Tired of this...

[BigBird]

This is a good thread to read, especially if you're the parent of a teenagers (like me). It's a good reminder that we have to be reasonable with our kids, and be sure we are advocates for them as well. We need to listen to what our kids have to say, and remember that the world they are growing up in is different than the one we grew up in. Just because they don't want to follow the work ethic that we grew up with doesn't mean that they can't develop a good work ethic that works for them in this day and age.

We can't force our opinions on them, and if we don't listen to what they have to say, they will go behind our backs, and won't bother to ask us for our opinions. How can we expect our kids to become responsible adults if we don't trust them to listen to our advice, but ultimately do what is best for them?

I will get off my soap box now, and go make supper for my rotten kids

[trailerparkmedic]

Employees are not paid to take abuse, whether it be from customers, other coworkers, or management.

Good luck Octopi!
Congrats on your parents giving in a tiny bit! I worked at a library in high school and it was great. I LOVED it. They actually treated me like a human.
I really hope you get the job.

[Geek King]

Got the rents to consider my point of view, filled out an application today. They said they weren't hiring, but the people I know encouraged me to file anyway. Hoping for the best.

Way to go Octopi! If the Library job works out, just make sure to fufill your duties. Many younger workers are seen as slackers, so even just doing your job decently will make you seem like a wunderkind. Good Luck!

[Kogarashi]

Congrats on being given a chance, Octopi!

[Kristev]

And my mother, too.

[octopi23]

My parents could be relatively unreasonable about my first job, too. I totalled the car turning into the movie theater parking lot to apply for a job there (hit another car I didn't see). When Mom showed up, after the police reports were taken care of and insurance exchanged, she marched me into the theater and had me still apply for the job! I was so shaken I nearly botched the interview, and for some reason they let Mom sit in the room for it so I got an earful about THAT on the way home.

Mom was also the worst SC I ever had at that job. Since I was an employee, immediate family got to see movies for free, and they went to see Star Wars Ep I--a rare treat for the family, as we couldn't afford to go to the movies at the time. So my parents bought a bag of popcorn for everyone to share and small sodas. Now, we could get fired for failing to offer upgrades on sodas, so I didn't even think when I went ahead with my script. Mom tore my head off, ranting about how I KNEW how little money we had, they were only in the theater because of the free tickets, they were only getting popcorn because they didn't have to pay for tickets, I KNEW she couldn't finish a small, how DARE I ask, etc etc. The rest of the concessionists turned to STARE at her (our usual method of derailing SCs and EWs...worked pretty well when 3-6 uniformed people were STARING and not saying anything) but she didn't wind down. My siblings were trying desperately to pretend they belonged with someone else, but Dad's comment was "That was pretty dumb of you."

Mom is totally flabbergasted whenever I bring up that story, too. She cannot imagine that she could possibly be a bad customer, much less such a bad one that it took nearly ten years to meet someone worse.

I love my parents (when I'm not living with them!), but by the time I turned 18, I HAD to get away from them. I went to college as far away as scholarships could get me. They never have figured out why I've been so eager to stay as far away from home as possible.

My mom's kinda like that too, what with the inability to admit being wrong.

[LadyAndreca]

My parents could be relatively unreasonable about my first job, too. I totalled the car turning into the movie theater parking lot to apply for a job there (hit another car I didn't see). When Mom showed up, after the police reports were taken care of and insurance exchanged, she marched me into the theater and had me still apply for the job! I was so shaken I nearly botched the interview, and for some reason they let Mom sit in the room for it so I got an earful about THAT on the way home.

Mom was also the worst SC I ever had at that job. Since I was an employee, immediate family got to see movies for free, and they went to see Star Wars Ep I--a rare treat for the family, as we couldn't afford to go to the movies at the time. So my parents bought a bag of popcorn for everyone to share and small sodas. Now, we could get fired for failing to offer upgrades on sodas, so I didn't even think when I went ahead with my script. Mom tore my head off, ranting about how I KNEW how little money we had, they were only in the theater because of the free tickets, they were only getting popcorn because they didn't have to pay for tickets, I KNEW she couldn't finish a small, how DARE I ask, etc etc. The rest of the concessionists turned to STARE at her (our usual method of derailing SCs and EWs...worked pretty well when 3-6 uniformed people were STARING and not saying anything) but she didn't wind down. My siblings were trying desperately to pretend they belonged with someone else, but Dad's comment was "That was pretty dumb of you."

Mom is totally flabbergasted whenever I bring up that story, too. She cannot imagine that she could possibly be a bad customer, much less such a bad one that it took nearly ten years to meet someone worse.

