“I don’t want my teenage son to get job – he has his whole life to work"
- 8 months ago
A mum says she doesn’t want her teenage son to get a job because he has his whole life to work and should be able to “do what he wants”.
Esther Boyd, 33, has been working since she was 14 and although she doesn’t “regret it” she doesn’t want the same for her son, Noah, 15.
She admits she is able to “fund his existence” so wants him to have the freedom to enjoy that while he can – instead of working a job he doesn’t like for some money.
Esther wants Noah to start working when he finds something he “cares about or enjoys” and encourages him to do work experience to figure out what he likes.
Esther, a marketing co-ordinator and photographer, from Burleigh Heads, Australia, said: “It seems like I have been working forever – I’m already physically and mentally ready to retire.
“I told him I don’t want you to get a job. I don’t think it is a smart idea.
“You can curiously parent your child and you can teach them these things without throwing them into a job.
“I don’t want to instil in him that he has to work just to stay alive, for the sake of money.
“You can do this your whole life – why start now.
“I think it’s insane to tell a small child who is 14 to go out into the world and get a job for experience, as if they are not going to get that experience their whole life.
“He’s not going to retire until he’s like 100. He’s not starting at 15.”
Esther was working a part-time job at the age of 14 as a restaurant waiter and spent her 20s trying out different roles to work out what she wanted to do.
When it came to raising her son, she wanted it to be different for him.
She said: “I really see how young 15 is.
“He had a couple of friends who got jobs and naturally talked about it and asked if he should get a job.
“I said I don’t think it is a smart idea.
“It’s really important he doesn’t struggle along.
“But I still instil things I have learnt.
“He saw a drop of people being able to do things as much – like video games.
“He said ‘I want money to do stuff’
“I said I’ll give him money to do stuff. I can fund your existence.”
Esther knows she is in a “privileged” position that means she doesn’t need Noah to get a job for financial reasons – and that this is not the case for everyone.
She doesn’t have a “deadline” of when she wants Noah to get a job – but feels he can get one when he find something he enjoys.
Currently he has his heart set on being an engineer and going to university to study.
Esther said: “I’ve said work is not all it is cracked up to be.
“I want him to be encouraged to do what he wants.
“That’s all I want for him.”
Esther supports Noah in all his hobbies – from woodwork to rock climbing.
She said: “I’m making a space to go after what he is interested in.
“We should teach kids from a young age to trust their gut, judgement and grow up confident and happy.”
Esther Boyd, 33, has been working since she was 14 and although she doesn’t “regret it” she doesn’t want the same for her son, Noah, 15.
She admits she is able to “fund his existence” so wants him to have the freedom to enjoy that while he can – instead of working a job he doesn’t like for some money.
Esther wants Noah to start working when he finds something he “cares about or enjoys” and encourages him to do work experience to figure out what he likes.
Esther, a marketing co-ordinator and photographer, from Burleigh Heads, Australia, said: “It seems like I have been working forever – I’m already physically and mentally ready to retire.
“I told him I don’t want you to get a job. I don’t think it is a smart idea.
“You can curiously parent your child and you can teach them these things without throwing them into a job.
“I don’t want to instil in him that he has to work just to stay alive, for the sake of money.
“You can do this your whole life – why start now.
“I think it’s insane to tell a small child who is 14 to go out into the world and get a job for experience, as if they are not going to get that experience their whole life.
“He’s not going to retire until he’s like 100. He’s not starting at 15.”
Esther was working a part-time job at the age of 14 as a restaurant waiter and spent her 20s trying out different roles to work out what she wanted to do.
When it came to raising her son, she wanted it to be different for him.
She said: “I really see how young 15 is.
“He had a couple of friends who got jobs and naturally talked about it and asked if he should get a job.
“I said I don’t think it is a smart idea.
“It’s really important he doesn’t struggle along.
“But I still instil things I have learnt.
“He saw a drop of people being able to do things as much – like video games.
“He said ‘I want money to do stuff’
“I said I’ll give him money to do stuff. I can fund your existence.”
Esther knows she is in a “privileged” position that means she doesn’t need Noah to get a job for financial reasons – and that this is not the case for everyone.
She doesn’t have a “deadline” of when she wants Noah to get a job – but feels he can get one when he find something he enjoys.
Currently he has his heart set on being an engineer and going to university to study.
Esther said: “I’ve said work is not all it is cracked up to be.
“I want him to be encouraged to do what he wants.
“That’s all I want for him.”
Esther supports Noah in all his hobbies – from woodwork to rock climbing.
She said: “I’m making a space to go after what he is interested in.
“We should teach kids from a young age to trust their gut, judgement and grow up confident and happy.”