Dr. Louise Davis, child and family development specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension service, said summer jobs help kids realize the value of responsibility, money and time. According to the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, nearly 78,000 teenagers work in Mississippi. Teenagers make up 6 percent of the total workforce in the state. Davis said appropriate first jobs for teenagers could be babysitting, mowing yards, washing cars or working at grocery stores.
Summer camps can also offer good first jobs.
Davis said the first thing children learn from summer jobs is responsibility as they begin to realize they have obligations to people other than their parents. They learn responsibility when they have to get to work on time and have limited time for breaks. Dr. Beverly Howell, Extension family economist specialist, said parents have the responsibility to teach their kids about money management. Parents should teach their kids to set goals to meet financial responsibilities. Howell recommended children save at least 10 percent of their paychecks.