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Published: June 2, 2008
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EmailZach Batten’s motivated to make money this summer. The 15-year-old, with a friend, has already approached folks around in his Red Mill neighborhood in Virginia Beach and asked if they need help around the yard, with their kids or dogs or cleaning their cars. It’ll keep him busy, or at least that’s the plan."Me and my friend have always been looking for a job, and a lot of people don’t hire 15-year-olds," said the Ocean Lakes High freshman.
For parents, having teenagers like Zach doing nothing all summer is not an option. It’s important for them to make sure their children stay engaged, active and out of trouble. Summer can be a time when idle kids experiment with drugs, or start to hang with the wrong crowd. But child-care experts and parents who know what can happen with bored teenagers say keeping young adults busy after school ends in June isn’t an insurmountable task. "The biggest key is to plan - involve your teen in the planning," said Linda Hinkle, founder of highschoolstuff.com, a resource and information site for parents of high school students.
"First you want to make it clear to them that they’re not going to just waste away the summer," said the former high school math teacher for 29 years from Arkansas. "After that, I think you’ll have much better success and cooperation if they’re involved."
Beverly Myrick can attest to the success of that approach with daughter, Taylor, 16, a junior at Bayside High School in Virginia Beach.
"I keep my daughter happy and active by providing a lot of variety in activities during the summer," Myrick said of Taylor. "She is not bored and has fun doing the things she likes."
Like field hockey camp at Old Dominion University in Norfolk in July. And her 20-hour-a-week job at Ocean Creek Apparel in Virginia Beach. And concerts at the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphiteater or The NorVa in downtown Norfolk.
"She has a lot of interests," which is important, Myrick said. "There are so many things that kids can get into; I’m not as naive as my parents were."
Drugs is one of those things.Parents know, unsupervised kids often can find trouble. And, according to the federal government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, teens are 40 percent more likely to try marijuana for the first time in June or July because they are bored and alone. The study says that on average during those months, 6,300 youth try pot for the first time.
Hinkle, the mother of two grown sons, spent a lot of time during their teenage years at the baseball park. "They were very into sports," said Hinkle, who was a single mother raising her boys. "It was a good group of kids with wonderful parents.
Her sons also "had some wonderful male role models," she said.Hinkle also got her sons interested in reading by subscribing to Sports Illustrated, so all their reading wasn’t academically related.
"We went through some rough times when they were teenagers," Hinkle said. But, "I was very blessed.
"I want parents of teenagers to ... subscribe to ‘this too shall pass.’"According to newsforparents.org, there are ways to keep your kids drug-free during the summer, and to keep their summers happy and healthy.
1. Set Rules. Parents must set limits with clear consequences if they’re broken. Reward and praise good behavior.
2. Understand and communicate. Explain what’s bad for them, and find teachable moments every day to keep the conversation happening.
3. Monitor your teen’s activities and behavior. Keep in touch and make sure if they’re out or at work, that they check in.
4. Reserve time for family.
5. Engage your teen in summer activities. That can be anything from camp counseling to part-time jobs.According to mysfirstpaycheck.com, an online resource for teens seeking summer jobs, teens must be brave, polite, prepared, persistent and creative when finding work in the summer.
That’s what Zach Batten and his friend have done. He’s ready for that part-time job of his own making. Plus, his parents like his plan. "I don’t think they want me in the house," Zach said with a laugh.
