodi enjoys teaching, playing the piano, scrapbooking, and making cards.
Her heart’s desire is to help others learn to enjoy these things as well!
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There are many skills that can be learned in high school that will help prepare your teens to fulfill the unique calling God has placed on their lives. We’ve pulled a few careers and key courses together in the
Career Center
on SchoolhouseTeachers.com as a quick reference guide to help them get started. We have courses that can help regardless of what career your teen chooses, such as Public Speaking, Leadership 101, Foundations for Teens, Career Exploration, and Business Plan Creation. We also have courses highlighted that pertain to accounting, art, graphic design, film, online businesses, law, medicine and health, history, the ministry, veterinary science, and photography.
If you’re homeschooling this year and you’re not a member of
SchoolhouseTeachers.com
, come give us a try. Join during our Flash Sale and save over 60%! If you or someone you know would be interested in teaching or writing for us, let us know. You can email me at
bhudson@TheOldSchoolhouse.com
. We look forward to serving you and your family! Sale ends November 17, 2017.
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in the latest issue of
The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
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Contest Corner
For the month of November
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As a classical homeschooling family who leans to the Charlotte Mason side and uses quite a bit of Memoria Press curriculum in our yearly studies, Memoria Press is one of the homeschooling companies that I drool over on their website and print magazine. We are quite familiar with Memoria Press and the whole array of products they offer.
(. . .)
We were blessed to receive
The Book of Trees Set
(Reader, Student Book, and Teacher’s Guide) to enhance our nature studies
.
(. . .)
The course contains 21 lessons broken up over five units of work cover the following topics: The Root & Stem, Leaves, Flowers & Fruits, Observing Trees, and Advanced work with Photosynthesis & Respiration. Completing any of the 21 lessons is easy to do with the help of the model lesson plan given in the front of the Student Book. The model lesson plan gives you review, reading questions, diagrams, and labeling, along with activities to complete.
For our family, we used this set during the morning with our girls. We took our time and worked through the lessons with a nice and slow pace by completing one lesson a week. There is plenty of material available to stretch the learning out to one lesson per week and still get a full course load. My girls enjoyed going for walks and keeping a nature journal, all the while discovering the nature in our neighborhood right around us including the trees in the forest down the street. Learning to identify the different types of leaves and trees of the forest was new and exciting for us. I especially enjoyed that the program is so thorough and draws different disciplines including comprehension and Latin into the program.
(Read the rest of The Book of Trees review.)
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Nature's Beautiful Order is a wonderful way to introduce students to the study of animals, or even just further encourage your animal lover! We received the textbook as well as a student and teacher guide. This is recommended for students in grades 6-8 but can also be used to supplement a higher-level biology course. There are eighteen lessons in all that teach what an animal is and then lead students in study on the various classes of animals in the animal kingdom.
I have to say, before this, I was not very familiar with the concept of the study of natural history. However, being that we all love history and science in this house, we certainly enjoyed every minute of this course. What better way to grow in our children a love for the beauty and wisdom within the animal kingdom. With simple readings, we are led to better understand what exactly an animal is. And it turns out they have an answer that goes beyond what many of us would answer. The reader is full of the works of classical naturalists like John James Audubon, Jean-Henri Fabre, and St. George J. Mivart.
YOU can WIN both full sets of physical science books for your homeschool!
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