06/01/2026
AM I THE JAGOFF... for making my teenager get a summer job instead of letting him have one last free summer⁉️
My son is 17 and will be a senior in high school this fall. He's a good kid, gets decent grades, and stays out of trouble. A few months ago, my husband and I told him we'd like him to get a part-time summer job. We thought it would be a good way to earn spending money, gain work experience, and learn some responsibility before college.
The problem is that he feels we're taking away his "last real summer." He says that once senior year starts, he'll be busy with school, sports, and college applications, and after graduation he'll either be working or in college. Many of his friends aren't working this summer, and he keeps telling us he's going to miss out on memories.
He recently got a job at a local ice cream shop, but he's been miserable about it. He told me that years from now he won't remember the money he made, but he'll remember missing memories with his friends before everyone goes their separate ways. My husband is starting to feel guilty and thinks we should ease up, but I still believe having a job for 15-20 hours a week isn't an unreasonable expectation.
Now our family is divided. Some relatives think we're teaching him responsibility, while others think we're being too strict and should let him enjoy one last carefree summer before adulthood.
Am I the jagoff?