Baseball and jobs

We have been facing this exact scenario this summer... my son is 17 and plays a LOT of baseball. I feel pretty guilty that he is not working this summer -- Especially since his older brother worked every summer from the time he was 16 on.

The best I could come up with was having him be my "intern" for the summer. For $6/hour he is doing some friend's yards, grandparent's yard, cleaning bathrooms, etc. We've also told him that it is his "job" also to work on baseball between games... not a problem, of course, since he would love to spend almost every hour of every day doing something baseball-related!

momandcpa,

I share your guilt! My son just graduated a week ago (from H.S.) During our talks with JUCO & D1s this year we learned about the kids summer league commitments once in a college program and it hit me like a ton of bricks: he'll never have time to work until he finishes college!

Coaches pointed out to us that college grads who were student-athletes have a nice resumé showing how hard-working and committed they are, but the world of work is different than the world of baseball work.

On the other hand, if he signs after the draft, he'll be working right away.

It's just such a different path with all together different considerations than our other four kids took, none of whom played sports beyond high school.

We wouldn't be moms if we weren't worrying about something. I once read this quote: "I worry so long and so deeply about things I'm thinking of adding it to my resumé."

ktcosmos

Our son worked throughout his HS career and played baseball almost year round. He didn't have to but he wanted to. When he began driving he worked for the local pizza/italian restaurant, when not delivering pizzas, he washed dishes and cleaned floors. He enjoyed being there and we liked the fact that most of the time he was not playing baseball we knew where he was. He liked being a bit independent too and not asking us for money all of the time. It also gave him a sense of what things cost and appreciated what we did for him. Before he drove he walked dogs and washed cars, handed out flyers for businesses. He even went to the dollar store to buy candy and sell it for double for the kids who went on the bus. He was always thinking of ways to make "a buck".

He also worked during christmas breaks and last summer at camp. This summer he will head to the cape to play baseball and work.
I think that many coaches liked the fact that he played baseball, had good grades and worked. It showed ambition and good time management and gave him responsibility lots of his friends didn't have.
It's not for everyone, but the resturant gave him flexible hours when he was NOT playing baseball, so it was easy for him to fit it in. By his senior year he was almost done with school so chose as a course a work program, his senior fall he made enough money to buy things he wanted in college we thought were not necessary.
Still, we didn't think he was ready to join the workforce full time after high school.

I think it certainly presents a challenge for an athlete to work - especially while in college. In HS, my son worked at an italian fast food restaurant his junior year. Not many hours, but probably learned more from the experience than just a few dollars.

His senior year, he only had to go to school a half day. We have a friend who's an attorney who hired him three afternoons a week and gave son completely flexibility on his hours. He worked more in the fall and winter and when spring finally rolled around only went in on average one afternoon a week.

I think if they can put in a few hours doing something, it can have big benefits. I never wanted him to sacrifice baseball though in any way.

lafmom,
Italian fast food restaurants seem to be the place to work...lol.


If a player can find a balance between working, basebll and school (while in HS), then it can have benefits. If grades begin to decline, then it's time to set priorities. In college, most playing baseball have little free time for anything but class, study and on the field.

Quote from Tiger Paw Mom: "In college, most playing baseball have little free time for anything but class, study and on the field." TPM, that's one of the main reasons my husband and I hope son plays college ball! It should keep him out of lots of trouble :-) Now, to the question at hand: My 16-year-old son works at a construction job 18-24 hours per week on the days he's not at select tournaments and attends speed/agility classes two of those days. He also cuts 1 to 2 lawns per week. We pay his insurance, but he has to pay for his own gas, and his work in the summer needs to finance all 12 months of gas. He just got an assignment from school to read "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and write a long essay on it by the first day of school. He also needs to brush up on Algebra before beginning his Alg. II class. He told me today that baseball is the "only" fun thing he's got going on all summer. I replied, "Welcome to the real world!" He's going to be busy the rest of his life, and he might as well learn to juggle his responsibilities now.

