That is very cool @mstomper. ^^
I’d probably fall out of my chair if my son came up with a plan like that. 
@bookmom7 …you are so right about wanting more time. My D18 has been busy with friends and senior stuff for weeks. I keep having to kick myself to not say anything and remember that she is leaving/loosing friends too.
DS is having a similar issue with finding a summer job. He has a lawn to mow but nothing else definite yet. I think he has been at a disadvantage because his college is not local. His peers that are staying local seem to have had better luck.
If you have a “Nextdoor” community in your neighborhood or even in your city, there is a forum to post availability for babysitting, nannying, mother’s helper, yard work, etc. I belong to ours and every other week someone posts a message looking for one or more of the above. I’m sure it depends on where you live, but summer nannies are a thing here.
D has extensive experience with child care through babysitting and volunteer work, but is not old enough for most summer camp jobs. Luckily she has a paid summer internship, which she got through our city youth employment program. Like the one mentioned above, it deals only with youth 16-24. I know other families whose kids have had good luck with it. There are a wide variety of jobs offered. But applications went out a long time ago-that window may have closed.
What about tutoring? Again, in our area, many parents employ summer tutors, often HS or college students.
@me29034, I was not too keen about my D starting her job in March of senior year. But it was a good thing she did. They worked around her busy schedule. And she already had this job for summer.
Now of course this year she thought she could go back but they had no openings. She is still looking.
Can your D ask around the neighborhood to see if anyone would need help watching kids, going shopping for an elderly person or something like that? Working in church office or doctor’s office as a substitute when people go on vacation? Here ALDI is hiring and they pay $10/hr.
It can be hard to find something in the summer with high schoolers and college kids competing.
Also could she teach art/music/dance classes or something? Is there a college nearby with a kids program that might need helpers?
Couple of tips on the summer job search.
Tell everyone you know that D is looking for a summer job. Most jobs at every level from the lowest to the highest are word of mouth and who you know.
Search on craigslist under jobs with the search term “summer”. That’s how I found a job for D15 for this summer.
If she is up for childcare have her sign up with some of the nanny services. Many people hire summer nannies.
Ditto lawn services.
Depending on where you live (swing state?) political campaigning might be an option. Easier to pull off unpaid than paid positions but paid is possible.
Good luck. And honestly if it wasn’t the job search it would probably be something else. This is an emotional transition for the kids (and us).
@mom23travelers Thanks for the suggestion about craigslist. I found one very good option listed that I will give to D tonight - a local assisted living facility specifically looking for summer high school and college students.
I have spoken to D about volunteering if she can’t find a job. The main issue isn’t money , though that would be nice, but rather just keeping her busy and productive. I don’t want her lying around the house all day waiting for her friends to get off work.
Paid summer work…
Might a teen read that Magic of Tidying Up book, then seek local clients to assist in purging household stuff? I’d pay a trusty teen to just be my body-double in that project. It beats the professional organizer who ran about $300/h iirc.
When applying for jobs it might be useful to ask for her to ask for the name of the person doing the hiring. Then she can have a name for the cover letter and when she drops off the application she can ask for the person doing the hiring and meet them directly and be able to tell them how much she wants the job, how flexible her hours are, etc. Sometimes that extra initiative is the difference between getting hired or not. Around here lots of high school kids work as hostesses in restaurants.
@carolinamom2boys I’m just checking in after a long absence-is your head going to C of C?! Mine is too! She got into (and got scholarships to) Clemson and USC, but she decided Cof C is the best fit! Just giving you a shout out because it sounded like you and I were in the same boat for a while, and I though you were leaning towards Clemson.
Sending you a PM @charlestonmom5 , but yes DS16 is CofC bound
@me29034 I agree that seasonal jobs are the best when employers know you will be leaving. Lifeguarding? Working somewhere that has a seasonal plant section/nursery? Pet sitter company? Ice cream/Fro Yo shop? Putt Putt/Movies/Arcade? Real estate agents/moving companies around here hire lots of teens because summer is their busiest season. It really isn’t her though. My kids got their summer jobs in February and applied in November.
DS also has surveys from 3 schools he did not choose. I have encouraged him to complete them. Not sure if he will.
@me29034, check at hotels. Even in non-tourist areas they tend to have a need for summer-specific help. That was the answer for my oldest a couple of years ago when she was struggling to line up work. You do have to plan ahead somewhat, which can be a challenge if you are out of state going to school!
My D16 is working a seasonal job at a travel agency, one that requires her Mandarin aptitude. A teacher set her up with the gig. It does help to have a contact, I think.
Jut sharing my current bittersweet state of mind. Last night, my DD was one of 150 students honored by the Archdioceses of Philadelphia (the top 3% of the Archdiocesan school system). They received medals of St. John Neumann that they can wear on their own graduation day. It was a beautiful service and very touching. It begins the whirlwind of award and graduation events for her. I just can’t believe that HS is already over. I am so proud of her that my heart could burst but I want it all to slow down because I feel like I am going to miss something.
Congrats @PhilaSkiMom . Things are moving so fast, it’s hard to keep your bearings right now. We’re in the same boat and trying to get DS19 through exams and projects. Ugh! Is it too early for a margarita ?
@carolinamom2boys - We went out to dinner last night after the service. The first thing I did was order a margarita! ;
Congrats to you & your DD @PhilaSkiMom !
Thanks to everyone for the job search suggestions. I really appreciate them. Last night was better for D. She has an interviewed scheduled for one of the jobs she applied for, and she had a nice talk with the manager at one store when she turned in her application. She also found out that she had a friend working there which she was not aware of so the three talked for a bit. She is feeling more encouraged so was back to her normal cheerful self last night. I think the stress of the job search, loaded on top of all the other major life changing events happening just got to her.
D has received surveys from two schools and has been upfront with her decision reasoning. One she turned down because of the way the core requirements are structured, and one was all about the money. I think its helpful to the schools to understand in both cases.
We are in two very different places with our kids schedules. Today is the last day of classes for D and she doesn’t have to take any finals. She only has to go back to school for Orchestra rehearsals (there is still one more concert) and then graduation related events like picking up caps and gowns and graduation rehearsal. They do have the senior prom next week too. S19 on the other hand still has a month left of school. We just got mid quarter grades for him last week so he still has a long way to go. He also has to start getting up earlier to take the bus since D won’t be driving him.
@me29034, glad to hear things are looking up.