Q
Our 15-year-old daughter is interested in getting a summer job. I understand that she wants to earn money to buy a used car, but her father and I rely on her to watch her younger siblings. Also, I don't want this job to interfere with the cheerleading camp she'll be attending.
If we can find her a part-time job on the weekends and for a few hours during the week, that's fine. Still, I don't really see the point of her working just yet. Shouldn't my daughter spend this summer just being a kid?
A
Honor your daughter's efforts to work during the summer so that she can buy her own car. You're not out of line for encouraging her not to work so much during the summer, but insisting that she only work a certain number of hours is not necessary. She'll decide how much she wants to work in order to fit other activities into her schedule.
It's rather unfair to expect her to spend the summer looking after her siblings. I encourage you to find alternative childcare arrangements so that your teenager doesn't feel like she's responsible for their daily care.