feature
summer jobs
MANNY
TUTORING
Tutoring allows flexible hours;
however, it’s important to make
sure flexibility doesn’t turn into
lack of commitment. Teens
gain a better understanding of
different learning styles or challenges others may face in the
learning process and connect
with students they may not have
interacted with otherwise. It’s
also a great way for students to
keep their minds sharp during
the summer and may force them
to dive deeper into subjects.
SPORTS
INSTRUCTOR
Private coaching or becoming
an athletics instructor is a great
way for teens to use their talents
and abilities to help others and
to serve as a role model for
younger kids. Teaching a sport
or trade they love to someone
else makes it seem less
like a job and can help
them realize that it’s
possible to combine
their passions and
skills, which may
help them choose a
career path. Switching from player to coach is
also valuable in their own
training as they recognize
the importance of practice and self-discipline.
26
Chris Osterlund hadn’t planned on
spending last summer at home, and he
definitely hadn’t planned on being a
nanny for his next-door neighbor’s 8- and
10-year-old boys. But that’s exactly what
Working in food services provides
he did. The senior engineering major
teenagers an opportunity to see
gave us an inside look at what he took
an industry they’ve always been a
away from his summer as a “manny.”
part of, but from the opposite side.
Chris arrived at 7 a.m. every day, givStrong listening skills, understanding him some peace and quiet before chaing the importance of delivering a
os erupted when the boys were up. Once
quality product and working well
they were awake, Chris was responsible
under pressure are key to any job
for everything from meals to planning
of this nature. Jace Vines, General
daily activities. “I tried to let them make
Manager of Chick-Fil-A in The
the decisions by guiding them through a
Shoppes at EastChase, looks for
thought process. On days when they were
rock star employees who come to
cranky, I didn’t really press the issue.”
work drama-free, are prompt
Not only did Chris discover what a
and are motivated to
huge responsibility handling all the
TIP FOR
outperform their
boys’ basic needs was, but he also
PARENTS:
co-workers.
learned how demanding it is to
Avoid the tempation
deal with conflict resolution and
to call your teen’s employer
disciplinary issues. “I really wish
if they will miss work.
that I’d had some sort of training
It’s their responsibility to
on discipline beforehand because
communicate with their
I found that to be the biggest chalboss if they will
lenge,” he said.
be absent.
“I’m an only child and had never
been in a position like this before. I
realized how limited my perspective
was in many areas, which made the
experience challenging in a lot of ways.
I would leave their house struck by how
While many consider this to be a
easily an 8-year-old boy had gotten me
primarily female role, boys have
riled up or had engaged me in a heated
a lot to gain from the experidebate on the legitimacy of using a ‘play’
ence as well. Patience, discipline,
bullwhip to attack his brother because
conflict resolution and time
they were ‘playing.’ (He uses the same
management are only a few of
word; I admire the logic, don’t you?).”
the valuable lessons learned in
“It’s amazing that I can think of myself
taking on the responsibility of
as a put-together, young adult, and yet
another human. Babysitting also
succumb to extreme emotions at the
helps teens learn the sacrifices
hands of a second-grader. Children are a
required to take care of a child
wonderful gift that I’m not prepared for
and what it means to put someyet, but I’m thankful this experience reone else’s needs before their own.
vealed areas that I really need to saturate
*Read The Manny Diaries to hear
in prayer. I would highly encourage any
one guy’s take on his summer as a
male to try out babysitting.”
“manny.”
FOOD SERVICE
BABYSITTING/
NANNYING
www.potentialmagazine.com