When my son was a sophomore in high school he wanted to get a job so he could have some spending money. We discussed it at length and decided it was not in his best interest to get a job. We saw the potential to play college baseball and felt it would be too much of a load to work a job, play baseball, football, maintain his academics and enjoy a social life. I decided at that time that as long as he would work at baseball, keep his grades up and stay out of trouble that it would not be necessary for him to get a job. I never gave an allowance simply because I don’t like the allowances method.
During his years of playing college baseball I, like TPM, don’t see how he could have found the time to do any kind of a job during the school year and especially during baseball season. There just isn’t any time allowed for a job when playing college baseball. I may be wrong but I don’t know of any of his teammates that had a job either. He had a good baseball scholarship and we just basically paid the rest along with his spending money. I raised a daughter that worked all through high school and through nursing school because she wanted to (and she didn’t play sports).
Fungo

We would not allow son to work in high school....we told him his job was his grades....and he played baseball 11 months out of 12....we did pay him a weekly allowance and increased the amount when he became a senior. He, however, had to earn not just good grades, but very good grades...and he did..... We felt then, and now, that there was no way he could have worked part time, and earned/saved, the money he is now receiving in academic scholarships......think the decisions on part time jobs differ from family to family.....what works best for one, may not for another....

Now, having finished his freshman year, and on rehab for the summer....he is working his first job.....at the neighborhood grocery store.....and learning a lot!

My son worked part time in his senior year, played ball or worked out all year and had great grades. He intends to work on campus mext year and it was his idea. Several of the ball players do work at his college.

Our older son worked various jobs during high school and now plays in college. He also works full time in the Summer and plays a full Stan Musial schedule. Younger son is working this Summer and playing on two different travel teams. Baseball is at night, work is during the day. I don't see a problem.

Very simply put-- where there is a will--there is a way

Great thread.

I had a different perspective with my son. I told him that if he gets good grades and continues to "want" to play baseball that i would support him all the way through.

He graduates this week from HS and will be attending the college of his choice on a baseball scholarship and is graduating with a 4.0 GPA.

I think I made a darn good deal. By the way I made the same deal for college. Gave him the credit card and said good luck.

The payoff for us is that we get to watch a great kid who has given us more joy in this world play college baseball and attend a great school for another four years.

After college he better get a **** job !!!

I usually have my son do community service or volunteer since it's tough to get employment with the baseball schedule. Takes up part of the summer day and get one to think of others instead of themselves.

My guy worked at a local multiplex theatre and not only made good money but was able to choose hours to coincide with baseball-- another big advantage he was in the AC all day and come game time he was "fresh"

Umpiring Little League games pays about $12 for a 2-hour game around here, and you can pick and choose which games you sign up for. Take a week or two off, if you want.

You can't make 40-hour money or anything like that, but it provides some money for the kid to use independently.

Maybe I'm screwed up, but I didn't see the benefit of menial labor at the age of 14, 15, 16 and still don't today. What some called character building I saw as a waste of time and effort and punishment for some unknown imaginery offense. I never understood the incongruity of being schooled in a private college preparitory program and working for literally nickels, dimes and quarters, picking tomatoes with convicts and illegal aliens during spring break or over the summer.

As long as son gets good grades, paying for his college education with his scholarship, stays out of trouble, helps out around the house the little bit he's around, he's had money in his pocket. He has plans for life after school, with or without baseball, understands where money comes from, and the value of goal setting and hard work.

I only wish I did at his age, but I was too busy getting ready for college picking tomatoes.

I agree with you, Dad04. My son worked hard at sports, school and being a kid. Got a job (sports related, of course) in the winter to buy the extras. His good grades and baseball are paying for college next year. He turned out OK and didn't pick any tomatoes!

DAD 04

What if the boy wants to work and put some "coin" in his pocket? Is that working?

As parents we didnt tell him he had to work--he wanted to---I think that is a real good thing for young kid--he had values

There are some life lessons to be learned from those "menial" jobs and the people who work them as their livelihood. I spent several summers in the Indiana steel mills. Glad I did. Last Summer my oldest worked with a golf course grounds crew. Same story.

My son works at Ambercrombie during the Christmas Holidays. He also is my day care for my 7 year old during the summer and the fall. He picks her up from school in the fall and gets her homework done and a snack. I pay him what I would a day care center ($100 a week in the summer, $35 a week during school), gives him spending money.

He is also required to pay me a stipend every month to use the truck I bought him.

