Dillon got his first real job today. Until now, he's been an odd-jobs kind of kid. Lawn work, shoveling snow, car washing, baby-sittting... but his real focus has been on school and football/wrestling, depending on the season. Until now, we had discouraged him from getting a job for several reasons: We wanted him to concentrate on his studies. We wanted him to take full advantage of being a kid while he still has the chance. We didn't want his work schedule to interfere with our vacation schedule.
But traveling be damned. I cannot afford for him to not be earning money any longer. Seventeen-year-old boys have expenses and I am tired of being the Bank of Mom: Hey Mom, can I have money for lunch? Hey Mom, can I have money for the movies? Hey Mom, can I have money to take GirlX out? Hey Mom, can I have money for hackey sacks, t-shirts, crickets, gas, corsages, glasses, braces, computers, college, chap stick?
Now he can help pay for some of those necessities, compliments of Shell Oil.
I was reluctant for him to work at a gas station, because I am a Mom. Moms hear on the radio, and on TV and in the newspapers (hip moms like me read our news on the internet) that gas station employees are always getting robbed at gunpoint and sometimes even shot. Moms don't like their kids to come home from work with bullet holes in their bodies that they have spent years nurturing and repairing and maintaining. It's just not our thing.
But before my voice got all high and squeaky and my chin started quivering, he sensed my Primal Fear and quickly informed me of how he was going to be working in the garage doing oil changes and the like and he told me the bright side:
"I'll learn Skills! Real-Life Skills, not like Nunchuck Skills. And Bow-Hunting Skills. And Computer-Hacking Skills."
And he made me Laugh...a skill more precious than any skill Shell can teach him.
3 comments:
I like that college and chap stick were included back to back.
Funny coincidence. I reviewed 11 high school applicants today for college scholarships, and one category was Work Experience. I commented how I would have gotten a 0 there as my parents would not let me get a job. SO - if it helps, when he applies for college, he'll get points for being well rounded! :) That and you'll get free oil changes for life. Or until next year. Whatever.
The fact that you understand that quote, and have once initiated it in my presence makes you the coolest Mom I know. I'm serious.
Moms who let their kids drink in the basement or do coke on the back porch are not cools. Moms who know Napoleon are cool.
The nunchuck skills could potentially come in handy though...
Congrats to him on getting a job and to you for letting him. I only ever worked summers because I was also supposed to be concentrating on my grades.
As far as safety goes, I once hired a guy at the YMCA who had been held up at gunpoint working at Subway. So, really, you never can tell. I'm betting the garage is the safest place to be. As long as he has his nunchucks.
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