My son is 16. Started working at 15. He does odd jobs at a floral place I work at part time.

 


"My son is 16. Started working at 15. He does odd jobs at a floral place I work at part time. He rides his bike into work on the days I can't take him. He only gets $10/hr and works 2 hrs/day. I've told him a couple times not to go in because of weather. Today my son tried calling our boss and say he would come in late but my son didn't communicate properly through text. I did explain to him that he should have left a voicemail and not text. I had a conversation with my boss that this would be an issue on days I work if weather was bad and he said they would work around it. So, they fired him. I'm so pissed over this. Was I wrong for telling my son not to go in? How do others deal with teenagers working that don't drive yet? They told him to find a way to get there once before. I don't care if it's bus, train or Uber. First, can't get there by bus or train and I'm not having him pay for Uber when it'll take away one hour's worth of pay. Sorry, not worth it. I'm so pissed for him and frustrated because I am in the middle with my work and now really don't want to work there after the way they have treated him."

My Take: First off, let’s just address the fact that $10/hr for a teenager is training wheels pay—this job was never going to fund his college tuition. But what it could have done was teach him some valuable lessons about responsibility, communication, and yes, weatherproofing his work ethic. Instead, it seems like your "hovermom mode" might have accidentally kept him from learning how to handle real-world job expectations.

You’re upset they fired him, but from their perspective, it’s a business, not a mentoring program. They hired someone to show up and do the work, not to manage the logistics of how he gets there. And while I get that weather can be a pain, if the bike is his only transportation, maybe he needs a backup plan—or a poncho.

Your son is 16, which means he’s on the verge of adulthood. Help him use this experience to understand that bosses aren’t going to adjust their expectations for him. They’ll replace him with someone who can figure it out—harsh, but true. Teach him to be the guy who always calls, always shows up, and always figures it out—even if it means texting and leaving a voicemail and training carrier pigeons.

Helpful Resources:

  1. "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" by Sean Covey – A great guide for helping teens build responsibility and independence.
  2. The Teen Job Prep Handbook – Tips for navigating job expectations, communication, and professionalism.

And remember: Hovermomming doesn’t prepare him for the real world. It just builds a comfy nest he’ll never want to leave. Let him flap those wings.

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