I love my parents (when I'm not living with them!), but by the time I turned 18, I HAD to get away from them. I went to college as far away as scholarships could get me. They never have figured out why I've been so eager to stay as far away from home as possible.

[Mikkel]

Got the rents to consider my point of view, filled out an application today. They said they weren't hiring, but the people I know encouraged me to file anyway. Hoping for the best.

Great news.

[ExiledV20]

My dad says it's important if I stay at my job; he says if I move around, then my resume looks weaker.

Speaking as someone who has to go over the resumes and hire for my team, that's usually crap.

1) We don't care who you worked for or how long previous to your attainment of the age of 18. Hell, we don't much care if you're full time in college and bouncing around.

2) I'd rather have someone who bounced around between jobs and has good references than someone who's been plodding along at the same place for years. The bouncer is going to be more flexible and amenable to change. The plodder is going to be more dedicated to doing things the way he's always done them. That doesn't work when the environment changes every 3-4 months and requires you to be fast on your feet.

3) You are generally not going to work for a corporation these days for more than 4-5 years. In fact, working for a place longer than that can be a detriment in getting a position elsewhere. If you worked for a place for 10 years, why would you want to move? The prevailing thinking is that they forced you out, regardless of the explanation given.

[EricKei]

Congrats! Let us know how it goes. Even small victories are worth savoring

[octopi23]

Got the rents to consider my point of view, filled out an application today. They said they weren't hiring, but the people I know encouraged me to file anyway. Hoping for the best.

[Athaelia]

First off, sorry for your dilemma Oct!

You know, some great things happen when people are upset with their own current situation, and strive to change it.

At 16, I realize your parents are a force to be contended with. By now, it fairly certain your parents just won't become 'reasonable'. So they say if you apply for that other job, they will force you to be jobless?

Now, I'm not telling you to do this, but here's what I would do given the circumstances as I see them, (but I'm pretty devious)

I'd sneak. That's right. I would secretly apply for the other job, and secretly attend the interview. If I got the job, I'd turn around and quit the 7 flags job-Give 2weeks notice or whatever. Having already secured the library job, if I was told to quit by my parents, I'd argue that it wouldn't look to good on my future resumes. I'd fight fire with fire. If they argue, they'd be contradicting the whole basis of their argument.

I just quit my job at a sportsbar(which my Mom dubs the "sexist hellhole"); I worked there 2 years. My husband works, so I'll be ok for awhile, but he had no idea what horrors I had to put up with everyday until he had to come in and wait for me to get off work. He personally saw how I was being treated; he and my parents actually ASKED me if I'd like to quit. After some consideration, and much thought, I knew it was the best thing. I don't think I could stand it anymore, and I was actually getting physically sick from what I had to deal with there.Every job will entail annoyances and tasks you don't like, even people you don't like. But, sometimes enough is enough, and your job sounds like it sucks a big one. Life's too short.

Good luck to you, and I hope everything works out with you, your job and parents! Keep us posted.

[Andara Bledin]

The thing about the bathroom breaks is, I have to ask a supervisor to replace my game for me to leave it. Sometimes, I'm in places where the supervisors never go down, so I have to ask another dept's sup to radio to them, and after that, they sometimes come down. But it always takes a long time because there are never more than 2 sups in the area at a time (understaffing) and they are incompetent.

Make an anonymous complaint to OSHA. If there's a complaint, they are required to make an inspection, and I'd be shocked if this didn't happen to pretty much everyone who worked that department, so it's not like they can tie it to anyone specific, and even if they fired you for it, that would likely be in your best interests, anyway.

I just don't get why they seem so dead set on you working there. It's like they've got some odd attachment to it.

It has nothing to do with where he is working so much as that it is where he works, and they seem to have formed an attachment to some unfounded idea that they cannot admit to anyone is flawed.

Their unwillingness to admit to having been mistaken about something is the most likely reason they've got their backs up on this, and it has pretty much nothing to do with octopi23, other than it's his life and well-being that is being adversely effected by it.

Octopi23, I echo the suggestion of finding an ally (family, if possible, counselor or family friend would also work) with whom you can, at the very least, discuss the issues at hand. I know it's a scary thing to contemplate at 16, but there's a very good chance that staying in a situation like this, at that age, could have repercussions that would affect your health and your working relationships for years.

^-.-^

[Pagan]

they tell me that I should just quit if I want to, but they won't let me get a job anywhere else.

I just don't get why they seem so dead set on you working there. It's like they've got some odd attachment to it.

[trailerparkmedic]

they won't let me get a job anywhere else.

If you can manage transportation to/from the library (or anywhere else) by foot/bike/bus/friend with a car who gets paid for gas money, then there is nothing they can do keep you from getting a job elsewhere. What is the absolute worst thing they could do to you?