By the first of April he's counting pennies out of his truck ashtray for a coke. But it teaches him to budget.

I have the baby boomer credo "got to have a strong work ethic" ground in so deep from my depression era parents.

What that means to me may be something that is learned in a different manner by my offspring.

Essentially, I always thought the only way to develop it was to start with menial jobs in high school (like I did) and then gradually work your way up the food chain.

Any kid succeeding in a sport probably has a well-developed work ethic. The traditional way of acquiring dedication and diligence through a job isn't necessarily the only way.

I've sure gained some perspective from all the views expressed in this post. Mainly, I'm grateful my son is sweet, dedicated and not a slug, even though he has never yet held a full time job.

ktcosmos

TR

Whatever a kid wants to do that is constructive, is fine with me. Believe me when I say there is plenty to learn and great experience to be gained being a cog in the wheel of commerce, no matter what field.

There is little else that can build confidence and provide satisfaction than a persons enjoyment of honest work. Thankfully our society provides opportunities like no other.

It just seems some parents can't wait for a kid to grow up. Once you start working there is no stopping.

Dad04 are you t 16 or so a kid should get out and work part time. My son didn't want to go to work but now he enjoys it. The guys are klike a team that get together for pizza and become buddies just like baseball. He also has a resume that has work experience on it. Employers like tosee that the kid pulled his weight and did not live on handouts. The scholarships he earned and we let him know how wonderful it is that he works,plays college ball and does well at school. For most our boys the dream of pro ball will end and 4 years of college goes by so fast. He3 will have to face the real world quicker than he thinks.
Kids also have to learn that they don't always get what they want and they also have to work for a boss who demands good value for the wage they get. A degree in itself is not enough.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dad04:
Maybe I'm screwed up, but I didn't see the benefit of menial labor at the age of 14, 15, 16 and still don't today.



I don't think you can deny the value of developing a work ethic early in life. However, I think there are other ways to begin to develop one without having to seek employment at an early age. Baseball and high school, and the amount of work it is entailing to play at the college level, has shown my son the value of commitment, hard work and focus. No, he is not earning his own money. But both my husband and I work hard to make sure he DOESN'T have to work at this point in his life. He doesn't ask for much. A movie now and then or maybe lunch money. Accordingly, one of the most important values we've passed onto our children is frugality and living humbly. We don't drive new cars. We are not clothes hounds. We don't buy all the latest gadgets. Family is number one. Any extras are gravy.
Frankly, if my son went out to find work, I'd feel bad that he'd be taking a job away from a kid who really needs the money.

I am another one that views my son's job as being school followed by baseball. Between those two things, he doesn't have enough time for anything else anyway.

I do see the value of developing a good work ethic as a teenager - but have already seen them in how he approaches his two primary jobs. He also understands how hard his mother and I have worked to get our family to the place where he doesn't have to have a paying job - but instead can focus on the skills that will allow him to support himself later in life.

Yes - I worked in high school - but that was a different time and place - and I did not have the academic load that the kids have these days. Perhaps not having had formal work experience may handicap him when he first begins looking for a real job - but I doubt that 5 years after college it will make any substantial difference.

He does do odd jobs around the house to make some spending money - and I don't mind giving him additional cash when he needs it for a movie or a dinner with the guys.

My son is missing a great senior tournament this weekend because he has to work. He chose to work and has his priorities set. He has a set goal and also has learned to manage his time. He will be working this year while attending college, playing ball and keep his grades. I questioned him if it was too much and he said his teammates were doing the same thing. He would have worked last year but as an F1 foreign student he wasn't allowed to. He can only work on campus but he is looking forward to it. He has his own credit card which has to be paid off every month per our rules. I can see a young mature man who is working towards his goals responsibly.

This is obviously a topic that is not black and white. Much has to do with each families beliefs and needs as well as each individual child's schedule.

My son did work a very few hours in HS. In JUCO last year, there was no way he could have worked. His schedule with classes and ball started at 8:00 in the morning and did not finish until 7:00 or 8:00. He had games or practices on the weekends.

This year at a 4 year school he is signed up for work study. I am quite apprehensive about this as I can't quite picture how he can accomplish that, but apparently several players do this.