Work is an important element in a teen’s life. So, we need to consider the purpose of our work beyond just generating some pocket money. One of the key concepts that was stressed in the Second Vatican Council was that work is a way in which we contribute to God’s creation. Therefore, we need to take every job seriously and properly balance it with other priorities such as school and sports.

Top 5 get-ahead skills teens get from that part-time job:

Interact with co-workers to develop positive working relationships and learn how to be of service to others.

Learn more about the specific set of skills and talents with which you’ve been blessed and how to use them.

Learn proper management of money – when to spend and when to save.

Put to use some things you were taught in school. The more problem-solving skills you use, the better.

Apply the skills learned in sports, music and dance such as teamwork, constructive competition, discipline and leadership.

It’s true that part-time jobs need to take a backseat to our schoolwork and some of our extracurricular activities. Yet, that doesn’t mean I should take on a job with the attitude that I’ll just blow it off if I’ve got something better to do, or quit if it becomes too inconvenient. Rather, I really need to ask myself how fair that is to my employer, co-workers and customers – and thus whether a job is really the right thing for me right now.