Should My Teen Get a Job—or Learn to Create Value?

Have you ever wondered if a summer job is really the best path for your teen—or if there’s a better way to prepare them for life? This post expands on our episode, WHY WE REFUSE TO LET OUR KIDS TRADE TIME FOR MONEY — THE REAL SKILLS YOUR TEENS NEED, and unpacks how teen entrepreneurship builds capability, confidence, and long-term earning power. Early on we also reference our family approach in How We Raised 7 Well-Adjusted Kids - Without Yelling, Tantrums, Punishments or Power Struggles—because supporting doesn’t mean doing it for them; it means preparing them for real life.

Why We Don’t Tell Our Teens to “Just Get a Job”

I used to equate “getting a job” with “learning to work.” 

It felt safe. 

Predictable. 

A paycheck arrives, a box gets checked, and you can breathe. 

But over the years—coaching teens, raising seven of our own, and watching what actually builds confidence and capability—I’ve come to see the deeper truth: trading hours for dollars is a ceiling, not a launchpad.

When kids only learn to clock in, they often miss the more important lesson—how to create value.

The Difference Between Broke and Poor

We tell our kids: you can be broke and still be wealthy. 

Broke is temporary; it’s a moment when cash is tight because you’re building, investing, or learning. 

Poor is a mindset—“I can’t… there isn’t enough… I have no options.” 

Wealth, as we teach it, begins with resourcefulness, skills, and the courage to solve problems. 

Money follows value. 

And value is created by people who know how to learn, adapt, communicate, sell, serve, and deliver.

Why We Prioritize Skills Over Paychecks

One summer our teen needed money. 

Instead of pointing him to the nearest drive-thru, we sat down and asked, “How could you become more valuable this month?” 

He launched a simple service business. 

Was it harder than a shift job? 

Definitely. 

He had to price, pitch, negotiate, fulfill, and follow up.

He made mistakes, learned faster than any textbook could have taught him, and—yes—earned more per hour than minimum wage. 

But the real win was invisible: confidence, initiative, communication, problem-solving. 

Those are the muscles that compound for decades.

Real happiness and fulfillment come when we take on responsibility. And few things teach responsibility like owning outcomes.

Redefining “Hard Work” (So It Actually Builds Grit)

Folding laundry and taking orders can be good starts—but they’re not the summit of work ethic. 

We want our teens to experience challenges that stretch mindset and skillset: talking to adults, navigating rejection, managing time, delivering excellence, and trying again after a flop. 

That kind of “hard” builds a backbone for life—and makes a typical job feel easy later.

The Value Equation We Teach at Home

We keep it simple: 

Provide value to the marketplace → get paid. 

Provide more value → get paid more. 

Sometimes that value looks like a job. 

Other times it’s a product, a service, or specialized knowledge. 

The point is to focus your teen on value creation, not time donation. 

When they learn to ask, “What problem can I solve?” instead of “Who will hire me?”, the future opens.

A Long-Term Strategy (Not a One-Summer Fix)

We play the long game. 

The number one investment is always in yourself. 

Books, courses, mentors, reps, real-world projects—these raise earning ability forever. 

So when a job aligns with the lifestyle they want, grows real skills, and fits a larger vision, great. 

If it’s just a quick way to buy stuff, we pass—and help them build something that grows them.

Modeling the Mindset (So It Actually Sticks)

Our kids believe this because they see it. 

We read (a lot). 

We take risks. 

We build things.

We talk openly about money, mistakes, deals that didn’t work, and what we learned. 

We’re not finished products; we’re fellow travelers. 

That transparency turns money into a meaningful, moral tool—one that allows them to serve more, give more, and become more.

What This Looks Like This Month

It’s not flashy. 

It’s ordinary and intentional. 

Your teen drafts a simple offer. 

They talk to real people. 

They deliver something useful. 

They follow up. 

They read one business book and try one new outreach each week. 

They become a little more valuable—on purpose. 

And that’s the habit that makes wealth a by-product.

In short: We refuse to let our kids trade time for money because their time is for building value—and value is what builds a life.

RESOURCES:

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